Dolphins Need to Start Nailing Their Drafts

The circumstances might not be ideal for it, but the Miami Dolphins really need to focus on a draft-and-develop philosophy moving forward because the "F them picks" approach clearly hasn't provided the desired results.

And that already wasn't clear, it only was reinforced by the NFC and AFC title games.

The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles are headed for a second Super Bowl matchup in three years, both teams built mostly around their homegrown talent rather than bringing in high-priced veterans from other teams.

Of course, this is where somebody would point out — and rightfully — that the Eagles' best player right now probably is free agent acquisition Saquon Barkley with fellow free agent pick-up A.J. Brown not far behind.

But 14 of the Eagles starters for their 55-23 victory against the Washington Commanders on Sunday were homegrown products, most of them the result of some astute drafting.

That included the team's top two picks in 2024, starting cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. It also included the team's top two picks in 2023, the top pick in 2022 (with the next two also starters but injured) and the top two picks in 2021.

The Chiefs' starting lineup for their 32-29 victory against the Buffalo Bills featured 15 homegrown players, though every discussion about Kansas City has to start and end with Patrick Mahomes, who continues to deliver on the big stage like no quarterback before him — and, yes, that might even include Tom Brady.

But Mahomes isn't doing it by himself, with the Chiefs building depth on an annual basis by hitting on draft picks who allow them to overcome the loss of veterans who wind up leaving when they become too expensive, as happened with cornerback L'Jarius Sneed last offseason and three offseasons when they sent Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins to satisfy his desire for a new contract.

The Chiefs have hit on their fair share of draft picks and absolutely nailed their draft in 2022 when they had 10 selection after the Hill trade to Miami.

That draft for Kansas City produced five players who started Sunday — running back Isaiah Pacheco, defensive end George Karlaftis, and defensive backs Trent McDuffie, Bryan Cook and Nazeeh Johnson.

THE DOLPHINS' GO-FOR-BROKE APPROACH

In that 2022 draft, the Dolphins had only four picks, the result of surrendering No. 1 and No. 2 picks in the Hill trade, along with giving up their third-round selection in the ill-fated move up for Liam Eichenberg in the second round in 2021.

With those four picks, the Dolphins landed Channing Tindall, Erik Ezukanma, Cameron Goode and Skylar Thompson, none of them impact players, starters or even regular contributors.

It was more of the same in 2023 when the Dolphins had no first-round pick after the Bradley Chubb trade and the sanctions for tampering, and were missing a third-round selection after sending it to the Rams for Jalen Ramsey.

That draft brought the Dolphins Cam Smith, De'Von Achane, Elijah Higgins and Ryan Hayes. Two years in, only Achane has contributed, though he has become a key player for the offense and the kind of young asset the Dolphins find themselves in short supply of.

That's a problem because it creates an older roster with veterans who have to be brought on to fill roles and then replaced when they inevitably move on after a year or two.

It's no way to build a foundation.

The Dolphins had their chance at a foundation-building draft in 2020 when they had 10 overall picks, including five in the first two rounds.

But five years later, only two are starters for the Dolphins, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and tackle Austin Jackson, and both of them currently stand as injury question marks moving forward.

Robert Hunt and Brandon Jones had really productive 2024 seasons, but those happened with the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos, respectively, because the Dolphins couldn't or wouldn't retain them and they left as free agents.

The other two premium picks that year were Noah Igbinoghene in the first round and Raekwon Davis in the second, and neither ever justified their draft status before they left Miami.

The Dolphins then had five picks in the first three rounds of 2021 and picked good players with their first three, Jaylen Waddle, Jaelan Phillips and Jevon Holland, but Eichenberg was a miss made more damaging because the Dolphins essentially used two picks for him and Long's value became that he was used in the Ramsey trade.

But, again, not quite enough impact.

DID THE DOLPHINS TURN THE DRAFT CORNER?

The Dolphins might have gotten back on the right track last year with a draft that offers promise with All-Rookie selection Chop Robinson, Patrick Paul, Jaylen Wright and Malik Washington, but it's still too early tell whether Paul and Wright can become key contributors.

And that brings us to 2025 and the dilemma, which really shouldn't be a dilemma.

The Dolphins currently have seven picks in the draft this year, though they almost assuredly will pick three more compensatory picks — one in the third, one in the fourth and one in the seventh.

Because GM Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel are about to enter what could be — maybe should be — a make-or-break season, the temptation could be to use those picks to make a move, either bundling picks to move up or to acquire a veteran.

That might make the Dolphins better in the short term and give them a better shot at returning to the playoffs next season, but there's also no guarantee and it likely will have a detrimental effect in terms of long-term roster building.

That's what the moves for Tyreek Hill, Bradley Chubb and Jalen Ramsey all ended up doing.

The Dolphins kinda copied the L.A. Rams' "F them picks" approach, but while it got the folks in Southern California a Super Bowl title, what it's gotten the Dolphins is maybe farther away from the NFL powerhouses.