Yardbarker
x
Mel Kiper Gives Miami’s Draft a 'B' Grade
Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

With the 2024 NFL Draft now in the books, it is time for all of the draft grades. And yes, we know draft grades the day after the NFL draft is kinda silly, but they are always fun to read to get a feel of what the “experts” think of the draft that just took place. Mel Kiper of ESPN gave the Miami Dolphins a “B” grade. And here is why below.

Miami Dolphins: B

Top needs entering the draft: Offensive line, wide receiver, defensive tackle

Miami was hit hard in free agency as a result of a salary-cap crunch, losing guard Robert Hunt, defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, linebackers Andrew Van Ginkel and Jerome Baker and cornerback Xavien Howard, among other players. And while I liked the Dolphins’ additions of linebacker Jordyn Brooks, cornerback Kendall Fuller and tight end Jonnu Smith, they have big holes to plug. Plus, they came into this draft with six picks, tied for the second fewest in the league.

Chop Robinson (21) has elite upside if he can reach his ceiling, but when you turn on his Penn State tape, you wonder why he didn’t dominate. He had just four sacks last season. If I were running this team, I would have taken tweener defensive end/tackle Darius Robinson or center Graham Barton instead. Patrick Paul (55) is a selection for the future — he played left tackle in college and could replace Terron Armstead there down the line. But I’m not sure he’s ready to start as a rookie for a team that really had to get instant-impact players.

I’m a huge fan of speedy running back Jaylen Wright (120), but Miami gave up its 2025 third-rounder to get him. That’s not great value, especially for a team that doesn’t necessarily have a need at the position. I had Mohamed Kamara (158) at No. 67 overall in my rankings, so this is a fantastic pick. He had 13 sacks last season. GM Chris Grier tried to hit his void at wideout with Malik Washington (184) and Tahj Washington (241) on Day 3; Malik is the guy to watch, as he had 110 catches last season.

I like a bunch of these players, but it’s a small class and giving up the 2025 third-rounder means it can’t make it to B+.

UPDATED: Undrafted Free Agents Signing with Miami

This article first appeared on Dolphins Talk and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

+

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.