Mock drafts involving the Miami Dolphins were admittedly getting a bit stale with the team slated to pick No. 3 in the 2021 NFL Draft — but fortunately Miami has given fans a chance to hit the reset button with their mock drafts after a creative series of trades last weekend aligned the team in the No. 6 spot in the 2021 NFL Draft order. And while Miami will still likely see the same names available to them: Ja’Marr Chase, Penei Sewell and DeVonta Smith, the No. 6 pick also affords the Dolphins some new names to select.
And with their free agency game plan presumably having reached the end of the road, the team’s biggest issues have come into focus. Which ones are addressed in the latest mock draft from Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling? Here’s a fresh mock draft along with some new names for the Dolphins.
No. 6 overall — TE Kyle Pitts, Florida Gators
Pitts hadn’t been tied to the Dolphins too often due to concerns with positional value. Tight ends don’t often go in the top-10 overall picks, let alone in the top-3. But Pitts isn’t your typical tight end. And now that the Dolphins have cleared into the No. 6 spot, Pitts makes a ton of sense for Miami as the best pure talent on the board — presuming he makes it past Atlanta and Cincinnati.
No. 18 overall — DE Azeez Ojulari, Georgia Bulldogs
Ojulari may have the most complete resume of the top pass rushers in the 2021 class. The challenge with Ojulari is that he’s not necessarily an ideal fit from a traits perspective as a defensive end in Brian Flores’ defense; so he may have to play a rush linebacker role similar to Andrew Van Ginkel and Vince Biegel if the Dolphins pegged him for the roster at No. 18 overall.
No. 36 overall — RB Javonte Williams, North Carolina Tar Heels
Miami, in this scenario, avoids disaster and manages to draft a top-3 running back in the 2021 class. Had Miami flirted with “positional value” yet again like they did in 2020 and come up without a back, it would be a major setback to Miami’s rebuild effort on offense. But Williams is the right kind of runner for the Dolphins; he runs angry and physical and does his best work in between the tackles.
No. 50 overall — OT Sam Cosmi, Texas Longhorns
This one is a bit of a surprise; especially with Alabama center Landon Dickerson, Ohio State linebacker Baron Browning and Florida wide receiver Kadarius Toney still on the board. Cosmi is super toolsy and the Dolphins are the kind of team that would certainly embrace the challenge that Cosmi would bring. But he’s no more ready to play in 2021 than Austin Jackson or Robert Hunt were last season.
