Mel Kiper adds beef to the Miami Dolphins roster in his 2 round mock draft
By Daulton Drew
Mel Kiper has released his 2 round NFL mock Draft and the Miami Dolphins, selecting at 21 and 55 add some muscle to both sides of the ball.
In addition to discussing the newest Kiper Mock Draft for the Dolphins picks at 21 and 55, we will also discuss how his board falls, and if there are better picks out there for Miami than the ones he selected.
Round 1: Pick 21 - Jared Verse - Edge - Florida State
Kiper noted that the Fins are a bit short on the edge until Chubb and Phillips return later this year. He notes Verse's strength at the position and states that even though the Dolphins have more pressing needs potentially, Verse is too good to pass up.
So, I'm a big Jared Verse guy. I think he has the potential to be a good starter in the league. His measurables are comparable to Kayvon Thibodeaux with a little more strength. He's solid. He's experienced. He's a good player, but he is not a need for Miami regardless of their injury status. At 21, we need a plug-and-play starter at a position of need. It needs to be an interior D-line or somewhere in the O-line. Two prospects stick out to me that were passed up by the Dolphins. violent and dominant Illinois DT Johnny Newton and versatile and dependable Arizona LT Jordan Morgan. 21 feels like a reach for Morgan, so...
My Selection: Johnny Newton - DT - Illinois
Newton is a terrific player who shows up on tape. I would have concerns regarding his size, 6'1" 300lbs, but he plays with so much explosiveness and violence that it's hard not to love him. Turn on the tape against Ohio State and fall in love with this pick.
Round 2: Pick 55 - Christian Haynes - G - UConn
Kiper has the Dolphins bolstering the trenches with G Christian Haynes, and, again, it's a pick I'm not in love with. Kiper states that the Dolphins were 31st in pass block win rate last season and that we have holes to fill on the offensive line. He goes on to say that Haynes only allowed 1 sack in 3 seasons at UConn and is his number-ranked guard in the class.
Haynes, to me, doesn't stand out on tape. He is a short guard with short arms who lets his head lead his hands too often for my liking. His pass protection was solid, and that is probably what I liked most about his game. He got bullied at times in the run game against bigger linemen and he really can only play guard. At pick 55, with the offensive linemen still on the board, I am looking for a bit more versatility.
With this pick, I am looking at 3 guys. Zach Frazier from West Virginia, Kingsley Suamataia from BYU, and Kiran Amegadjie from Yale. Frazier is a C with G flexibility, and the other two are tackles who could kick into guard for a season and back out to tackle when Armstead retires. I give a more in-depth analysis of the tackles in this article, so I won't go crazy here. It really depends on what you're after.
My Selection: Kingsley Suamataia - T - BYU
Personally, I like the upside of the 21-year-old Suamataia, who is Penei Sewell's cousin. Does that make him a shoo-in to be great in this league? No, but it couldn't hurt! He is massive, and quick, with arms long enough to kick back out to tackle after a year at guard. His raw talent shines on tape. Let Armstead mentor the kid and groom him as a possible replacement.