NFL Draft prospects linked to the Miami Dolphins so far

The NFL Draft is right around the corner and so far, there has been plenty of information regarding the Miami Dolphins and their visitors.

It’s April… you know what that means.

Rumors, speculations, and news surrounding the NFL Draft later this month are running rampant. Despite not having a first-round pick, the Dolphins are still fully engaged in preparing for their incoming draft class and we know of at least two prospects Miami is intrigued with.

According to the Miami Herald, the Dolphins plan to meet with prospects Karl Brooks (defensive end) and Garrett Nelson (edge rusher) prior to the draft. These are not highly-touted prospects — but without a first-round pick, the Dolphins would be wasting their time meeting with the big names.

Karl Brooks, a lesser-known, albeit talented, pass rusher out of Bowling Green is an interesting prospect for the Dolphins. His production at Bowling Green has been nothing short of stellar, adding 60 pressures and 12 sacks in his final collegiate season. Despite his dominant production, Brooks is projected to last until at least the third round — maybe even the fourth or fifth — of the draft, based on his limited athleticism and the fact he played in a weak conference.

It makes sense the Dolphins, with limited draft capital, are eyeing a prospect like Brooks whose production is being overshadowed by the “small school” stigma and lack of freaky athletic traits. Brooks would provide great value in the fourth or fifth round for Miami, as his pass rush arsenal and knack for getting to the quarterback could be invaluable to a team that sees Aaron Rodgers (probably?) and Josh Allen twice a year.

The other prospect the Dolphins plan to meet with, Garrett Nelson, is a bit of a surprise. An extremely low-graded prospect, some scouts see Nelson lasting to the final round, at best, or even going undrafted. He’s on the smaller size for a pass rusher at only 245 lbs and his production won’t drop your jaw.

In 2022, Nelson accounted for 5.5 sacks and 8 tackles for loss for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. But what will not show up on the stat sheet is the effort and motor that Nelson possesses. It seems that Nelson is at the end of every play until the whistle is blown. You can coach up technique, but you can’t teach heart. Someone like that can provide a spark as a depth piece and especially on special teams. Also, he does a pretty sick air guitar.

Perhaps Miami wanted to meet with the pass rusher themselves after watching him give everything he has on every play on film as they lay out their draft board. If he does end up a priority undrafted free agent, maybe the Dolphins wanted to make a good impression on him and preemptively meet with him before discussing a UDFA contract after the draft.

I do find it interesting that the two prospects the Dolphins have met with are pass rushers. There are more pressing needs on the roster, but with Vic Fangio taking the reigns on defense, these two prospects may be what Fangio wants as he tweaks this defense to his liking.