Do the Miami Dolphins deserve these 2023 NFL Draft grades?
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins 2023 draft is in the books and that means it is time to endure the annual sideshow that is...draft grades!
Many fans are not looking favorably on the Dolphins draft but that doesn't mean the team doesn't think they nailed it. Chris Grier loves Cam Smith and Mike McDaniel was overly excited when De'Von Achane was drafted. What about every one else?
It should be noted that draft grades don't mean squat and you can't really judge a draft for a couple of years but with the Dolphins history of blowing selections like Austin Jackson and Noah Igbinoghene, they are an easy target.
Before we dive in to what others are saying, think about the grade in your head, that you give them and see now see if others share your point of view.
Overall grade - B-
Reuter gives the Dolphins a C- day one grade which is absolutely absurd considering they didn't draft on day one. They used their 2nd of two 1st round selections on Bradley Chubb who may have had a down season but how do you realistically hold that draft selection as a reason to downgrade the draft?
Funny thing is, Reuter gives the Dolphins A's for both day 2 and day 3. So while his overall is grade is a B-, it's actually an A.
Overall Grade - B-
PFF doesn't include the Dolphins lack of a first-round draft pick in their evaluation of the Dolphins selections. Nor do they give any reasons for their grade and they don't individually grade the picks like Reuter did. So I guess we just assume that it will remain a mystery.
Vinnie Lyer - SportingNews.com
Overall Grade - B -
Another one of those draft reviews that takes into consideration the fact Miami lost their first round pick. The first sentence of the evaluation is simply "Dolphins cannot finish higher than this because they did something stupid to flush away their first-rounder."
Lyer talks about the value that Miami got with Smith and the speed of Achane but then talks about the fact that neither supported a need. While that may be correct, clearly the evaluation is tainted on what happened rather than the draft results.
Overall Grade - C -
Prisco is hard on Miami and while he mentions the lost first-rounder his evaluation of the Dolphins draft is more about the fact that Miami didn't address Oline until the 7th round and he isn't a fan of taking Cam Smith. As he explains it, "he has talent but doesn't always play to it." That's fair.
Prisco looks at the Dolphins draft as just o.k.
Overall Grade - C+
DKN gives Miami a C+ score. They call Achane an absolute steal in round three and they don't disslike the Cam Smith selection but the grade apparently is because Miami didn't draft an Olineman to protect Tua.
So do the Miami Dolphins deserve the grades that some of the web sites out there are handing them?
I don't think it is fair to evaluate a team based on what they don't have rather than how they spend what they do have. Smith is interesting but he could be a longterm answer on the boundary and maybe a future replacement for Xavien Howard.
Achane is universally heralded as a steal but no one seems overly thrilled with the other two selection and that brings the draft grades down.
I don't think the Dolphins are an "A-draft" organization but I do think they are also not a "C" or even a "B-". In reality, this is a good draft if they are taking BPA players and it seems that is what they did. A "B" sounds about right.