Senior Bowl star has left Dolphins with no choice but to draft him

Luckily for the Miami Dolphins, the offensive guard position is a need, and one player is already giving Chris Grier reasons to draft him.

The Senior Bowl practices are taking place this week, and Chris Grier and others are on hand. On Wednesday, they got a first-hand look at one player who turned quite a few heads, and it just so happens to be a big position of need.

North Dakota State guard Grey Zabel produced some fantastic one-on-one tape that should have Grier's attention. Zabel is a projected second-round pick in April's draft and played left tackle last season for the Bison, but he played guard the previous two seasons.

Zabel's reps are impressive, and his PFF grades also highlight his abilities. The Dolphins need someone with attitude, and Zabel showed off some against some good defensive ends at practice.

Dolphins should target guard Grey Zabel early in 2025 NFL Draft

We have been saying the Dolphins need to consider the future with their draft selections, which means finding a player on the offensive line who might be able to start a year or two at guard and then transition to tackle if needed. Having a player with some versatility would help that process.

At North Dakota, Zabel took 961 snaps at left tackle in 2024. Prior to last season, he played both right tackle (686 snaps and 378 in 2022) and left guard (211 snaps in 2023 and 152 in 2022). The Dolphins need players who can be available, and Zabel has shown an ability to stay on the field.

Zabel is considered to be a physical lineman who uses his power well. As shown in the tape above, he has quick feet and agility to move with quick-step defenders and move them away from the pocket. He is stronger in the run of the game but isn't bad in pass protection. He will need some coaching work in that area, but overall, this kid is turning heads around the league, and teams in need of a guard/tackle should be taking notes.

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