Ollie Gordon Brought the Physicality Miami Has Been Lacking

Ollie Gordon Brought the Physicality Miami Has Been Lacking

I know it was just a preseason game.

I know it was in the second half, playing against 2nd and 3rd stringers.

I know it was against the Bears, who have a bad rush defense.

I don’t care.

What we saw against the Chicago Bears was the Ollie Gordon of 2023, who dominated college football and won the Doak Walker award, and who was a Heisman Trophy Candidate heading into the 2024 season.

And before the naysayers who just want to criticize everything jump in, remember, in this game vs the Bears on Sunday. It isn’t like Ollie Gordon was running behind Patrick Paul, Aaron Brewer, and James Daniels himself.

He was running behind the 2nd and 3rd string Dolphins offensive line, which was dreadful on the day.

Gordon showed burst; he ran angry, and when they got near the goal line, he was able to punch it in the endzone.

For those who do not know the story, Gordon’s 2023 season at Oklahoma State was brilliant. What he put on tape was 1st or 2nd round draft day material.

In 2024, though, it all fell apart.

He had a DUI arrest in the offseason.

Then, in 2024, Oklahoma State’s football program underachieved and was downright awful.

Especially the offensive line, which created no holes, and teams were able to just hone in on Gordon and not let him get the running game going.

He still found a way to have 13 rushing touchdowns, but the yards per carry were down significantly over the prior two seasons.

As a rookie with the Dolphins, he has a golden opportunity to get playing time.

De’Von Achane is the clear-cut starter, but after him, there are questions.

Jaylen Wright did nothing last season as a rookie, has had a subpar training camp to this point, and was OK today vs the Bears. Nothing that really stood out.

Alexander Mattison is a journeyman running back who we have seen the best of already in the NFL.

It would not be impossible for Gordon to move up the depth chart and, at some point this year, be the backup to Achane.

I believe the Dolphins coaching staff (and the general manager) want to give Jaylen Wright every opportunity to be RB2.

They traded a 3rd round pick to draft him last year, so they want to see a return on that.

But there does come a point where, talent overrides stuff like that and if Ollie Gordon in the next two preseaosn games performs like he did vs the Bears on Sunday, look out as he may run himself into some serious playing time come the regular season.