The 2025 NFL Draft is in the books, and now it becomes a matter of time before we know if the Miami Dolphins hit or miss on their draft selections.
Miami did a great job of addressing its needs early. Entering the draft, Chris Grier needed to find help in the deep secondary, starters at cornerback, a starter on the defensive line, and a starting interior lineman. It remains to be seen if any of the players he drafted will work out, but they addressed needs.
The Dolphins made several trades, one to move up in Round 2, which cost them both their third-round pick and a fourth-rounder, and another that moved them out of the fourth round entirely.
It's never easy to grade a draft when you don't know how the players will pan out, but you can grade the personnel taken and how they fit within the scheme and roster.
Handing out grades for every Dolphins pick in the 2025 NFL Draft
DT Kenneth Grant: A
Drafting Grant may have been the only decision Chris Grier realistically could have made. The Dolphins' need at the position was glaring, but they didn't reach. Grant is considered one of the top DTs in this year's draft class, and Miami made the smart move to get Zach Sieler some help.
Grant is good enough that he will eventually make teams double him on the interior, leaving Sieler with more opportunities to make plays.
Bold prediction: Grant is going to make Zach Sieler a Pro Bowl player in 2025.
OL Jonah Savaiinaea: B+
The Dolphins wanted to fix their offensive line, and they believed sitting at pick 48 wouldn't get it done. They traded a total of three draft picks to get the offensive lineman and a fifth-round pick. Savaiinaea is expected to start his NFL career at guard.
Bold prediction: Savaiinaea will become the starting guard in camp, but his real value will come in 2026 when they move him to tackle to replace Austin Jackson.
DL Jordan Phillips: B+
It's not the first time the Dolphins have had a Jordan Phillips on their defensive line. Miami did the smart thing and continued to add talent to the defensive front.
Bold prediction: Phillips will cement himself as a long-term option as the third rotational tackle.
CB Jason Marshall: C+
Marshall is the first cornerback added to the team, but he isn't sending any messages to the rest of the cornerbacks on the roster. Developmental and smart, Marshall has the right size to become good at his job.
Bold prediction: Marshall will take over one of the boundary corner jobs by the end of the season.
S Dante Trader Jr.: C+
Trader is one of those players who doesn't immediately make you think, "Yes, we got a steal," but the more you think about his addition, he not only makes sense but is the type of physical player the Dolphins need and can develop more.
Bold prediction: Trader will be the clear starter in 2026.
RB Ollie Gordon: A
Gordon has to put an off-field arrest behind him. He is a great running back prospect who won the Doak Walker Award two years ago. Miami may have found a steal, but their RB room will limit his production early. What works in his favor is that he will be the most physical running back on the roster, and that includes Alec Ingold.
Bold prediction: Gordon will take over from Ingold in short-yardage situations by mid-season.
QB Quinn Ewers: C
The Dolphins needed a backup quarterback, and Ewers is a good choice. Expected to go in the mid-rounds after an inconsistent 2024, Ewers has the talent to develop, but there is a lot of work that needs to be done before he can take over a game for Tua Tagovailoa.
Bold prediction: Ewers will get plenty of playing time in 2024, unfortunately.
DL Zeek Biggers: C
Miami added yet another big defensive tackle to the roster, their third DT selection in this year's draft. Biggers will be a rotational and perhaps situational player. The Dolphins needed depth on the defensive front, and clearly, they wanted to get bigger.
Bold prediction: Not much to predict with Biggers as he needs to make the roster, so maybe that's the prediction.