Redrafting the Dolphins' 2021 first round had certain picks gone differently

The Miami Dolphins had three great draft picks to start the 2021 NFL Draft. They landed Jaylen Waddle, Jaelan Phillips, and Jevon Holland. The question is, what might have happened if the draft didn't go as Miami had hoped?

A recent redraft done by one media outlet looked at what teams may have done differently if they had known then what these players would have become today. In both cases, the Dolphins were not in a position to nab either of their top two players from that class, and even Holland was taken in Round 1.

The Dolphins added plenty of talent in the 2021 NFL Draft

Two big changes at the top of the draft were made. Kyle Pitts dropped out of the Top 10, Jamar Chase was taken by the Falcons, and Micah Parsons was taken No. 2 overall by the Jets. The Jets originally took Zach Wilson, which we all know was a massive mistake.

At No. 5, they have the Dolphins taking left tackle Christian Darrisaw. Darrisaw is having a great NFL career, but looking back, I still don't know if Grier would have passed on taking Waddle. Waddle made too much sense for the Dolphins and filled a big need on the team. While the Dolphins need the help at left tackle, it isn't in Grier's nature to double-down on offensive linemen two years in a row in the first round. He had taken Austin Jackson a year earlier.

The "redraft" has Jaelan Phillips being selected at No. 17 by the Raiders. The Dolphins selected him at No. 18. The 33rd Team has Miami instead taking Greg Rousseau, another edge-rusher who has done well the last three years. Would the Dolphins have gone in that direction if Phillips was off the board?

One possibility is running back Travis Etienne, but if we are playing the "what we know now" game, the Dolphins are fine with what they have done at running back. The Dolphins could have gone with the offensive line, which again, I'm not sure plays into Grier's line of thinking, or they could have gone cornerback with Asante Samuel, Jr. If they knew now that Byron Jones and Xavien Howard would both be gone, it might make more sense if Phillips was off the board. As for Holland, he was redrafted by the Browns at No. 26.