Outlook for Dolphins' 2024 Draft Class

The Miami Dolphins will be heavily relying on their 2024 draft class to make a significant impact this season. The team didn’t make many splashy offseason acquisitions, allowing several second-year players to have an inside track to playing time. 

With the Dolphins starting OTAs this week, it’s a good time to check in on the second-year players and their 2025 outlook. Some of these players will be expected to be high-level contributors, while others are likely on the roster bubble.

Let’s see where each 2024 draft pick stands heading into a pivotal season. 

Chop Robinson, Edge Rusher

2025 Outlook: High-Level Starter 

Robinson had by far the best performance of Miami’s rookies last season, which isn’t too shocking considering he was the team’s first-round selection. 

What was shocking was just how good Robinson looked down the stretch. 

Robinson had just 11 quarterback pressures during the first eight weeks last season, but he turned the corner in the season’s second half. From Week 9 on, Robinson posted 45 quarterback pressures, including 10 in the Dolphins’ Week 12 win against the New England Patriots.

This year, Robinson will be expected to play well right from the start. Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips are still recovering from major injuries, and the Dolphins didn’t add any high-profile rushers this offseason. 

Robinson will have to anchor the unit’s pass rush and can’t afford to get off to a slow start again. Assuming he takes a tangible step forward and builds on how he ended the season, he has all the natural traits to be one of the NFL’s most explosive pure pass rushers. 

Patrick Paul, Offensive Tackle 

Outlook: Developing Starter 

Paul is the player on this list under the most pressure this season. Barring an injury or disastrous training camp, Paul will start at left tackle in Week 1. 

Miami’s offensive line has been under the microscope for a long time, and Paul is replacing Terron Armstead, who was the team’s best blocker when healthy. Paul’s rookie season was a bit up and down, but that was to be expected after how raw he was coming out of Houston. 

However, Paul proved he was athletic and big enough to hang with NFL-caliber pass rushers. And in the games where he played left tackle from start to finish, his technique looked improved. 

Paul still has a long way to go, but an entire offseason of knowing he’s the starter and NFL coaching could help unlock some of the hand placement and timing issues that have plagued him since college. 

If Paul is a bust, it could sink the Dolphins’ entire offense both this season and in the immediate future. He was drafted to be a long-term fix, and this version of the Dolphins’ roster needs him to be that caliber of player. 

Jaylen Wright, Running Back 

2025 Outlook: Rotational Contributor 

Wright had a strange rookie season, but every indication we’ve received this offseason is that he’ll be a more significant part of the offense in 2025. 

As a rookie, Wright didn’t see the field too much. He carried the ball just 68 times for 249 yards and caught three of his six receiving targets for eight yards. For reference, Raheem Mostert finished last season with 85 carries despite playing in just 13 games (Wright played in 15).

Wright is a bigger, more physical runner and a solid pass protector with plenty of long speed, allowing him to contribute in nearly every facet of the offense. If the Dolphins want to be a more downhill team, Wright should be more of a “1B” to De’Von Achane’s “1A” this season. 

Wright should have every chance to earn that role this summer, as the Dolphins’ only additions at running back this offseason were a low-level free agent (Alexander Mattison) and a sixth-round pick (Ollie Gordon). 

Mohamed Kamara, Edge Rusher 

2025 Outlook: On the Roster Bubble

Kamara spent most of last season buried on the depth chart, appearing in just five games. He played 56 total snaps and recorded one tackle and one quarterback hit. 

That lack of playing time for Kamara is a bit startling, given how many injuries Miami sustained at the edge position. Despite plenty of snaps being up for grabs, Kamara couldn’t find a way onto the field. 

Miami has three pass rushers — Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb, and Chop Robinson — expected to dominate the snaps at edge, so Kamara is fighting for a depth spot this summer. 

Malik Washington, Wide Receiver 

2025 Outlook: Depth Contributor, Starting Returner

Washington had some good moments during his rookie season, especially considering he was a sixth-round selection. He totaled 223 receiving yards on 23 receptions and recorded 564 return yards on 32 attempts (18 punt, 14 kickoff). 

However, the Dolphins have added a lot of bodies to the receiver room this offseason and seem to be pivoting their size preferences at the position. 

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine is expected to be the team’s WR3, and undrafted free agents like Andrew Armstrong, Theo Wease Jr., and AJ Henning are bigger, body players who could take up a roster spot. 

Assuming Washington is the team’s WR4, he likely would fall behind all of Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Westbrook-Ikhine, Jonnu Smith, Achane and Wright in the offense’s pecking order. So, it’s more likely that Washington makes a bigger impact on special teams. 

He had a few nice returns last season, and the NFL’s updated kickoff rules are expected to generate more return opportunities this season. 

Patrick McMorris, Safety 

2025 Outlook: On the Roster Bubble

Technically, McMorris could earn one of the Dolphins’ starting safety spots this offseason. However, that seems like a long shot, as he would need to climb over Ifeatu Melifonwu, Ashtyn Davis, Elijah Campbell and Dante Trader Jr. 

McMorris has a much better chance of earning a role on special teams than he does of becoming one of the team’s starting safeties. That said, the Dolphins likely won’t carry more than four safeties on the 53-man roster, which means McMorris might be fighting for a roster spot. 

Melifonwu, Davis and Trader were added this offseason, and although the Dolphins could move on from them with little financial penalty, that isn’t likely. McMorris has the skills to be a solid special teams player, but he’s in a tough spot on the depth chart right now. 

Tahj Washington, Wide Receiver

2025 Outlook: On the Roster Bubble 

Tahj Washington is the only player from the 2024 class who didn’t play in 2024. He landed on injured reserve before the season began, so he was ruled out early in the process. 

Unlike McMorris, who has a somewhat reasonable chance to make the final roster, Washington’s path is more difficult. He’s, at best, a depth option, and the Dolphins have added a ton of those types at receiver this offseason. 

The Dolphins have 12 receivers currently listed on their roster, and it’s hard to imagine Washington coming in higher than WR8 on the depth chart. 

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