Which mid-tier Senior Bowl prospect feels like a future Miami Dolphin?

Which mid-tier Senior Bowl prospect feels like a future Miami Dolphin?

The Miami Dolphins’ access to some of the most promising senior talents in the 2021 NFL Draft landscape will provide the team with some much needed clarity as they look to move forward and assemble their blueprint for improving the roster. Knowing which players they feel they can invest in doesn’t just help the draft strategy, it helps to shape the free agent punch list as well. The Dolphins, once again, figure to be active on both fronts. And because of that, the depth of this draft class must provide some hits for Miami if they want to become the contender they aspire to be.

The good news? There’s a 2021 Senior Bowl prospect who feels primed to become a Miami Dolphin. He fits a position of need. He had a great week of practice for the Dolphins. And, best of all, he’s not going to cost the team a fortune to invest in.

Sure, Najee Harris and DeVonta Smith were in attendance; but you know all about those contenders to be drafted by the Dolphins. How about UCLA WR/RB Demetric Felton?

Felton has been a productive presence for the Bruins program over the course of his final two seasons there. He’s versatile; catching 55 passes in 2019 and scoring career highs in touchdowns and rushing yardage in 2020 despite the Bruins only playing in 6 games this year.

The Dolphins have pursued other versatile players in recent years — most notably Malcolm Perry and Lynn Bowden Jr. in 2020. But Felton is a better route runner than either, thanks in large part to him not playing an option quarterback role for his college team in 2020. He’s not expected to be the biggest, the fastest or the strongest. But Felton has clear physical ability and put production together to back it up over the last few seasons. Best of all, Miami was hands on with him for this entire week — so they know better than anyone how he can apply coaching throughout the course of the week.

Yes. Miami will invest heavy in the skill group in free agency and the top of the draft. But if they go a mid-round route, Felton feels like he’s destined for South Beach.