At this point in draft season, it could come down to which NFL insider you prefer to believe over another. That is completely true with the Miami Dolphins.
The Dolphins are not tipping their hands as to what they plan to do with the 13th overall pick, and part of that is because they don't know what they will do. Chris Grier has created more holes on the roster than he had entering free agency, and some could argue that the additions he made during the March free-for-all only served to add more questions to the team.
All of this puts pressure on Grier and the scouting department to get this draft right. The Dolphins will most likely dip into the free agency pool of remaining veterans after the draft (more likely in June), but the draft will get them younger. If they do their jobs correctly, they should walk away with at least three starters.
That brings us to the latest rumors and speculation regarding the Dolphins' draft. According to draft insider Todd McShay, he is hearing one name mentioned in the same breath as the Dolphins with three days left before the draft.
"I keep hearing Texas LOT Kelvin Banks Jr. as a strong possibility to Miami at 13," McShay said.
Kelvin Banks Jr. would be a massive win for Chris Grier and the Dolphins at No. 13
Over the last two months, Banks has seen his name go as high as the top 10, and many have done mock drafts that see him come off the board within three selections of the Dolphins at 13. Lately, however, the consensus is that Banks will be available at 13, and if he is, it would make a lot more sense to draft him than to fill other needs.
"Even in a deep OL class, it should be viewed as a major shock if Banks is able to escape the first 20 picks without being selected," writes FanSided's Mike Luciano. "Teams looking for an immediate pass-protecting dynamo with room to grow once he refines his technique should snatch him up quickly."
Banks will start his career in the NFL at guard. The Dolphins need a guard, but they also need a lineman who can seamlessly shift outside in the event that Patrick Paul doesn't work out or Austin Jackson gets injured again.
Regardless of Jackson's injury history, his contract flips after the 2025 season, and the Dolphins could move Banks outside after playing a year at guard. They did the same thing with Laremy Tunsil in his first and second seasons.