The Miami Dolphins are now just a week away from engaging in the most prominent scouting event of the 2021 offseason — the Senior Bowl. With the coronavirus pandemic threatening much of the status quo in the NFL Draft process, the Senior Bowl will continue on as usual. Just with some socially distanced modifications and plenty of COVID-19 protocols for the health and safety of all involved.
And throughout the course of the next week, the Senior Bowl, courtesy of Director Jim Nagy, will be unveiling which players are partaking in the event for which team; either the Dolphins or the Carolina Panthers.
Yesterday, the offensive lines were revealed. Here’s who Miami will be coaching throughout the week for three days of practice and then the game itself at the end of the week at perhaps the team’s most pressing need.
Offensive linemen
The @MiamiDolphins will be get a week with a bunch of OL that will start next year as rookies. GM Chris Grier and HC Brian Flores invested heavily in OL but you can never have enough good big guys.#TheDraftStartsInMobile pic.twitter.com/Hdt26UDFSV
— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) January 20, 2021
For a team that is seemingly invested in pulling as much talent from the University of Alabama as possible to build up their offensive attack, one can’t help but wonder if the Dolphins aren’t a little bummed to find out that the likes of Alex Leatherwood (T/G) and Deonte Brown (RG) are not under their watch. The Carolina Panthers also hauled OG Trey Smith of Alabama, giving the Panthers three potential interior linemen who could move the needle for Miami.
But the Dolphins’ group has plenty of appeal, starting with center Creed Humphrey from Oklahoma. Once considered a potential top-20 selection, Humphrey’s perception seems to have plateaued — but he’s still a likely 2nd-round selection and a strong fit for Miami if the team opts to move on from Ted Karras. The Dolphins also welcome a trio of Fighting Irish to their roster; Aaron Banks, Liam Eichenberg and Robert Hainsey are 60% of one of the best offensive lines in all of college football. Eichenberg is the best of the bunch at left tackle — but also the least likely to actually become a Miami Dolphin.
What is most interesting about this group is the Dolphins have accumulated plenty of small-school, developmental players. Dillon Radunz (North Dakota State), Robert Jones (Middle Tennessee State), Quinn Meinerz (Wisconsin-Whitewater) and Spencer Brown (Northern Iowa) are all the kinds of prospects that a team dialed into player development — as the Dolphins are — would be especially interested in getting their hands on.
They will next week.