Mock draft fatigue can be very, very real — even amid the offseason when there is very little additional football content to be consumed. And at some point, a lot of the noise starts bleeding together. Unless you get a mock draft like the one recently submitted by Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire.
Farrar’s first most draft of the 2021 NFL offseason doesn’t play by the same rules as many others in the landscape — and that includes his picks for the Miami Dolphins. With Miami picking at No. 3 overall, there are only so many candidates to consider. And with no trades included Miami is boxed into drafting one of them in Farrar’s scenario. The end result is a first round haul unlike any you’ve seen to this point in the process.
No. 3 overall – OT Penei Sewell, Oregon
This one stays “chalk” for Miami. The debate between Sewell and the top wide receivers in this year’s class will undoubtedly rage until the end of April. But Sewell does, at this point, fall more so in line with how the Dolphins have tackled building their roster to this point: Miami has invested half of their top-100 picks (four of eight) over the last two seasons into the line of scrimmage.
And while that may indicate that Miami is ready to break the trend, they don’t have a talent like Sewell on the roster. So going big and drafting for the trenches is an easy case to make for Miami.
No. 18 overall – WR Kadarius Toney, Florida
And here’s where things go off the rails versus the status quo: Toney comes off the board ahead of other 2021 1st-round projected receivers in Rashod Bateman (Minnesota), Elijah Moore (Ole Miss) and Rondale Moore (Purdue) in this scenario. And what’s more is Miami is bypassing several top defensive talents, such as Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons, to submit this pick.
Toney is a jittery, slippery receiver who will certainly fulfill Miami’s need to boost their productivity after the catch. But his selection in the top-20 overall picks is a forecast that many have not considered to this point in time.