Dolphins Rookie Stock Report After Week 3

Welcome back to the Miami Dolphins rookie review. We didn’t do this column in the aftermath of Week 2 because the Dolphins had a quick turnaround in Week 3 against the Bills. 

In this article, we’ll combine our analysis from the last two weeks with a focus on Miami’s loss to Buffalo, as that game occurred more recently. One disclaimer: Zeek Biggers played five snaps in Week 2. That is not a big enough sample size to qualify him for this article. 

Let’s take a look at how Miami’s rookie class has fared over the last two weeks. 

Kenneth Grant 

Week 2: Stock Up 

Week 3: Slight Stock Down

Grant had a really strong performance in Week 2. His strength and ability to stack blocks in the running game were incredibly apparent against the Patriots. 

He wasn’t a negative against the Bills, but he was more of a non-factor. He made one nice stop on an outside zone concept early in the first quarter, but outside of that, the Bills were capable of moving him off his spot. 

Grant’s pass rush is still lacking behind his run defense, but that’s to be expected given his profile coming out of Michigan. He was awarded a pressure in Week 3 on a solid bull rush. 

The box score won’t show it, and Grant needs to add more consistency, but there have been enough flashes through three weeks to feel solid about his development. 

Jonah Savaiinaea

Week 2: Slight Stock Down 

Week 3: Stock Down 

It’s been a rough go for the Dolphins’ second-round pick so far this season. He was mostly OK against the Colts, but his performance against the Patriots and Bills has been firmly stock down. 

He’s allowed nine pressures and hurries combined the last two weeks. His pass protection has led to several plays getting blown up or forcing Tua to release the ball too early. 

Savaiinaea’s film in the running game is more “inconsistent” than “bad.” It’s clear that’s where a lot of his strengths lie, as he’s more than capable of creating some movement upfront. His hand placement and footwork need to get better, but he’s strong enough to make an impact. 

It’s too early to panic on Savaiinaea, primarily since most of his issues stem from technique rather than physical limitations. He should improve with reps, and that takes time. 

Jordan Phillips

Week 2: Stock Up

Week 3: Slight Stock Down

Phillips probably was the Dolphins’ best performing rookie through two weeks. He did a good job in his first start against the Patriots, showcasing the strength and run-defending prowess that a nose tackle should. 

That said, he wasn’t quite as stout against the Bills. He got moved out of his gap for some big runs early in the game. He almost stopped James Cook on his touchdown, but couldn’t quite shed the block in time. Phillips did play better in the second half, along with the rest of the Dolphins' defense.

He's a role-specific player who won’t make a huge impact in the box score in most games. His job is to stuff up the run and let others make plays. He did that against the Patriots, but the Bills’ interior offensive line handled him a lot better. 

Jason Marshall Jr. 

Week 2: Stock Down

Week 3: Incomplete 

Marshall gets an incomplete for Week 3 because he left the game after six snaps and didn’t return. Mike McDaniel told reporters that Marshall will likely be week-to-week with a soft tissue injury. 

He played 23 snaps in Week 2 and allowed one catch on target for 14 yards. Marshall has struggled with communication and tackling during his two weeks of meaningful snaps. It’s clear he hasn’t played the slot much in his career, and his missing games won’t help his development. 

Like Savaiinaea, Marshall’s issues are not the result of physical limitations. He just needs more experience. 

Dante Trader Jr. 

Week 2: No Movement

Week 3: No Movement 

Trader got off to a good start in Week 1 with a few impact plays, but he’s actually seen his snaps dwindle during the last two games. He had just 20 reps against the Patriots and 13 against the Bills. 

Overall, Trader hasn’t impacted the game a ton, but he hasn’t made a ton of mistakes either. He was charged with allowing two catches against the Bills, but he came from the deep part of the field and made the tackle immediately. 

He did miss one tackle in the running game on Thursday night, but he also made another, so it wasn’t all bad. His PFF grades are pretty harsh, but our film study shows a player who hasn’t swung the pendulum either way the last two weeks. 

What is interesting about Trader’s play is how much he’s been moved around. He’s played the slot, deep safety, and in the box a decent bit in his limited action. 

Ollie Gordon II

Week 2: No Movement

Week 3: Stock Up 

Gordon didn’t get enough touches in Week 2 to bump his stock in either direction, but that was not the case in Week 3. The Oklahoma State product had nine carries for 38 yards against the Bills, which isn’t overly impressive. 

However, if you watch the tape, Gordon made the most out of some rough blocking reps across the board. He scored his first-career touchdown on a play on which Tanner Conner couldn’t get back across the formation to make his block. 

Gordon also had a 16-yard run after breaking a tackle in the backfield and darting upfield for the first down. Alec Ingold was supposed to block the defensive end, but he whiffed, so Gordon had to make a play, and he did. 

The Dolphins also got a few third-and-short conversions out of him. It’s clear Gordon can be an effective complement to De’Von Achane moving forward.