The Miami Dolphins will welcome their rookie class of 2021 to the team facilities this weekend for rookie minicamp each player’s first opportunity to experience life as a Miami Dolphin. But for some of these players, the experience will be short-lived — as the experience isn’t just open to Miami’s seven player draft class but it is also inclusive to Miami’s undrafted free agent crop this year. Miami currently has just a handful of undrafted free agents confirmed to be added:
- TE Jibri Blount, North Carolina Central
- TE/FB Carl Tucker, Alabama Crimson Tide
- IOL Robert Jones, Middle Tennessee State
- IDL Jerome Johnson, Indiana
- CB Jaytlin Askew, Georgia Tech
Of this group, Miami will see long odds of any making the active roster at the end of training camp. As Miami’s roster has continued to improve, one obvious side effect is that there are less spots for unheralded draft prospects to command attention and make the final team. Miami’s rebuilt roster in 2019 had several prominent UDFAs, including WR Preston Williams and CB Nik Needham.
As a testament to the impact of Miami’s rebuilding strategy, both Williams and Needham, are still on the team but facing marginalized roles after Miami added multiple receivers and defensive backs this offseason.
But if one of these five UDFAs were to survive cuts, which would it be?
The smart money probably goes on Robert Jones. He’s a stylistic fit for Miami up front with plenty of size and some noted power. Playing him inside will protect him from some of his biggest issues in college, too. Here’s what The Draft Network’s 2021 NFL Draft report on Jones had to say:
“Middle Tennessee State offensive lineman Robert Jones projects as an offensive guard at the NFL level despite the time he’s spent at offensive tackle at the collegiate level. Jones is a mauler who offers heavy hands and a thick frame—exactly the kind of build and profile you routinely see make ends meet on the interior. Jones does not have a great deal of functional athleticism, but his pass sets are sufficient and he offers plenty of power in his hands and mobility in the run game. Prior to his time at MTSU, Jones was one of the top JUCO tackles in the country at Highland Community College, where he played left guard. That exposure to the interior will help fortify a projection to the pro game, where his athleticism won’t allow him to thrive on the perimeter and in isolation. Teams looking for a low-cost investment inside for a potential power starter can look for Jones ideally on Day 3 of the 2021 NFL Draft.” — The Draft Network
Jones will compete with the likes of Michael Deiter, Adam Pankey, Jesse Davis and Cameron Tom for a depth spot on the roster. Still a long shot? Absolutely. But better odds than just about any other name on Miami’s UDFA ledger.