Dolphins draft: 5 defensive tackles that could replace Christian Wilkins
By Daulton Drew
3. Braden Fiske
This is my personal preference, but Braden Fiske is really close to being my DT2. However, due to the talk surrounding his weight and arm length, he will slide into round 2. Fiske is an elite athlete at the position, even better than Byron Murphy. His explosiveness and first step are evident on tape, and he is perfect for a big end or pass-rushing 3 or 5 tech. His arms are short, but he has physical traits you just can't teach. at 6'5" 295lbs, he ran a 4.78 40-yard dash with a 4.37 20-yard shuttle. Those numbers are bonkers. He has shown the ability to rush the passer and showed up well against good linemen this season like projected first-rounder Graham Barton.
The knock on Fiske is that he is light to play as a nose or a 1 tech, and I agree. I think he is better suited as a big end. He reminds me a bit of Justin Madubuike from Baltimore. Maybe Anthony Weaver wants his own version. He will be a great pass-rushing interior lineman to replace Wilkins' production in that area, but he will not replicate Wilkins' production against the run.
4. Kris Jenkins
Kris Jenkins has been touted as the strongest defensive lineman in the class, and there may be some hyperbole involved, but he is a terrific player. I have him ranked just below Fiske due to Fiske's athleticism. If Braden Fiske replaces Wilkins' pass rush, Jenkins replaces Wilkins' ability to suck up double teams against the run. He doesn't have a ton of production on the stat sheet, but he does demand attention from offenses. Jenkins is a physically strong player with a good first step and really nice hand usage.
Jenkins does have shorter arms and does lean a bit for my liking instead of attacking the line of scrimmage, but he is so good with his hands that it negates those concerns a bit. Re-watching the National Championship game, Washington ran a lot of quick passes and runs away from Jenkins, but he was still able to impact the game with his ability to get off blocks when he wasn't doubled. With no true elite run-stopper in the class, Jenkins stands out as one of the best.