Miami lands needs and playmakers in this latest 7-round Dolphins mock draft
![Mar 2, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy (WO40) during the 2024 NFL Combine where he ran a record 4.21 time in the 40-yard dash, The Miami Dolphins could use that speed in their powerful offense. Mar 2, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy (WO40) during the 2024 NFL Combine where he ran a record 4.21 time in the 40-yard dash, The Miami Dolphins could use that speed in their powerful offense.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4800,h_2700,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/62/01ht1f4ax48qa6jef03g.jpg)
Round 5 - Leonard Taylor III, DT, Miami
Yes, it is surprising that Taylor hung around this long, but he does and Miami drafts the local product to line up inside with Jenkins. Taylor takes the position once owned by Raekwon Davis, who went to Indianapolis via free agency. Taylor and Jenkins will form a powerful duo inside and Taylor gets to play home games in the same stadium that he played in at the University of Miami. Like Jenkins, Taylor is a day-one starter in the trenches. Taylor goes this late because the defensive tackle pool is very deep in this draft and is no reflection on Taylor's ability.
Round 6 - Tory Taylor, P, Iowa
The Dolphins only have six draft choices in this entire draft, but this is a "best player available" selection at a position of need. The Dolphins draft another Taylor, this one who hails from Melbourne, Australia, to take on incumbent veteran Jake Bailey, who has the hang time of Boeing airliner. His punts do not stay in the air very long. Bailey cannot shake off last season's pitiful performance and special teams coach Danny Crossman bangs the table for the punter from Iowa. The last time that the Dolphins drafted a punter was in 1983 when they drafted perennial all-pro Reggie Roby, who also went to Iowa.
With an asterisk, the Dolphins could have gone quarterback in this spot to find a replacement for Skylar Thompson who has been dismal in his time at Miami. They could select Jordan Travis from Florida State here and put him on the PUP list to start the season and then move him to the practice squad once his compound fracture in his leg heals for good. Miami needs a good young quarterback as it is time to move on from Thompson. Hopefully, Miami finds an undrafted QB that can replace Mike White as the backup to Tagovailoa. I liked Mike White in high school, but if he never wore a Dolphins uniform again, it would not bother me.