Winners and losers from the Miami Dolphins' 2025 draft

The Miami Dolphins' draft is done, and 8 new draftees and a dozen or so new undrafted free agents have been added to the fold for a crucial 2025 season. 

Naturally, that will mean some opportunities for some players and some tougher paths to roster spots for others. 

Here are three winners and losers (of which they aren't really "losers") among the Dolphins after the 2025 draft. 

Winners

Patrick Paul

There had been some scuttlebutt by "experts" seeing the Dolphins taking a tackle high in this draft after Terron Armstead's retirement.  That was always silly - at least if they'd seen them as being a starter on the outside in 2025. Paul - despite having a less than stellar rookie season - and Austin Jackson were always going to hold those spots, but the Dolphins taking just one offensive lineman - Arizona OL Jonah Savaiinaea - just reinforces that Paul will start at left tackle in 2025. Savaiinaea, while he will start as a guard, has the ability to slide over and play tackle, but he's all but written in sharpie as a starter this fall. As such, Paul is, too. 

And hey, he'll have a better linemate next to him this fall in either Savaiinaea or James Daniels. That doesn't hurt either. 

Cam Smith

This is subject to change, as the Dolphins will surely have their eye on some veteran options, but for now, the Dolphins didn't make any major moves in the draft to address the cornerback position.  They added Florida's Jason Marshall, Jr. in the fifth round and reached agreements with undrafted free agents B.J. Adams and Ethan Robinson. 

As such, despite two lost years so far, the Dolphins have, for now, left the door wide open for the 2023 second round pick to finally live up to his draft status and claim a starting spot. 

Zach Sieler

The defensive tackle room next to Sieler was all but bare before the draft.  That's changed now, as the team added three big bodies in the draft in Kenneth Grant, Jordan Phillips, and Zeek Biggers. Grant slides in as the team's starter next to Sieler, and all three have a legit shot of making the roster.  This is a vastly improved group, and that will only help Sieler, as he won't have to shoulder the load now. 

Losers

Liam Eichenberg

It was very unlikely that the 2021 second round pick was going to earn a starting spot on this line after the Dolphins brought him back, but those flickering hopes were snuffed out when the Dolphins traded up and took Savaiinaea in the second round. 

Between that conviction to go get him and Chris Grier's comments about him in relation to being viewed as a starter, it's pretty clear that the expected is now a reality - Eichenberg will be fighting for a swing interior role on the roster rather than a starting job. 

However, with the ridiculous recent history of injuries that have plagued this franchise, anything is possible for any reserve player, including Eichenberg. 

Alexander Mattison

The Dolphins added Mattison in free agency on one year deal worth $1.34 million, with a little over a million guaranteed at signing. He was added to provide some physicality to a running back room that's lacked it. 

However, the Dolphins added more pop on Saturday with the selection of bruising RB Ollie Gordon II in the fifth round. The Dolphins might ultimately hold onto Mattison when the 53-man roster is set, but Gordon's skillset could push him off the roster when all is said and done, guaranteed money or not. 

Brian Duker

Some might say, 'huh?' here, and I get it, but I do feel sorry in a sense for the Dolphins' secondary coach and pass game coordinator here with the draft gone. 

With the way the roster was set up coming into the draft, the Dolphins were in need of two starting cornerbacks and at least one more starting-caliber safety in my opinion.  They didn't address the secondary until the first two days of the draft had come and gone. Marshall should make a decent depth option, and safety Dante Trader, Jr. could find his way onto the field some early, but neither appear to be of the impact variety. 

After losing Jevon Holland in free agency and now likely Jalen Ramsey through a mutual split with the team, I do not envy Duker at this moment.