Malaki Starks and 4 dream draft targets who would make Dolphins contenders

Barring a completely unforeseen change of direction, Chris Grier will once again run the Miami Dolphins' 2025 draft, and he needs to hit this out of the park.

Grier's drafts haven't been horrible, but they haven't been great, either. Taking a guy like Jaelan Phillips is one of those examples. When healthy, Phillips is incredible, but he can't stay on the field. He had a serious history of injuries on the college level, and Grier didn't care. It turns out, it's a consistent theme.

Grier has made some great picks. Christian Wilkins, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Robert Hunt come to mind, but they also come to mind because they are no longer here. The best draft picks still here are Austin Jackson, Tua Tagovailoa, and Jaylen Waddle.

Grier has to do better, and there are five players who can take this team to another level in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. If Grier wants to make a difference out of the gate, he needs to find a player who will actually impact the game early and often.

Dream draft targets to help Dolphins finally reach their potential

Malaki Starks, S, Georgia

Starks is another Jalen Ramsey-type player. He is versatile enough to play both safety positions, slide up as a linebacker to support the run, play in the slot as a nickel corner, or even slide outside on the boundary. He will need to prove he can do that at the next level, but the talent and physicality is there.

Mason Graham, DT, Michigan

Graham is the real deal. He is a better prospect than Wilkins was coming out of college, and alongside Zach Sieler, Miami would have a dominant force up front. The Dolphins could re-sign Calais Campbell to add to that rotation, giving them three starting defenders who can disrupt an offense, put pressure on the quarterback, and take away the inside rushing attack. This is a move that Grier can't pass on if he is there.

Deone Walker, DT, Kentucky

Miami needs a guy who can fill a hole in the trench. Walker is a guy who can fill multiple holes. He is a 6-foot-6 tackle who weighs 345 pounds but plays like he weighs much less. Quick off the snap, Walker can use force to muscle past offensive linemen and is good enough to take on two blockers and still get pressure upfield. Stout and smart, Walker is hard to move, taking away interior running lanes.

Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia

The Dolphins still need edge-rush help. Phillips will be back in 2025, but how much can Miami truly rely on him to stay healthy? Chop Robinson is doing a good job and will get better, but the Dolphins still lack a game-changing pass-rusher, and Walker could be that guy. The Georgia product is versatile enough to move around and attack an offense from different directions and can line up in multiple spots.

Landon Jackson, DE, Arkansas

The Dolphins are repeatedly called a "soft" football team. Former players have said so, and so has one of their own linebackers. Miami needs players like T.J. Watt, Maxx Crosby, or one of the Bosa brothers to bring more than just speed off the edge. They need someone who can play angry. That player might just be Jackson in next April's draft. Jackson plays with a non-stop motor and is a physical hitter who will use quickness to get around blocks and just bullrush through them if he has to.

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