There weren't a lot of people who believed the Miami Dolphins made the right pick by taking Caleb Douglas early in the third round of the draft. Douglas didn't care, nor did he listen to the outside noise.
The WR had an incredible training camp, and Jon-Eric Sullivan consistently maintained that he knew what he was getting in the prospect. Through limited preseason work, Douglas started to show fans at home that he could be good.
The Dolphins lost their first game of the regular season, but in doing so, they found a legit wide receiver who can make plays. Caleb Douglas is going to be a very good football player.
Miami Dolphins fans should be excited about Caleb Douglas' future
Douglas was targeted seven times on Sunday by Malik Willis. He caught five of them for 94 yards, coming up just short of 100 yards in his professional debut.
The WR's routes were quite good, and he was able to clear coverages with his break quickness and speed. Douglas showed he had a knack for finding openings in the defense, soft spots that he could create a lane for Willis to throw to.
Douglas' first game has quieted the media. The media was harsh after his draft selection. We are not absolved of that crime either. It was a consensus belief that Sullivan panicked after another WR was taken just before him, but Douglas has remained quiet and does his job.
Throughout camp, he was absorbing the system, working on his timing with Willis, and sticking around to watch tape in the hopes of getting better quickly.
Douglas led the Dolphins in receiving yards and receptions, but Malik Washington was targeted the most with 8 targets. He finished the night with three catches for 53 yards. Naturally, De'Von Achane's 4 receptions were good enough for third on the list.
One player who didn't seem to get much time or looks was rookie Chris Bell. The 3rd-round rookie was targeted twice but managed to catch one of the two for a 25-yard gain.
The Dolphins entered the season with questions about their WR unit, but on Sunday, they showed it is nowhere near as bad as the media had made it out to be. This is a good WR group that is going to get better, and that is kind of scary when you think about it.
There is a lot to work on for the Dolphins between now and next week, when they face the 49ers in San Francisco.
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