The 2024 NFL draft is over and the Miami Dolphins have seven new draftees on the roster.
On Thursday, the team stayed pat at No. 21 overall and picked Penn State pass rusher Chop Robinson. A day later, the Dolphins again stayed in their original spot to take Houston offensive tackle Patrick Paul.
Miami got busy on Day 3, trading away a 2025 draft pick to land a fourth-rounder to take running back Jaylen Wright. The Dolphins rounded out their class by adding edge rusher Mohamed Kamara, wide receiver Malik Washington, safety Patrick McMorris, and wide receiver Tahj Washington.
Here’s what experts thought of the haul:
The Miami Dolphins are the football answer to the conceptual question: What if they built the entire plane out of the black box? There is no mystery at all to what Mike McDaniel wants to do on offense — he wants to put a track team on the field to terrify your defense with the home-run play every single time.
To that end, they got Jalen Wright, one of the most explosive backs in this class, who can also get grimy yards to a degree. And I don’t know how they stole Malik Washington in the sixth round, but adding his house-call speed to this thing could be ridiculous. And I really like Patrick Paul as a plus pass-blocker.
But what Miami did on defense is just as interesting — they went with speed here, as well. Both Chop Robinson and Mohamed Kamara are guys you don’t put on the field to stop the run — they’re going from zero to 100 from the first step. Good moves for a team that struggled to keep their best pass-rushers on the field, especially late in the season. I’d like to see more interior offensive line help here, but I have to admire the Dolphins’ commitment to the bit.
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+.
The Dolphins focused on their lines in the draft’s early stages, getting edge rusher Chop Robinson in Round 1 and offensive tackle Patrick Paul in Round 2. But they still managed to add to their collection of speedsters by trading up for a fourth-round selection to use on big-play RB Jaylen Wright. Getting pass rusher Mohamed Kamara in the fifth round was a great value. Sixth-round WR Malik Washington also could fill a role.
Miami needed another edge rusher, especially with Jaelan Phillips coming off an Achilles injury and Bradley Chubb coming off a torn ACL, but Robinson must show he can be a factor in the run game and convert pressures into sacks more regularly in the NFL. Left tackle Terron Armstead’s difficulty staying on the field made Paul a good pick in the second round. The teams’ forfeiture of its third-round pick dragged down its grade.
Trading a future third-round pick for a fourth in the current draft is usually not wise, and Miami has a few backs in the stable already, but finding a potential star in Wright waiting around made it easier to swallow. It would not surprise me if the relentless Kamara is as productive as Robinson early in his career. Both pass-catchers with the surname Washington (not related) will flourish as tough-minded slot receivers in Mike McDaniel’s offense.
Robinson, ranked 40th on the PFF big board, could be considered a bit of a reach, but his potential is undeniable. He has dimensions of power and speed in his pass-rush arsenal. He also earned a 93.9 pass-rush grade over the past two seasons, which ranks second among FBS edge defenders — behind the Colts’ Laiatu Latu. Miami’s edge group could be a dominant unit if Robinson achieves his potential and Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips recover from their injuries.
Miami selected a potential heir to Terron Armstead in Houston‘s Patrick Paul. Paul has terrific length and movement skills. He led all FBS tackles in 2023 with a 91.5 PFF pass-blocking grade. Pass protection is at a premium with Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback, so this is a significant move for the Dolphins’ offense.
Taking Penn State pass rusher Chop Robinson in the first round was probably a good call given the injuries to veteran OLB Bradley Chubb (ACL) and Jaelan Phillips (Achilles) and fact a surplus of edge players is never a bad thing. Choosing OT Patrick Paul in Round 2 was a defensible hedge given the appearance that LT Terron Armstead seems to be coming to the end of the line – though Miami seems to remain quite vulnerable up the middle. Mid-round RB Jaylen Wright (Tennessee) and OLB Mohamed Kamara (Colorado State) could add bonus juice. Miami’s third-rounder was forfeited due to owner Stephen Ross’ tampering violation, and the fourth-rounder was used in the acquisition of Chubb two years ago.
Edge Chop Robinson (21) has AP Defensive Rookie of the Year potential. OT Patrick Paul (55) doesn’t seem to fit the team’s preferred style of athletic tackles. WR Malik Washington is a sleeper in the sixth.
In true Dolphins style, Miami prioritized speed and explosiveness in building its 2024 draft class. The team rolled the dice on a high-upside pass rusher in Chop Robinson on Day 1, grabbing a raw but super twitchy pass rusher who has the best first-step burst in the class. Robinson has to develop more moves and get stronger against the run, but he has the foundation from which to build an excellent pass-rush plan. Fourth-round running back Jaylen Wright fits a similar high-upside mold as a deliciously explosive running back with elite top-end speed. I compared him to Raheem Mostert prior to the draft, and now the Tennessee standout has a chance to be Mostert’s long-term replacement.
I like many of the prospects the Dolphins picked, but their plan was somewhat confusing. Robinson was my EDGE1. Sensible. Paul is the opposite of a scheme fit for what McDaniel asks of his blockers. Wright is a rocket when given space, which is fun, but now the running back room is super crowded.
I’m all about adding more weapons at receiver today, but two slot types? Although Malik Washington was a second-round talent on my board, which is why I gave that a perfect grade.