Dolphins fans have suffered through putrid offensive line play for much of the last decade. What's interesting is that despite nailing some picks on high-quality players, for one reason or another those players don't work out to the fullest degree in Miami.
While Chris Grier deserves credit for drafting stars Laremy Tunsil (who was subsequently traded for a bounty of draft picks), Robert Hunt (who the Dolphins let walk in free agency), and Patrick Paul (who has the makings of a decade-long answer and will hopefully be kept around by the new regime), they haven't all been hits.
Grier also deserves the lion's share of blame for whiffs like Michael Deiter, Liam Eichenberg, and potentially Jonah Savaiinaea, although with Jonah this is admittedly very premature. Austin Jackson sits squarely in no man's land, where it's evident he's neither excellent nor horrible, so we'll give neither credit nor blame for his selection.
The latest draft intel from NFL Draft guru Tony Pauline has unearthed another prospect of interest for the new group in charge. The prospect in question is Penn State offensive tackle Drew Shelton, a former three-sport athlete who has enticing measurables and athleticism, though he is admittedly considered raw and in need of development at this stage.
Shelton met with the Dolphins at Penn State's Pro Day and will possibly have a workout with the team, according to Pauline.
Drew Shelton could be Jon-Eric Sullivan's first offensive line project for the Miami Dolphins
At 6'5" and 313 pounds, Shelton boasts adequate size, and his performance at the NFL Combine was impressive. For his efforts, he received a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 8.49, which ranks 233 out of 1,537 offensive tackle prospects from 1987–2026. His performance in the broad jump (9'4") and vertical (31") earned him an elite composite grade for explosiveness.
That's just athleticism, though. As far as on-field performance goes, Shelton has shown the ability to be a plus offensive lineman in the eyes of Pro Football Focus. In 12 starts for the Nittany Lions in 2025, Shelton earned a solid 70.6 PFF grade, ranking 96 out of 613 offensive tackles. He only allowed one sack on 356 pass-block snaps after surrendering two on 495 snaps in 2024.
NFL.com's Lance Zierlein gave a succinct report that seems to identify the exact reason the Dolphins are interested in this kind of player:
"Athletic left tackle prospect with two seasons as a full-time starter at Penn State. His basketball background shows up with natural fluidity as a move blocker and in meeting edge rushers with his pass slides. However, Shelton’s lack of play strength makes it tougher for him to sustain blocks at the point of attack and hold a firm anchor when taking on bully pass rushers. His athleticism and ability to get to any angle necessary in the run game makes him a fit for teams favoring outside zone. However, he’s likely to struggle with consistency unless he gets stronger and plays with better body control."Lance Zierlein
The particular nugget about his fit for the Dolphins' preferred outside zone scheme would be music to offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik's ears. Despite the team opting to move on from Mike McDaniel, the offense that the Dolphins will run in 2026 is the same type as McDaniel's. The Dolphins and Shelton appear to be a perfect match.
With Patrick Paul and the oft-injured Austin Jackson penciled in as starters for the upcoming season, Shelton would be able to bide his time, getting stronger in an NFL strength and conditioning program before being expected to contribute. If Sullivan's track record from Green Bay says anything, it's that the Packers know how to scout offensive linemen.