Tag: Elijah Higgins

Dolphins rookie TE Elijah Higgins watching George Kittle tape to improve

Mike Gesicki did the same thing last year.

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Miami Dolphins sixth-round pick Elijah Higgins is taking part in the team’s rookie minicamp, along with the three other selected rookies, 21 undrafted free agents and a number of players who received tryouts.

As the former Stanford Cardinal makes his transition to the NFL game, he’s also switching positions, moving from wide receiver to tight end for the Dolphins, something that most teams talked to him about prior to the draft.

With that comes a lot of work with Miami’s tight end coach Jon Embree, who has had a long career of getting the most out of his players at the position. In his previous stops, he’s worked with Tony Gonzalez, Chris Cooley, Fred Davis, Jordan Cameron, Cameron Brate and George Kittle.

Since following Mike McDaniel to South Florida from San Francisco, Embree has had some tough projects to work on. In 2022, he was tasked with getting Mike Gesicki to fit to the system as well as help Tanner Conner transition from college wide receiver to NFL tight end.

While Gesicki never truly did fit McDaniel’s scheme last year, Embree spent a lot of time showing the Penn State product film of Kittle during their time together with the 49ers, and now, Higgins is getting that same treatment.

Not everyone can be Kittle, that’s something that everyone should understand, but there are definitely things that Higgins can learn from watching his tape and asking questions from the coach who helped him develop into the player that he is today.

Dolphins fans will just have to hope he can adjust more than Gesicki was able to.

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3 takeaways from the Dolphins’ 2023 draft class

What we learned from the draft.

The 2023 NFL draft has concluded after seven rounds and 259 players selected. The Miami Dolphins had four picks this year, selecting three players on offense and one on defense.

With a limited number of picks, general manager Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel had to be precise on who they chose to draft. Deciding who to draft often comes down to whether or not a team views themselves as a contender.

Miami has made it no secret their goal is to win now, and it appears they did a good job selecting players for the near future.

Here are three main takeaways from the Dolphins’ 2023 draft class:

Where did each Dolphins draft pick rank on pre-draft big boards?

A look at the rankings before the weekend’s draft.

After any NFL draft, fans and analysts want to know how a team fared in their process. Did they make the right selection? Did they reach?

One way that many look at this is by going back to before the three-day event and seeing where the team’s eventual picks were ranked by analysts and experts.

For the Miami Dolphins, they only had four selections, so they had to be solid in their evaluations.

Draft Wire: Top 150
Pro Football Focus: Top 200
CBS Sports: NFL Draft Prospect Rankings
The Athletic: Top 300

Winners and losers from Dolphins’ 2023 draft

Who’s in a better situation, and who’s not?

During the 2023 NFL draft, the Miami Dolphins only had four draft picks, and they used all four to select some talented players who could all have a role in their first professional season.

South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith, Texas A&M running back Devon Achane, Stanford wide receiver Elijah Higgins and Michigan offensive tackle Ryan Hayes are all set to wear aqua and orange, and they’ll have an opportunity to earn jobs this summer.

However, with the moves made, others will be affected. Here are some winners and losers from Miami’s draft class.

5 things to know about Dolphins new WR/TE Elijah Higgins

Get to know the former Cardinal.

The Miami Dolphins have added another skill player to their depth chart in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL draft. Elijah Higgins joins an offense looking to take a major step up this season.

The Dolphins entered the offseason with a need for a tight end following the departures of Mike Gesicki to New England and Hunter Long, who was sent to the Rams in the Jalen Ramsey trade. Higgins is a multi-purposed player who’s shown the ability to play both receiver and tight end.

There’s reason to believe Mike McDaniel intends to use Higgins in the offense as soon as this season. Before his skills are put to use, here are a few things Miami fans should know about the talented young rookie.

Best photos of new Dolphins WR/TE Elijah Higgins

A look back at his Cardinal days.

After selecting South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith in the second round and Texas A&M running back Devon Achane in the third, the Miami Dolphins added another piece to their offense by drafting Stanford wide receiver Elijah Higgins in the sixth.

Higgins, who met with Miami prior to the draft, is expected to transition to tight end in the NFL due to his size and his lack of blazing speed.

This may allow him to win matchups against linebackers and safeties instead of battling cornerbacks with regularity.

Now that Higgins is set to be a Dolphin in 2023, let’s take a look at some of the best photos from his collegiate career.

WATCH: Mike McDaniel, Chris Grier inform Elijah Higgins that he’s being drafted by Dolphins

It was an emotional call with the Cardinal.

The Miami Dolphins had Elijah Higgins in for a visit in recent weeks, and not too long later, he was being drafted in the sixth round by the team.

Higgins, who played wide receiver for Stanford in college, will likely transition to tight end at the NFL level. Miami had a clear need at the position this offseason, and now they’ve added him to a room that also includes Durham Smythe, Eric Saubert and Tanner Conner.

When the pick was made, Higgins received a call from general manager Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel.

McDaniel letting Higgins know that it was alright to be emotional was perfect. His ability to relate to his players is one of the things that makes him a fit for today’s NFL.

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Grading each of the Dolphins’ 4 picks in the 2023 NFL draft

The Dolphins made four selections. How did they do?

Due to tampering findings and trades for a number of players, the Miami Dolphins entered the 2023 NFL draft with just four picks, and they used those exact four without moving around.

Miami brought in four players who should be given an opportunity to earn a roster spot and a role in their rookie season.

As we wrap up the draft coverage, we’ll take a look at each pick that the Dolphins made and assign a grade to that decision.

Dolphins receive mixed draft grades from analysts

How some felt about the class.

The Miami Dolphins, for the second year in a row, only made four draft selections in April’s league selection meeting.

This year, their class included South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith, Texas A&M running back Devon Achane, Stanford wide receiver/tight end Elijah Higgins and Michigan offensive tackle Ryan Hayes.

It’s unclear what kind of impact these young players will have on the team in 2023, but they should all have an opportunity to earn a role in their rookie seasons.

After the draft, analysts have already put together their grades on how each team fared throughout the process. Here’s how some viewed Miami’s picks:

Everything new Dolphins WR/TE Elijah Higgins said at his introductory media availability

He’s already been talking to tight ends coach Jon Embree.

After adding South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith (pick No. 51) and Texas A&M running back Devon Achane (pick No. 84) on Day 2, the Miami Dolphins had another long wait before they could make their next selection.

On Day 3, with pick No. 197, general manager Chris Grier drafted Stanford wide receiver Elijah Higgins.

Higgins has been projected to transition to tight end in the NFL, which might allow him to play a role similar to Mike Gesicki in head coach Mike McDaniel’s offense.

On Saturday night, Higgins took some time to meet virtually with the South Florida media and answered questions about his collegiate career and future with the Dolphins.

Here’s everything the former Cardinal said: