There’s just one game left in the 2022 NFL season, as the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs gear up for a matchup in this year’s Super Bowl.
While they’re focused on that event, the other 30 teams and their fanbases turn their attention to the offseason, free agency and the NFL draft.
For the Miami Dolphins, their draft process will involve just five selections due to a number of trades and the loss of a draft pick due to tampering.
It seems like every day there’s an expert putting out new mock drafts that give fans some ideas for who their teams could select. Obviously, it’s not an exact science, but it’s more of an exercise in what teams could be thinking.
ESPN’s Matt Miller recently released his newest mock draft (subscription required) for the first and second rounds. He has the Dolphins using pick No. 51 on South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith.
Here’s what Miller wrote about the projected selection:
“The Dolphins’ first pick in this draft could focus on cornerback. The team’s best corner in 2022 was undrafted free agent Kader Kohou, so despite the presence of Xavien Howard and Byron Jones, it could use some support there. Smith is lean at 188 pounds on a 6-foot frame but has good instincts and quick feet. And he had six interceptions over the past three years at South Carolina.”
Nik Needham is set to hit free agency and is coming off of a torn Achilles, so it wouldn’t be the wisest decision to rely on him for the 2023 season. Jones, who Miller mentions, didn’t play a snap in 2022 and may be on the move to free up some cap space.
We saw what the Dolphins’ secondary looked like this past year relying on guys like Keion Crossen, Noah Igbinoghene and Justin Bethel to play meaningful snaps down the stretch. That’s not a recipe for success.
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