Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier doesn’t draft running backs early but is this approach really about Grier or the players fans think he should draft?
It is hard to understand what exactly Grier believes when we look at the draft and see that he rarely drafts 2nd-day runners, let alone the first day.
Grier took over the Dolphins GM duties way back in 2016. In his first draft he took Kenyan Drake in round three. Since then, he hasn’t looked at runners as an all important must have upper tier draft option.
- 2017 – none
- 2018 – Kalen Ballage – round 4
- 2019 – Chandler Cox – round 7 and Myles Gaskin round 7
- 2020 – Malcolm Perry – round 7
- 2021 – Gerrid Doaks – round 7
- 2022 – none
Needless to say, Grier doesn’t view running backs as something he needs to have to be successful and while he has found limited success in the free agent market, his drafting of runners is not good. Furthermore, those fans thinking Grier will spend a 2nd or 3rd round pick on a running back this year needs to re-think that.
The question that should be asked is why does Grier pass on running backs. Does he simply not believe in drafting one or is this more a matter of how he views specific players vs. that perceived value.
There has been plenty of speculation over the years that Grier and the Dolphins have had interest in specific running backs.
In 2017, many thought the Dolphins would go running back. Miami drafted Charles Harris in round one, that was a huge mistake but in round two there was chatter they were targeting Joe Mixon or Dalvin Cook. Both were taken before Miami was on the clock. The Dolphins took Raekwon McMillan. Alvin Kamar was taken in the top of round three.
In 2018, Miami drafted Minkah Fitzpatrick and the only RB taken after that in the first round was Rashaad Penny taken at 27. Nick Chubb was drafted in round two with the 3rd pick. Miami took Mike Gesicki seven picks later. Would they have taken Gesicki if Chubb had slid?
2019 had Chris Grier taking Christian Wilkins over Josh Jacobs who was drafted 11 picks later. In round two, Miami didn’t make a pick in round two.
2020 is the interesting year for Grier. He drafted Tua Tagovailoa at five overall, then took Austin Jackson at 18, and finally Noah Igbinoghene at 30 after trading with the Packers. What is interesting here is that many believed that Miami would spend one of their three first-round picks on a running back.
While Tua makes sense, Jackson and Igbinoghene do not but when it comes to a running back, the rub is that only Clyde Edwards-Helaire was drafted in round one that season. Miami drafted Robert Hunt in round two, two picks prior to Jonathan Taylor being drafted.
Two picks four picks prior to Miami’s pick was D’Andre Swift, a player some believed Grier would draft.
There was a lot of talk in the 2021 draft that Grier was targeting Najee Harris in round one. He has two first round draft picks after trading one away to the Eagles. He also had interest in Travis Entienne. That year, the Dolphins drafted 6th overall and 18th overall where Harris and Etienne were in play.
On draft day, it was rumored that both could fall into round two where another RB, Javon Williams was expecte to be a Dolphins pick in early round two.
Harris and Etienne both went back-to-back in round one and Williams was taken one pick ahead of the Dolphins went Denver moved up
The question I wonder is whether or not Grier is passing on running backs or if it is simply a matter of top running back prospects that he likes actually falling to him. In all these years since 2016, none of the top prospects fell into Grier’s lap and it isn’t a position he is likely going to trade draft capital for.
That being said, he needs to be more open minded in terms of the positions value when he has an elite wide receiver unit and a near-elite quarterback. An elite running back makes this team much better.
While the draft hasn’t really worked out in his favor over the years, we can say he has made no real attempt to move up to change that. On the other hand, maybe the leaks and rumors about the Dolphins interest in running backs is all part of the plan to get others to take them before him.