The 2024 NFL draft is just over two months away, but all 32 teams are deeply entrenched in their preparations for the event which will give them the opportunity to improve their rosters for years to come.
Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier and company have six draft selections this year, which, if they made all of those picks, would be more than the previous two drafts.
Their top pick, No. 21 overall, is the highest they’ve had since 2021 due to trades and tampering penalties, and considering the amount of needs that the team has, they could use it on a number of positions.
Speaking to the media this week, NFL draft expert Daniel Jeremiah offered some advice for the Dolphins regarding their first-round selection.
“You’re right smack dab in the middle of your window,” Jeremiah said. “So, to me, you’re looking upside: guys that are ready right now. I always think about what [Ravens general manager] Ozzie Newsome used to always say, ‘Let’s just hit doubles in the first round. Let’s not strike out.’
“If I’m the Miami Dolphins, I want someone who can come in and help me, who I feel like is a rock solid player ready to roll right now. That would be the area I’ll be leaning towards. If I had the choice between Player A and Player B, I might be a little bit more conscious of the floor, just personally, where they are. A lot of times, those high-floor picks end up being really really good players.”
Jeremiah nails what should be the Dolphins’ priority right on the head – getting an impact player right away. In the last two seasons, they’ve gotten next to nothing out of their top draft picks (Channing Tindall and Cam Smith), and the longer they get into this window to compete, the harder it becomes to reach their ultimate goals.
Having a rookie step in and contribute immediately would greatly help Mike McDaniel’s group take that next step that they’ve so desperately been searching for.