The Miami Dolphins undoubtedly need to focus on their offensive line, and the more players they add to the interior, the better the offense will be. That is if they add the right players.
North Dakota State's Grey Zabel is a player to watch. He has shown to be more than just a well-rounded interior lineman. Zabel is nasty and physical at the point of attack, pulls well, uses his feet to maintain balance, and is strong enough to keep big defensive tackles from pushing through. In fact, Zabel's tenacity often allows him to push through defenders.
He offers positional versatility, having played across the offensive line in college.
Zabel met with the Dolphins at the NFL Scouting Combine, including head coach Mike McDaniel. He came away quite impressed with Miami's head coach.
"Yeah, he's got a great outlook on life," Zabel told reporters. "Happy-go-lucky type guy, loved being able to kind of finally meet him, shake his hand, and have a meeting with him. So that was kind of a surreal moment for me."
Zabel said McDaniel has a great outlook on life. He called it a "surreal" moment meeting him and came away impressed.
Grey Zabel would fill a big hole in the Dolphins' offense, but Chris Grier's history says he won't be in play
While Zabel could fix a need along the offensive line, recent rumors suggest the Dolphins won't target an interior lineman in the first round. Zabel will likely be gone before Miami selects in the second round. Even if Zabel is there, the Dolphins' needs at other positions could be too great for Chris Grier to pass up, given his history with the position.
The Dolphins will almost certainly look at the offensive line in Round 3, should they not address the position sooner. They could attack free agency and call it a day, allowing the draft to unfold and then use the best player available approach.
Prospects like Zabel will talk about their meetings with teams in glowing reviews. It doesn't make sense for them to say anything differently as it would only hurt their draft stock. That said, for the most part, McDaniel's first impression from players, media, and fans is always the same. He is still the quirky, fun-loving guy who comes across more like the rest of us than a big-time NFL head coach. That's what is enduring about him...and what can be distracting as well.