May 1, 2025 • 52 mins
With the 2025 Draft now in the books, we go through each of the picks made by the Dolphins and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each player. Plus, there’s another Draft quiz question, will you know the answer?
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
What's up Dolphins? This is Travis Winfield and you're listening
to the Dolphin UK podcast Speedways, take them awad where
(00:29):
You're well?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Hello, Welcome to the Dolphin K podcast. Coming up on
the show this week, we review all the Dolphins picks
from the twenty twenty five NFL Draft, and here with
me to go through all of this is our very
own number one pick, Lee. How are you doing, sir?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Much better after that introduction? Still catching up on some sleep,
I must say. From the weekend.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Ye, I didn't watch too much of it live, but
I did manage to catch the picks without getting them tipped,
if you like, so each of them was a surprise.
I didn't know they were coming, so that was good.
At least I managed to do that.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
You're able to enjoy it as live?
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Yeah, almost pretty much. I did see some of the
Saturday picks live though, because they were a more.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Worthy hour, weren't they UK friendly time? Yes? Absolutely? And
I saw Hugo make a pick from Madrid. Yeah, it
was really great.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
I didn't know he was doing that actually, so when
he popped on the screen, I just shouted Hugo, and
to be fair, I thought he did really really well.
He came across really clear, didn't flubber as some people
would do, and was his English was absolutely perfect. He
showed all that enthusiasm as you would do if you
were announcing a pick, and he did the celebration with
(01:52):
t D at the end, which I thought was quite cool.
So credit to Hu go very well done, sir.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Yeah, exciting to see a fellow make a pick better
in Madrid.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Right onto the draft, then we're going to go through
each and every pick, give our own thoughts on what
we think of these particular players. And we are going
to start off with, of course, our round one pick,
aren't we Lee.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
We're the thirteenth pick in the twenty twenty five NFL Draft,
the Miami Dolphins select Kenneth Grant, defensive tackle.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Michigan Fellas.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
I gotta jump in because I've been hearing about this
kid since he was a true freshman. Going up there
and meeting with the Wolverine coaches, when Jim Horribad I
would sit down all the way back to Mike McDonald
and then Jesse Mentor or Wing Martindale, all the coordinators
that have been on that side of the ball. The
first thing that that defense, and it's the Baltimore defense
wants to do is build the run wall. And guess
(02:56):
who they talk about. They wouldn't talk about Mason Grant.
They would talk about Kenneth Grant being the guy that
could be the best in the future.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
So Kenneth Grant selected with the thirteenth pick overall league.
Before we go into the player himself, I just wanted
to refer back to last week's show where we went
through and analyzed fifty different mock drafts, and I thought
it'd be interesting to go back and look at see
how many of these fifty actually selected Kenneth Grant as
our number one pick at thirteen. And there was just
(03:26):
one media outlet that predicted we would select Kenneth Grant,
and it was Lance Srline from NFL dot Com on
his third mock draft predicted Kenneth Grant as number one,
and he was the only one to do so. So
I'm not necessarily saying that it wasn't an obvious pick
because it was based on need, but it just shows
(03:48):
you how the national beat writers don't necessarily understand the
requirements of specific teams. They don't have their fingers. We
said last week as close to the pulse as perhaps
regular fans might do or the local beat writers might do.
But overall I thought it was interesting only one had
Kenneth Grant pick your thoughts le on Kenneth Grant has
(04:09):
had defensive tackle from Michigan.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
I mean, I thought that this was a you mentioned there.
That is, it was more obvious when you thought about
the needs. But this seemed like that perfect cross point
on the graph where need mentalent available and this was
just perfect. And then if you want to add a
third element into that, being a Michigan guy, I'm sure
(04:35):
went down incredibly well in the draft room and with
owned Stephen Ross.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
I did think of that, think of you when I
realized he was from Michigan, because you brought up that
exact point last week.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
Didn't you. Yeah, And I think you know, I think
with a lot of players, I'm not saying it's the
deciding factor, but I'm guessing if you've got two players
that are really close together, picking a girl from your
school is probably not a terrible way to make you know,
to at two picks. I'm not saying that happened here,
but I can see where in draft rooms across the NFL.
That could be happening at some point. You know, we
(05:07):
know some of the other owners you know, have particular
schools that they are connected to or went to, whatever
the you know, the connection there might be. Maybe that
is the thing that that splits one pick from another.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
So back to the player himself. Then, last week we
went through eight prospects and outline their strengths and weaknesses,
and we're going to do the same this week. So
give me some strengths of Kenneth Grantly.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
I mean the first one, he's got to be size
and power. Anyone that saw the drafty this is a
huge human being. So six four, three hundred and thirty
one pounds, he possesses the massive strength to anchor against
double teams and disrupted the line of scrimmage. He's got
an explosive first step despite his size. I mean, it's
if it's a quick initial burst, allowing him to penetrate
(05:55):
gaps effectively and brishal quarterbacks. If you've seen any of
the highlights, you're going to see some place where he
really does burst through the line. And that's where that's
on display. Is your great run run defense prowest. Grant
excels at clogging running lanes and holding his ground, making
him a formidable presence against the run. I mean, it's
(06:15):
easy to clog a hole when you are six four,
three hundred and thirty one pounds. He has versatility. He
has experienced playing both three four and four three defensive
alignments and providing flexibility. We know that is a staple
of what the coaching staff and the GM in Miami
or love and Grant is no for his VILNT. That's
pursuit and constant effort on play, chasing down ball carriers
(06:38):
across the field. I think the one standout highlight that
you've probably seen across social media's him chasing down that
play from behind where he chased down running back and
he's just full go. So exciting stuff to see from
Kenneth Grunt.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Excellent and however, there are areas of his game that
he does need to work on, league his pad level issues.
He tends to play with a high pad level, which
can compromise leverage and reduce effectiveness against skilled offensive linemen.
He has a limited pass rush arsenal, so whilst his
bowl rush rush is effective, his past stressing techniques are
(07:12):
somewhat undefined, relying heavily on power moves without a diverse
set of counters. There are conditioning concerns, Lie, and this
is the one that kind of raised a bit of
a concern for me given the heat in Miami, particularly
early in the season, as there are legitimate questions about
his stamina and his performance can weigh late in games,
(07:35):
potentially limiting his snap accounts. So maybe a bit of
a concern given the weather and also his agility and
lateral movement. It's adequate but not exceptional, which may affect
his ability to adjust quickly to missdirection plays or outside runs.
But Overallly as a pick, are you happy and can
(07:56):
you summarize that pick for us?
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Yeah? I mean he offers a great blend of size,
strength and athleticism that makes him a promising defensive tackle prospect.
His ability to disrupt plays at the line and anchor
against the run gamer and media asset we know there
was a hole there in the roster as well. But
to maximize his impact, he will need to refine his technique,
particularly against so particularly in past rush, and improve his
(08:23):
conditioning to maintaining effectiveness throughout games. I think none of
the none of them. Everyone has something to work on
when they come into the league. And I think there
is some dots that you can connect here that really
play in his favor. And I think coach Will you
are being from Baltimore and implementing that system, and as
(08:46):
you heard in the clip that the ties with Michigan
and Baltimore just makes sense, and I think they will
know how to get the best out of him. Training
accounts is going to be super important for him though,
to acclimatize that to that Miami weather, because that's serious.
But we also know that a key part of that
Baltimore defense, and I say Baltimore defense, I shouldn't say
(09:07):
that anymore because it's now the Miami Dolphins defense too,
is rotation and that is also going to help him
in this instance as well.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
Yeah, and I think coaching is going to play an
important part because not only can they he's going to
get professional coaching, and which is of clearly going to
be upper level from what he was used to in college.
He's going to get that professional coaching to address those weaknesses,
and that would include improving his conditioning as well, getting
him on the right diet things like that, but also
(09:37):
the improvement in coaching will help elevate his strength as well.
It works both ways, doesn't it absolutely?
Speaker 3 (09:44):
And I think you know you mentioned there that his
lateral movement is a little bit less than his you know,
his rawal power. His agility is a little less than
his raal power. But that's going to come with a
guy at that side. But that really plays into the
hands of funneling people towards defense. Eve ends and you
can see how one is going to help the other here.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
Yeah, absolutely right, great pick onto round two.
Speaker 5 (10:11):
All right, we gotta trade, we gotta trade here. The
last Vegas Raiders have traded the thirty seventh pick to
the Miami Dolphins. With that being said, the thirty seventh
pick in the twenty twenty five NFL Draft, the Miami
Dolphins select Jonah Savaya and Ayah offensive guard Arizona.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Of course, that was our own alec ingolda Wisconsin native,
announcing the second round pick, Jonah Savayah Nyah. They go
Lee got it right first time. Perfect, same sort of
concept here in terms of analyzing his strengths and areas
of his game to work on. Now, his strengths, he
does have positional versatility. He offers starting right guard right
(10:52):
tackle and left tackle capability, having played there in college,
which clearly shows adaptability across the offensive line, and we
know the Dolphins are keen on o' lyman who can
cross train in multiple positions. He's got a powerful anchor.
He's strong upper body and wide base, allowing to effectively
anchor against bull rushes, making him a reliable pass protector.
(11:17):
He does also have run blocking prowess in that he
excels in gap and power run schemes, using his size
to displace defenders and create running lanes. He's got a
really good high football IQ, which I think you need
in a Mike McDaniel offense, to demonstrating good awareness in
his past protection, often identifying and reacting to defensive stunts
(11:38):
and twists. And finally, he has that durability as well,
having started all thirty six games during his three year
college career, eating resilience and reliability, something which arguably the
Dolphins have not had on that offensive line over the
last couple of years. So overall, really pleased with that Pickley.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Yeah, I mean, he makes so much sense, doesn't it.
You needed to get healthier, and you needed size on
the offensive line, and there's two boxes tick right off
the bat there in the second round. It's interesting that
you mentioned the position versatility because that, again, it's something
that we know is high on the list of requirements
for a Dolphins player. It's the way that the Chris
(12:20):
Career might have Daniel liked to have of their guys.
But it's also interesting that he was announced as a
guard as a pick, because that was obviously a position
of need. Again, it's that place where need meets talent
that sounds like a perfect fit for both. And I
think we've seen him in recent days multiple reports saying
that the New England Patriots very much wanted to draft
(12:42):
him at thirty eight, making the trade up to thirty
seven a very shrewd move by Chris Career. Well, yeah,
on day two of the draft.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
Just before we go into his areas of the game,
he can improve it. What did you make of that
trade at the time? What were you init your thoughts?
Because I thought at the time it was quite a
lot to give up in terms of capital, but in
real terms, they simply deferred a third round pick from
this year to next year really in reality and manage
to get the player if they want, And like you say,
(13:10):
it was worth it considering the stories coming out, like
you just say, around the Patriots wanting to take him
as well. So overall, I think it was a good
move that didn't lose too much. What were your initial
thoughts on that trade.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
Yeah, I was My initial thoughts were, oh, no, I
need to wake up quickly, because I was struggling to
stay awake at the beginning of the second round, unless say,
my general rule of stuff is sorry, sequence of events
is to stay off for the first round and stay
off way too late, fall asleep during the second round,
(13:43):
and wake up in the third round. So I just pleased.
I was still await to see this pick, so that
was good. But yeah, I think it's always difficult when
you when you first see the pick come in, they
throw up the terms of the pick. You you try
to work out value all of a sudden and you
haven't even taken the player. Yeah, and there's so many
factors to take into account, But I do think the
(14:05):
most important aspect of the whole thing is coming away
with the guy you wanted, because I think if we're
sitting in a press conference at the end of next
season or getting into the season and God is still
a problem, and chrisco says, well, I needed to give
up the third you know, I needed to give up
a picture to move up and get him. All of
a sudden, it looks like that's great value that you
(14:27):
must do that because there's a hole in the roster. So,
you know, I think it's a shrewd move. And then
when you find out other teams are targeting that player,
it just kind of cements of fact. It really is
a great move by Chris Career. On the evening, there
is some things though that he needs to improve, so
(14:49):
he lacks some elite foot speed and agility. Again. I
think that probably is that size and strength versus agility thing,
And we've seen two ways of trying to build and
you know, I think we've seen definitely a shift in
that aspect again, plays of a high pad. Little bit
of a theme here. These are things that you could
(15:11):
teach to fix as opposed to the natural gifts, which
you cannot teach someone if they haven't got them. His
hand placement can be inconsistent and it can lead to
balance issues and penalties. You need to refine refinement to
avoid holding calls. Again, that's on the coaching stuff. We
know we've got great on line coaches here and that
we've seen the improvement in players in over the last
(15:33):
couple of years. This feels like another great landing spot
for Jonah as much as for the Dolphins, where they're
going to really help improve his game in those area.
And then recoverability is the last one where he struggles
a little bit to recover when initially beaten and particularly
against speed movies, highlighting the need for improve technique and footwork.
Again feels like that whole size versus f agility thing.
(15:58):
So you anytime you move one of the sides up,
the other side is going to shrinks like it's that
tipping scale of ability.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
It's a shame we can't see you do that, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
There's a lot of what's the word for for when
you're doing this is gesticulation testuring?
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Yes, okay, Just to summarize then, Jonas Saravana is a
robust and versatile offensive lineman best suited for interior positions
in the NFL. His strength and experience make him a
valuable asset in run heavy schemes, though improvements in technique
and agility will be crucial for his success at the
professional level. So another pick that I think generally speaking,
(16:41):
fans were happy with. Obviously, given the needs of the
team having the roster, you're not going to be able
to fill every single need with every single pick. That
certainly was a particular need right on to the third.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
And I was just gonna say, if anyone hasn't seen
fun fact, Jodoh proticted to a high school.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
Cool fun fact. Indeed, right lext Pickley, it's one of yours.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
The latter was at Jordan Phillips with one hundred and
forty third pick in the fifth round after the trades.
Jordan Phillips is defensive tackle out of Maryland, and I
know o'mar Kelly must have been shocked when this pick
came in. Sorry, so it's now giving me a look
(17:32):
again for anyone that can't see us, this clip may go,
it may not. O'mick Kelly had a bit of a
disagreement with a form of Miami Dolphins defensive tackle also
named Jordan Phillips that had gone back. They've gone back
and forth on some things over a long period of time,
so I think he even tweeted about it when the
pick went out because it was kind of.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
Fun I'm sure they're going to be best buddies.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
Yeah, he's definitely got an icebreaker there for Jordan Phillips.
Some strengths of Jordan Phillis's. He has explosive strengths. Demonstrates
exceptional lower body power, reportedly squatting six hundred and sixty
five pounds and overhead pressing three hundred and sixty five
pounds for two reps, which is just absolutely massive leverage
(18:22):
and balances. Wrestling background is evident in his ability to
maintain a low pad level and anchor efficiently against double
Team's first go on this list who has a low
pad level. Interestingly, run defense for the six Seals at
clogging running lanes, using his size and strength to occupied
blockers and free up teammates to make plays. And his
(18:42):
work ethic and leadership has been known by coaches and
teammates having praised his dedication and leadership qualities, noting his
commitment to improvement and team cohesion, and obviously a second
defensive tackle pick in the first three from the mummed ofphense.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
Okay, there are areas of his game that need to
be work on. Of course, he's got limited pass rushing production.
Recording no sacks over two seasons at Maryland, indicating a
need for development in this area. He can be slow
to diagnose plays, which sometimes results in delayed reactions and
missed opportunities to disrupt offensive schemes. And lastly, he occasionally
(19:24):
struggles with maintaining consistent pad levels and disengaging from blocks,
which can affect his effectiveness against more agile offensive linements.
So I mean all indications point to the fact that
he's very much going to be a project. Doesn't need
to Just want to summarize where we are with this
particular pick.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
I think it is considered a deveopmental prospect with significant
upside his physical tools and work as it provide a
strong foundation, but he will need time to refine his
techniques enhance his past rushing skills. If he can address
these areas, he has to potential become of valuable assets
of Miami Dolphins and a defensive line rotation. And it
feels like the Kenneth Grant pick really helps the Jordan
(20:05):
Phillips fit because he's not being picked to go in
there and start. Whereas before the draft we needed tackles,
We needed defensive tackles badly. Both of these guys have
the size to play no second for the Dolphins.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
Yeah, I was going to say exactly the same thing.
The pick of Grant gives takes the pressure off Jordan
Phillips somewhat, doesn't it, because he's not necessarily expected to
be an immediate starter on that O line and the
opportunity is there for a rotational piece. But at least
the pressure is off and he's going to have time
to develop.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
And also, you know it talk about his willingness, his
want to be a leader and his work ethic. The
more time he's able to take from Kenneth Grant, which
is able to help his longevity, you know, within games.
(20:57):
You can see how this can work out really nice
sleep for the Dolphins defensive front.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Yeah, absolutely so. Continuing on the defensive side of the ball,
their next pick on one hundred and fifty in round
five was Jason Marshall, a cornerback from Florida. He's certainly
got the physical attributes and athleticism you need and a cornerback.
Standing at six foot and weigh one hundred and ninety
four pounds, he combines size with athletic prowess. He's quick,
(21:25):
having clocked a four point four to nine forty yard dash,
and he can jump, having achieved a thirty seven and
a half inch vertical jump at the combine, which was
third among defensive backs. Interestingly enough, he's got man coverage
proficiency because he excels in man to man situations, utilizing
his length of physicality to disrupt receivers at the line.
(21:48):
His fluid hit movement and quick reaction time allow him
to mirror roots effectively, making him particularly adept against deep
and long developing plays. He's got really good route recognition
and anticipation because he demonstrates a really high football like Marshall,
reads route combination as well and anticipates quarterback intentions, which
(22:09):
of course enables him to position himself advantageously in both
man and his own coverages. And lastly, he's got really
good press coverage technique. His hand usage in press coverage
is refined. He times his jams effectively and maintains leverage
throughout the route and has ability to disrupt timing at
the line. And that's also a noticeable asset. So really
(22:34):
promising pick by the sounds of it. Lots of good
things to note there, but he's around five pick. After all,
Lee's there for a reason. So what areas of his
game do you think he needs to improve?
Speaker 3 (22:47):
Tackling consistency. While he's a willing tackler, he sometimes relies
on size rather than form, leading to mistackles and suboptimum
angles in the open field. Ball production. Despite despite his
coverage skills, Marshal's ball productionsm his modesty only two career interceptions.
Scouts and noted noted a need for him to make
(23:09):
more impactful plays on the ball to elevate his draft stock.
Aggressive His aggressiveness sometimes leads to penalties for excessive contact,
particularly in press situations. Adjusting to the NFL officiating standards
would be crucial to minimize these infractions and mental lapses
(23:30):
in coverage. Sometimes he loses focus, such as being caught
looking in the backfield and losing track of his assignment.
These lapses have sorted the significant plays against him, including
some long touchdowns. I would imagine if there is a
way to learn how to improve in some of these areas,
(23:53):
it's to take some reps against Jaden model on tyro
kill because if you're caught watching the backfield, you're going
to be watching them run into the end zone pretty quickly.
So again there's another guy that has god given size
and strength and has stuff that he can learn to
(24:15):
go along with that, which feels like a kind of
a theme here.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Yeah, and to play against the likes of Hill and
Model every single day in practice is surely going to
improve him as a player, even before he takes a
snapping earnest in the regular season. So I'd like to
think that you're going to see a good prospect there.
He's certainly got promising future offering. That combination of size, speed,
(24:42):
and coverage ability. Like we said, it makes him a
valuable prospect for the Dolphins, and he's a physical quarterback. However,
to maximize his potential at this professional level, it will
need to refine his technique, tackling technique, increase ball production,
and maintain consistent focus throughout plays. I think though, with
(25:03):
targeted coaching and development, he's got the tools to become
a reliable contributor in the NFL for sure.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
Yeah, it's a really interesting especially with it we spoke
about the situation with jam and Ramsey possibly not being
on the roster. There was also again a need at cornerback,
so the pick made a lot of sense.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Yeah, and that brings us too halftime in the show.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
Absolutely, and with half time comes a quiz question. So
I've got one that I haven't seen you this week, Yeah, Simon.
So please play a lot at home, shout at your
at your radio, just shout out loud, Just make a
fool of yourself.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
Be unless unless you're commuting on public transport, then you
don't want to shout very loud.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
So the Myrie Dolphins select Grant from Steven Ross's and
Martha Michigan in the first round the twenty twenty five draft.
But how many other Michigan players of Miami selected in
the first round of the draft.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
I'm going to hazard a guess that this one late.
I'll leave you my answer until the end, shall I?
But I've got a number in my head that is
my gut instinct. Or do you want to hear it
now and give the answer.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
To the You can give us your answer. I'll tell
you at the end if you're.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
Right I think, and I'm probably wrong, but this was
the first one.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
Tell me the end, I can tell you that you're
certainly not right. Right, I'll give you a hint. Jake
Long also came out of right in Michigan.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
Yes, some time ago, wasn't it.
Speaker 3 (26:57):
Right?
Speaker 2 (26:57):
I look forward to finding out how many they and whom?
Speaker 3 (27:00):
Mm hmm. But we don't stut we move on to
these to the second half of our draft picks. And
in the second half of the show, should we start
off with Dante Trader, safety from safety from Maryland, who
the obviously took one hundred and fifty fifth pick in
the fifth round. They kind of have a florrier picks here,
(27:22):
pretty close to here. I think it's three and like
twelve picks or something. Remember, rightly, it might have been
going a bit delirious at this point as well.
Speaker 2 (27:29):
They didn't trade into this pick, though, did they? This
was their natural pick, wasn't it.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
This is the natural pick, I believe.
Speaker 2 (27:36):
I'm just thinking that's a shame, really, because otherwise they'd
have traded for Trader, wouldn't.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
They for Trader? That is absolutely right?
Speaker 2 (27:48):
Sorry, I'll put you off there, I with my trade joke.
Speaker 3 (27:53):
That's amazing. I completely lost our train, I thought. But
let's start off with his strengths again, position versatility and trailers.
Demonstrated the ability to play multiple roles in the secondary,
including single high safety, box safety, nickel corner. His ability
his adaptability allows defensive coordinators to deploy him in various
(28:16):
schemes effectively. That's just got to absolutely jump off the
page for Coach Weaver and his defense and the sort
of different ways they can now the sky is things
which they love to do. It's just again feels like
a perfect fit there. Football IQ. He's a high football IQ,
(28:37):
quickly diagnosing plays and reacting appropriately. His anticipation allows him
to jump routes and meet timely plays on the ball.
He's a reliable tackler. I'm known for securing for a
security tackling technique, particularly in open field situations. He says
proper angles and wraps up the ball carriers, effectively minimizing
the yards after contact. He's good support, aggressive, aggressive in
(29:03):
run defense, quickly inserting himself into the box and taking
on blockers when necessary. His physicality and willingness to engage
make him valuable our seconds to run and again. Another
high leader, leadership and character kind of guy off the field.
Trade has been recognized for his leadership and community involvement.
(29:24):
He was named as semi finalist for the Jason Widon
Collegiate Man of the Year award and as has participated
in various charitable charitable There's.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
A pattern here, isn't there? High IQ and leadership and
character traits on a lot of these players that the
Dolphins are picking, Isn't there?
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Absolutely, It's definitely a theme running running through here.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
Yeah, you can feel them wanting to build that culture
in the dressing room, having lost significant leaders in the
likes of to Aun Armstead and Klais Campbell, to name
a couple, But you can see that long term they're
looking to already at these kind of players to be
those leaders, aren't they in the locker room? So areas
of improvement. Though whilst effective in zone schemes, Trader can
(30:11):
struggle sometimes in man to man situations, particularly against quicker
slot receivers. So he's going to get a good test
in practice and athletic tight ends. Improving his man coverage
skills will be crucial at this level. He does lack
a little bit of top end speed. It's considered above
average but not elite, which may lead to challenges when
(30:33):
covering deep routes or recovering against faster opponents. Again, he'll
have that exposure in practice against those types of receivers.
Although he has solid ball skills, his interception numbers are modest,
enhancing his ability to convert past breakups into turnovers could
elevate his impact. And finally, he's only five eleven and
(30:56):
two hundred and two pounds, which is a slightly undersized
frame for an NFL safety that may affect his ability
to match up against larger receivers and tight ends.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
So doctor repot Craier a little bit here and as
the world rounded safety prospect with strong strong foundation in football, intelligence, tackling,
and bursatility. His leadership qualities, the commitment to the game
make him an attractive candidate and for NFL teams, and
I think one needs to be very pleased. Is now
(31:28):
one of the Miami Dolphins.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
Intriguing pick. And what this leads me nicely onto the
next pick, one hundred and seventy nine in round six,
which was Oli Gordon, running back from Oklahoma State. And
a funny story about this particular pick. Dany had been
keeping an eye on him throughout the draft and kept
insisting the Dolphins drafted Oli Gordon and it was one
(31:54):
of the few picks on this particular day that we
didn't actually see together, and we were in separate rooms
when the was made, and was half expecting Danny to
yell out when the pick came through, but he didn't.
He was very modest with the fact that he got
the pick that he'd been after for quite a while,
So I really like the pick.
Speaker 3 (32:13):
Actually.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
He's certainly got that size and physicality that you want
with an imposing frame. It allows him to absorb contact
and gain yards after initial hits. His ability to run
through armed tackles and maintain balance makes him a formidable
presence between the tackles. He's got that vision and patience
that you look for in a running back, demonstrating excellent
(32:36):
field vision, effectively identifying running lanes and setting up blocks.
His patience allows him to develop, enabling him to exploit
defensive gaps efficiently. Despite limited opportunities in college, he does
showcase reliable hands and the ability to contribute as a
checkdown option in the passing game. His natural catching ability
(32:58):
adds versatility to his skill set. What I did also
like about him Lee is that he's a willing blocker
who understands past protection schemes, so his size and strength
enable him to engage blitzers effectively providing valuable support in
passing situations, So yet another asset in that that's going
to help to a little bit there. And finally, he
(33:20):
maintains stability through contact, often requiring multiple defenders to bring
him down. This trait continue contributes to his ability to
extend plays and gain additional yardage.
Speaker 3 (33:33):
And there's more a point you would flip here from
some of the highlights that I saw on Oli Gordon
as well, because when I heard this, I don't think
i'd ever heard a clip quite like this where someone
said genuinely this impressed. Yeah, that's after a fifty four
(33:57):
yard touchdown right against I think it was West.
Speaker 2 (34:03):
Sorry, I was just going to say I mentioned there
around You're going to talk about his twenty twenty three
season in a moment, I think, But I just wanted
to refer to that in advance because i'd heard and
I'd been reading about his twenty twenty three season and
the general consensus was that he was the second best
running back in that class that year. So for him
(34:23):
to fall to the Dolphins with that kind of pedigree
in round six can only be a good thing. He
didn't really contribute in twenty twenty four due to a
support poor supporting cast, but he certainly got some talent.
Speaker 3 (34:37):
Yeah, I think it's you know, talking about twenty twenty
three seasons, he won the don'e. Walker Award as a
nation's top running back. He was the first team Associated
Press All American Big twelve Offensive Player of the Year,
First Team All Big Twelve. He led the FBS with
one thousand, seven hundred and thirty two rushing yards. You know,
(35:03):
really quite an impressive season. And you say we've probably
have been higher had he come out of the year
before into the draft. I'm really excited about this pick.
I've got to say, watching his highlights over the weekend,
I can't wait to watch some kind of full games
to see how that expands out. His blocking ability is
also noticeable on tape, and I can see how that's
that could be a real asset. I was trying to
(35:25):
prove himself to the coaching staff and wyam'ty.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
Do you think he's going to if he pans out,
going to make a case to take that RB two
roll away from Jaylen Wright. Do you think given the
fact that he's bigger and he's got more power, or
do you think Jayen Wright's got that RB two position secure,
and Olie Gordon for now he's going to be RB
three or even RB four if Alexander Madison has anything
(35:49):
to say about it.
Speaker 3 (35:50):
Yeah, I think the comparison, probably the better comparison is
to Madison because of the sheer size, But I think
he offers something that I think he potentially offers something
that the top guys on the roster don't and saying
that I think was sorely needed last season, and that
has the ability to get that short yardage. I can
(36:11):
imagine Oarlie Gordon behind Ali k ing Gold in the
short run game. Could be could be a really good
way to get him into the lineup when you know
it's not necessarily you're not necessarily looking for home run,
you're looking to move the chains. That could really be
a great start in place for him. I also mentioned
his willingness to play on special teams, which must go
down in pratibly well with the Coaks that stuff.
Speaker 2 (36:32):
Their shortyardage game on paper looks to be improved because
you have Olly Gordon who could follow Ali k ing
Gold Alexander Mattison as well, and you have Fererra Brown
who's a specialist at blocking, so you can see where
they're going here, can't you, in terms of trying to
address a team weakness to make those third and shorts
a lot more easier to convert.
Speaker 3 (36:55):
And then you pick a guard in the second round
of the draft and sign James Daniels in free agency Garden,
all of a sudden things look different in that area
of the game, but there is some areas to improve.
As we've mentioned with all the draft picks so far,
he does tend to run with a very upright style
that is clear when you watch his tape, making him
(37:15):
a larger target for defenders and potentially limiting his power
and leverage his lateral agility. He is a little bit
limited there, affecting his ability to make sharp cuts or
change so quick change of directions, and this limitation may
reduce his effectiveness in zone blocking schemes that require agility.
(37:41):
Some top end speed, while it's deceptive, I don't think
it tested as particularly high. I haven't got that number,
but I would say if you watch some of his
eyes lights, he does also have some breakaway speed, so
it's an interesting kind of I would say he's somewhere
in the middle. He's probably not going to feel fast
on this roster, if that's any hot Ball security has
(38:03):
been something to note. He's recorded six fumbles, losing four
of them, so improving ball security will be crucial to
his success at the next level and consists. The last
point here we've got is consistency. You know that you
mentioned after a stellar twenty twenty three season having a
down yere in twenty twenty four. Again probably is a
(38:25):
blend between some personal performance but also the team struggles
as well.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
Yeah, absolutely, I mean overall, then he offers a blend
of size, vision, and versatility that makes him an attractive
prospect for the Dolphins who were seeking a physical running back.
While he as areas to refine such as pad level
and lateral agility, his strengths in vision, past protection, and
contact balance position him well for a good, successful professional career,
and I'm sure he'll be able to develop into a
(38:52):
reliable contributor in the power running scheme. So that moves
us on to round seven. Who was the Dolphin's next pick.
We've got two to.
Speaker 3 (39:02):
Go, so as we headed into round seven, I think
this would be an interesting pick for a lot of people.
With the two hundred and first pick, the Dolphins select
a quarterback, and that was Quinn Ewers, quarterback from Texas.
We'll start off with some of his strengths, which is arm, talent,
and touch. He possesses quality. I'm capable of making all
(39:23):
the necessary throws. He demonstrates excellent touch, especially in the
intermediate routes alara and severs to maximize yards after the catch.
Tell me if you've heard this described about someone before.
It's quick release and anticipation making effective in rhythm and
passing situations. It's funny because I know a guy who's
kind of elite in those areas as well. Interesting. He's
got offense in sorry experience in pro style offenses. Operating
(39:46):
after understand Sarkesian at Texas, he has gained experience in
a pro style offense that required complex reads and decision making.
This should aid him when going into Mike McDaniel's system,
which we know is one of the more complex. Mental toughness.
Throughout his college career, you has displayed resilience, notably competing
with high profile recruit arch manning for the starting role.
(40:08):
His ability to handle internal competition and external expectations speaks
to his mental fortitude youth and development. I mean, he
was born in two thousand and three years is among
the younger quarterbacks in the NFL draft. His age suggests
room for growth development under the right coaching, which I
(40:28):
think he's going to get in Miami. I think that's
probably an ideal place to land. But he was also
I think he was the number one recruit in the
country when he was originally recruiting. And I was watching
some stuff with John Grudden's quarterback rooms earlier, which is
very interesting with him. I can't wait to finish that off.
Speaker 2 (40:47):
Yeah, it was a bit of a strange one for quarterbacks,
wasn't it, with Jackson Dart going in the first round
for the Giant and obviously the notable fall of Shirdez Sanders,
who eventually went to the Browns. And I think had
should Sanda has been taken earlier then I'm sure Quinn
Youwers would have been taken earlier as well. It seemed
to be almost like a case of let's just wait
(41:09):
and see on quarterbacks, and there are areas for improvement,
though his decision making under pressure needs to be looked at,
because he has shown a tendency to become raffled when
facing a past rush, leading to hurrid throws and turnovers.
His composure in collapsing pockets remains a concern. His pocket
awareness is sometimes a bit lacking, and he isn't aware
(41:32):
of oncoming pressure, resulting in unnecessary sex. Improving his internal
clock and pocket navigation is essential. Ers occasionally relies in
his arm talent over proper footwork, leading to inconsistent accuracy,
especially on deeper throws. Refining his mechanics could enhance his
overall performance, and while proficient in a pro style offense,
(41:55):
he has struggled at times to read and react to
complex defensive schemes, leading to missed opportunities and turnovers. Certainly
areas of his game that he needs to work on,
And as we've said previously Lee, if he doesn't see
the field long term, it probably means that QB one
is still in post, because with this kind of pick
(42:15):
and the potential to develop, I'm thinking longer term he's
got the possibility of being QB two. Zat Wilson was
only on a one year deal, of course, so you'd
like to think eventually yours would take that QB two role,
wouldn't you?
Speaker 3 (42:30):
Yeah? I mean, that has to be the ideal situation,
isn't it When you cannot pay a free agent to
be the backup and you can have a guy potentially
in the next through three to four years on a
rookie deal. Doing that, it frees up the cash you
to spend somewhere else. You know, he offers a blend
of arm talent, pro style, experience, mental toughness, which must
(42:52):
have made him an intriguing prospect. Like you say, the concision,
the concerns over decision making under pressure, pocket awareness and
consistency feel like the sort of thing that will be
addressed and by the front office. There are also some
things there that we've mentioned about Tour in the past,
you know, some pocket awareness, he's mentioned that, the consistency
(43:13):
of his feet, all things that he's improved whilst he's
been in Miami. So again, it feels like a good
spot for yours, but also really interesting spot for us
as a team and as a fan base. An interesting
prospect and watch forwards.
Speaker 2 (43:26):
And last but not least, that brings us to Zick Biggers,
who was the third defensive tackle taken out of Georgia
Tech and was picked number two hundred and fifty three
in the seventh round. That's sorry, that's picked one hundred
and fifty three overall in the seventh round. I should
say not two hundred and fifty third in the seventh round.
(43:47):
He's got exceptional size and length. He's got a towering
frame and nearly thirty five inch arm length, which provides
him with a significant advantage in occupying space and disrupting
offensive lines. His physical attributes make him a natural fit
for roles requiring a strong presence in the interior. At
the twenty twenty five Combine, he showcased his impressive athleticism
(44:11):
for his size, recording a thirty four and a half
inch vertical jump, a nine foot three broad jump, and
a five point zero nine second forty yard dash, which
those metrics highlighted his explosiveness and mobility, traits that are
valuable for penetrating defensive and pursuing ball carriers. He's got
experience playing as a one technique defensive tackle, but his
(44:33):
combination of size and athleticism allows four potential adaptability to
various defensive schemes. He has the ability to shed weight
as well, so he's gone from three hundred and sixty
pounds when he was at college to three hundred and
twenty one pounds during the draft process, which to me
shows he's got that commitment to versatility and professional growth.
And lastly, he was a consistent performer at the college level.
(44:56):
He showed steady improvement and in twenty twenty three season
he had massed forty tackles, including four TFLs along with
a sack, three pass deflections, a fumble recovery, and a
block kick. And his performance in an invitation to the
twenty twenty five East West Shrine Bowl underscoring his impact
on the field. So lots of good things there to
(45:19):
like about Zeke.
Speaker 3 (45:20):
Figures absolutely definitely a continuing theme with a very large
defensive tackle. What did you say his hype was? Is
that six y three? Yeah? So I had it on
another screen. Sorry, he is six five, three hundred and
twenty one pounds his listed hightwight. That is just mammoth.
(45:44):
But as we mentioned with some of the other players,
you know, especially when you get down to the seventh round,
there are areas for improvement. He needs to develop his
past rushing techniques. While he demonstrated the ability to disrupt plays,
enhancing his past rush arsenal will be crucial at professional level.
Developing a variety of moves and counters will increase his
(46:07):
effectiveness against more advanced offensive linemen and consistency in leverage.
At pad level, maintaining a low paddler was essential to
maximize his power and control. He will need to focus
on consistently playing with proper leverage to avoid being neutralized
by opposing blockers. I think again, you can see he
(46:28):
plays a little high, and I think the other thing
is just going to be the competition. He's already seen
a couple of defensive tackles taken before him in the draft.
There is going to be lots of competition to get
playing time and reps throughout training camp and the preseason.
It should be an interesting one for ze Begause, but
(46:48):
we mentioned that rotation that could be key for all
of these guys seeing time.
Speaker 2 (46:54):
Just to summarize, then, he presents a blend of size, athleticism,
and dedication that make him an ting prospect for the Dolphins.
His physical tools and collegiate experience provide a solid foundation,
but his success at the NFL level would depend on
his ability to refine technical aspects of his game and
adapt to the professional environment with focused development, He's got
the potential to become a valuable asset in that defensive
(47:18):
line rotation. So that is Zeke Biggas, who was the
last pick the Dolphins made. You just want to summarize
the where you are with the pigs lead. Do you
think the Dolphins had a good draft? You wish they'd
made any other picks that were for players that you've
got your eye on, or overall? Are you really happy?
Speaker 3 (47:35):
I'm really happy that this is the time of you
to be happy. We had we had rolled some holes
on the roster. We've definitely seen how some of those
are planning to be filled if everything turns out as
you would hope, and there's still things to improve. We've
heard Chris Career in his press conference of my McDaniel
mentioned still looking at the free agent market and being
in contact with players. So I still think moves you
(47:56):
want to say where It's not like the roster is
now suddenly set. But I mean, this just seems like
high upside guys all across the board. None of the
picks are really head scratching picks. And which is you
do see from time to time. I mean, you know,
the Browns taking two quarterbacks fairly high whilst having I
think three or four already on the roster is you
know what I referred to as a head scratching pick.
(48:18):
So no, I was pretty pleased. How about you.
Speaker 2 (48:20):
Yeah, likewise, I think that they certainly filled needs with
the best available players at the time they were picking,
So no concern there. You weren't going to fill every
single whole lot in inverted commas on the roster with
a pick. It just simply wasn't going to happen. It
was almost the case of determining priorities. And like you say,
the indications are they are going to continue to be
(48:42):
active in free agency now the draft is over, and
the good news there is that any signings they do
make from this point going forwards do not affect the
compensatory picks for next year's drafts. So they were waiting
for a reason. And obviously there are some good players
still out there who are free agents, particularly in the secondary,
that the Dolphins could look to go after. So, like
(49:05):
you say, the roster is in the by no means
set and there is still room for improvement in terms
of any signings they may look to make.
Speaker 3 (49:14):
Absolutely so, I think pretty exciting and a good draft,
and hopefully we'll be back soon to talk about some
of the undrafted free agents who were also signed to
the roster. I think there's been a lot of reports
either way, and if you believe every report, the Dolphins
are currently over the number. So we'll wait to get
an official tally on that and see who's got saved
bias and who's been signed as an unrestricted free agent.
Speaker 2 (49:37):
Drafted free agent. Yes, right, so that brings pretty much
brings us to the end of this week's show. Lie,
but before we go, you're going to reveal the answer
to the quiz question.
Speaker 3 (49:49):
Absolutely so. It was a little bit of a trick
because which I like you you saw where I was
going with it, trying to get one. I saw you, yeah,
and I thought a lot of people might get Jake
Long being a little while ago, but maybe not so long.
But there is actually three Michigan men taken in the
(50:12):
first round of the NFL Draft by the Minho Dolphins.
Kenneth Grant obviously on Thursday, Jake Long in two thousand
and John Grey's offensive tackle who was taken twenty four
to nineteen seventy nine draft.
Speaker 2 (50:25):
Well, I wouldn't have known that one at all, obviously,
well before even my time there. So unless you've researched
that question, that was a pretty tricky one. But we'll
have another one next week or next show, won't we
absolutely right? Any final thoughts lead before we draw the
episode to a close.
Speaker 3 (50:41):
No, just going to enjoy diving more into the tape
on the guys the Dolphins are picked up. I find
this a really exciting time of year to you know,
be able to kind of have a secondary dive into
football because there's now players that actually go out watch,
you know, where there's prospects. There's so many prospects in
you can go down all sorts of paths. But now
(51:02):
we know the guys are on the teams, So now
and go and actually enjoy some more film of their
guys and see zactly what they're going to bring to
the twenty twenty five Miami Dolphins.
Speaker 2 (51:11):
And don't forget Lea, it's the Miami Grand Prix this
coming weekend at the time of recording as well, so
always look forward to watching that on the Telly. Seeing
hard Rock Stadium being the focal point for a global
sporting event, it is always a good thing and it's
obviously close to our hearts, having been there many times
and we've seen the track. We've been on the track
not on race day but on football game day, and
(51:32):
it's always nice to see hard rock stadium turn into
a multi sport venue, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (51:38):
Absolutely? And maybe next year we'll make a trip out
to the Grand Prix and take it in person.
Speaker 2 (51:42):
If anybody's offering, there's an invitation. And on that note,
thanks everyone for listening. Please do livers leave us a
rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. We
like it when you say nice things about us, and
of course the more ratings and reviews we get, the
more dog Wins fans will be able to reach, especially
in the UK. So with that being said, we shall
(52:05):
bid you a fair well and we shall speak to
you again very soon
What's up Dolphins? This is Travis Winfield and you're listening
to the Dolphin UK podcast Speedways, take them awad where
(00:29):
You're well?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Hello, Welcome to the Dolphin K podcast. Coming up on
the show this week, we review all the Dolphins picks
from the twenty twenty five NFL Draft, and here with
me to go through all of this is our very
own number one pick, Lee. How are you doing, sir?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Much better after that introduction? Still catching up on some sleep,
I must say. From the weekend.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Ye, I didn't watch too much of it live, but
I did manage to catch the picks without getting them tipped,
if you like, so each of them was a surprise.
I didn't know they were coming, so that was good.
At least I managed to do that.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
You're able to enjoy it as live?
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Yeah, almost pretty much. I did see some of the
Saturday picks live though, because they were a more.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Worthy hour, weren't they UK friendly time? Yes? Absolutely? And
I saw Hugo make a pick from Madrid. Yeah, it
was really great.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
I didn't know he was doing that actually, so when
he popped on the screen, I just shouted Hugo, and
to be fair, I thought he did really really well.
He came across really clear, didn't flubber as some people
would do, and was his English was absolutely perfect. He
showed all that enthusiasm as you would do if you
were announcing a pick, and he did the celebration with
(01:52):
t D at the end, which I thought was quite cool.
So credit to Hu go very well done, sir.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Yeah, exciting to see a fellow make a pick better
in Madrid.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Right onto the draft, then we're going to go through
each and every pick, give our own thoughts on what
we think of these particular players. And we are going
to start off with, of course, our round one pick,
aren't we Lee.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
We're the thirteenth pick in the twenty twenty five NFL Draft,
the Miami Dolphins select Kenneth Grant, defensive tackle.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Michigan Fellas.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
I gotta jump in because I've been hearing about this
kid since he was a true freshman. Going up there
and meeting with the Wolverine coaches, when Jim Horribad I
would sit down all the way back to Mike McDonald
and then Jesse Mentor or Wing Martindale, all the coordinators
that have been on that side of the ball. The
first thing that that defense, and it's the Baltimore defense
wants to do is build the run wall. And guess
(02:56):
who they talk about. They wouldn't talk about Mason Grant.
They would talk about Kenneth Grant being the guy that
could be the best in the future.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
So Kenneth Grant selected with the thirteenth pick overall league.
Before we go into the player himself, I just wanted
to refer back to last week's show where we went
through and analyzed fifty different mock drafts, and I thought
it'd be interesting to go back and look at see
how many of these fifty actually selected Kenneth Grant as
our number one pick at thirteen. And there was just
(03:26):
one media outlet that predicted we would select Kenneth Grant,
and it was Lance Srline from NFL dot Com on
his third mock draft predicted Kenneth Grant as number one,
and he was the only one to do so. So
I'm not necessarily saying that it wasn't an obvious pick
because it was based on need, but it just shows
(03:48):
you how the national beat writers don't necessarily understand the
requirements of specific teams. They don't have their fingers. We
said last week as close to the pulse as perhaps
regular fans might do or the local beat writers might do.
But overall I thought it was interesting only one had
Kenneth Grant pick your thoughts le on Kenneth Grant has
(04:09):
had defensive tackle from Michigan.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
I mean, I thought that this was a you mentioned there.
That is, it was more obvious when you thought about
the needs. But this seemed like that perfect cross point
on the graph where need mentalent available and this was
just perfect. And then if you want to add a
third element into that, being a Michigan guy, I'm sure
(04:35):
went down incredibly well in the draft room and with
owned Stephen Ross.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
I did think of that, think of you when I
realized he was from Michigan, because you brought up that
exact point last week.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
Didn't you. Yeah, And I think you know, I think
with a lot of players, I'm not saying it's the
deciding factor, but I'm guessing if you've got two players
that are really close together, picking a girl from your
school is probably not a terrible way to make you know,
to at two picks. I'm not saying that happened here,
but I can see where in draft rooms across the NFL.
That could be happening at some point. You know, we
(05:07):
know some of the other owners you know, have particular
schools that they are connected to or went to, whatever
the you know, the connection there might be. Maybe that
is the thing that that splits one pick from another.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
So back to the player himself. Then, last week we
went through eight prospects and outline their strengths and weaknesses,
and we're going to do the same this week. So
give me some strengths of Kenneth Grantly.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
I mean the first one, he's got to be size
and power. Anyone that saw the drafty this is a
huge human being. So six four, three hundred and thirty
one pounds, he possesses the massive strength to anchor against
double teams and disrupted the line of scrimmage. He's got
an explosive first step despite his size. I mean, it's
if it's a quick initial burst, allowing him to penetrate
(05:55):
gaps effectively and brishal quarterbacks. If you've seen any of
the highlights, you're going to see some place where he
really does burst through the line. And that's where that's
on display. Is your great run run defense prowest. Grant
excels at clogging running lanes and holding his ground, making
him a formidable presence against the run. I mean, it's
(06:15):
easy to clog a hole when you are six four,
three hundred and thirty one pounds. He has versatility. He
has experienced playing both three four and four three defensive
alignments and providing flexibility. We know that is a staple
of what the coaching staff and the GM in Miami
or love and Grant is no for his VILNT. That's
pursuit and constant effort on play, chasing down ball carriers
(06:38):
across the field. I think the one standout highlight that
you've probably seen across social media's him chasing down that
play from behind where he chased down running back and
he's just full go. So exciting stuff to see from
Kenneth Grunt.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Excellent and however, there are areas of his game that
he does need to work on, league his pad level issues.
He tends to play with a high pad level, which
can compromise leverage and reduce effectiveness against skilled offensive linemen.
He has a limited pass rush arsenal, so whilst his
bowl rush rush is effective, his past stressing techniques are
(07:12):
somewhat undefined, relying heavily on power moves without a diverse
set of counters. There are conditioning concerns, Lie, and this
is the one that kind of raised a bit of
a concern for me given the heat in Miami, particularly
early in the season, as there are legitimate questions about
his stamina and his performance can weigh late in games,
(07:35):
potentially limiting his snap accounts. So maybe a bit of
a concern given the weather and also his agility and
lateral movement. It's adequate but not exceptional, which may affect
his ability to adjust quickly to missdirection plays or outside runs.
But Overallly as a pick, are you happy and can
(07:56):
you summarize that pick for us?
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Yeah? I mean he offers a great blend of size,
strength and athleticism that makes him a promising defensive tackle prospect.
His ability to disrupt plays at the line and anchor
against the run gamer and media asset we know there
was a hole there in the roster as well. But
to maximize his impact, he will need to refine his technique,
particularly against so particularly in past rush, and improve his
(08:23):
conditioning to maintaining effectiveness throughout games. I think none of
the none of them. Everyone has something to work on
when they come into the league. And I think there
is some dots that you can connect here that really
play in his favor. And I think coach Will you
are being from Baltimore and implementing that system, and as
(08:46):
you heard in the clip that the ties with Michigan
and Baltimore just makes sense, and I think they will
know how to get the best out of him. Training
accounts is going to be super important for him though,
to acclimatize that to that Miami weather, because that's serious.
But we also know that a key part of that
Baltimore defense, and I say Baltimore defense, I shouldn't say
(09:07):
that anymore because it's now the Miami Dolphins defense too,
is rotation and that is also going to help him
in this instance as well.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
Yeah, and I think coaching is going to play an
important part because not only can they he's going to
get professional coaching, and which is of clearly going to
be upper level from what he was used to in college.
He's going to get that professional coaching to address those weaknesses,
and that would include improving his conditioning as well, getting
him on the right diet things like that, but also
(09:37):
the improvement in coaching will help elevate his strength as well.
It works both ways, doesn't it absolutely?
Speaker 3 (09:44):
And I think you know you mentioned there that his
lateral movement is a little bit less than his you know,
his rawal power. His agility is a little less than
his raal power. But that's going to come with a
guy at that side. But that really plays into the
hands of funneling people towards defense. Eve ends and you
can see how one is going to help the other here.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
Yeah, absolutely right, great pick onto round two.
Speaker 5 (10:11):
All right, we gotta trade, we gotta trade here. The
last Vegas Raiders have traded the thirty seventh pick to
the Miami Dolphins. With that being said, the thirty seventh
pick in the twenty twenty five NFL Draft, the Miami
Dolphins select Jonah Savaya and Ayah offensive guard Arizona.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Of course, that was our own alec ingolda Wisconsin native,
announcing the second round pick, Jonah Savayah Nyah. They go
Lee got it right first time. Perfect, same sort of
concept here in terms of analyzing his strengths and areas
of his game to work on. Now, his strengths, he
does have positional versatility. He offers starting right guard right
(10:52):
tackle and left tackle capability, having played there in college,
which clearly shows adaptability across the offensive line, and we
know the Dolphins are keen on o' lyman who can
cross train in multiple positions. He's got a powerful anchor.
He's strong upper body and wide base, allowing to effectively
anchor against bull rushes, making him a reliable pass protector.
(11:17):
He does also have run blocking prowess in that he
excels in gap and power run schemes, using his size
to displace defenders and create running lanes. He's got a
really good high football IQ, which I think you need
in a Mike McDaniel offense, to demonstrating good awareness in
his past protection, often identifying and reacting to defensive stunts
(11:38):
and twists. And finally, he has that durability as well,
having started all thirty six games during his three year
college career, eating resilience and reliability, something which arguably the
Dolphins have not had on that offensive line over the
last couple of years. So overall, really pleased with that Pickley.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Yeah, I mean, he makes so much sense, doesn't it.
You needed to get healthier, and you needed size on
the offensive line, and there's two boxes tick right off
the bat there in the second round. It's interesting that
you mentioned the position versatility because that, again, it's something
that we know is high on the list of requirements
for a Dolphins player. It's the way that the Chris
(12:20):
Career might have Daniel liked to have of their guys.
But it's also interesting that he was announced as a
guard as a pick, because that was obviously a position
of need. Again, it's that place where need meets talent
that sounds like a perfect fit for both. And I
think we've seen him in recent days multiple reports saying
that the New England Patriots very much wanted to draft
(12:42):
him at thirty eight, making the trade up to thirty
seven a very shrewd move by Chris Career. Well, yeah,
on day two of the draft.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
Just before we go into his areas of the game,
he can improve it. What did you make of that
trade at the time? What were you init your thoughts?
Because I thought at the time it was quite a
lot to give up in terms of capital, but in
real terms, they simply deferred a third round pick from
this year to next year really in reality and manage
to get the player if they want, And like you say,
(13:10):
it was worth it considering the stories coming out, like
you just say, around the Patriots wanting to take him
as well. So overall, I think it was a good
move that didn't lose too much. What were your initial
thoughts on that trade.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
Yeah, I was My initial thoughts were, oh, no, I
need to wake up quickly, because I was struggling to
stay awake at the beginning of the second round, unless say,
my general rule of stuff is sorry, sequence of events
is to stay off for the first round and stay
off way too late, fall asleep during the second round,
(13:43):
and wake up in the third round. So I just pleased.
I was still await to see this pick, so that
was good. But yeah, I think it's always difficult when
you when you first see the pick come in, they
throw up the terms of the pick. You you try
to work out value all of a sudden and you
haven't even taken the player. Yeah, and there's so many
factors to take into account, But I do think the
(14:05):
most important aspect of the whole thing is coming away
with the guy you wanted, because I think if we're
sitting in a press conference at the end of next
season or getting into the season and God is still
a problem, and chrisco says, well, I needed to give
up the third you know, I needed to give up
a picture to move up and get him. All of
a sudden, it looks like that's great value that you
(14:27):
must do that because there's a hole in the roster. So,
you know, I think it's a shrewd move. And then
when you find out other teams are targeting that player,
it just kind of cements of fact. It really is
a great move by Chris Career. On the evening, there
is some things though that he needs to improve, so
(14:49):
he lacks some elite foot speed and agility. Again. I
think that probably is that size and strength versus agility thing,
And we've seen two ways of trying to build and
you know, I think we've seen definitely a shift in
that aspect again, plays of a high pad. Little bit
of a theme here. These are things that you could
(15:11):
teach to fix as opposed to the natural gifts, which
you cannot teach someone if they haven't got them. His
hand placement can be inconsistent and it can lead to
balance issues and penalties. You need to refine refinement to
avoid holding calls. Again, that's on the coaching stuff. We
know we've got great on line coaches here and that
we've seen the improvement in players in over the last
(15:33):
couple of years. This feels like another great landing spot
for Jonah as much as for the Dolphins, where they're
going to really help improve his game in those area.
And then recoverability is the last one where he struggles
a little bit to recover when initially beaten and particularly
against speed movies, highlighting the need for improve technique and footwork.
Again feels like that whole size versus f agility thing.
(15:58):
So you anytime you move one of the sides up,
the other side is going to shrinks like it's that
tipping scale of ability.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
It's a shame we can't see you do that, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
There's a lot of what's the word for for when
you're doing this is gesticulation testuring?
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Yes, okay, Just to summarize then, Jonas Saravana is a
robust and versatile offensive lineman best suited for interior positions
in the NFL. His strength and experience make him a
valuable asset in run heavy schemes, though improvements in technique
and agility will be crucial for his success at the
professional level. So another pick that I think generally speaking,
(16:41):
fans were happy with. Obviously, given the needs of the
team having the roster, you're not going to be able
to fill every single need with every single pick. That
certainly was a particular need right on to the third.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
And I was just gonna say, if anyone hasn't seen
fun fact, Jodoh proticted to a high school.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
Cool fun fact. Indeed, right lext Pickley, it's one of yours.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
The latter was at Jordan Phillips with one hundred and
forty third pick in the fifth round after the trades.
Jordan Phillips is defensive tackle out of Maryland, and I
know o'mar Kelly must have been shocked when this pick
came in. Sorry, so it's now giving me a look
(17:32):
again for anyone that can't see us, this clip may go,
it may not. O'mick Kelly had a bit of a
disagreement with a form of Miami Dolphins defensive tackle also
named Jordan Phillips that had gone back. They've gone back
and forth on some things over a long period of time,
so I think he even tweeted about it when the
pick went out because it was kind of.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
Fun I'm sure they're going to be best buddies.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
Yeah, he's definitely got an icebreaker there for Jordan Phillips.
Some strengths of Jordan Phillis's. He has explosive strengths. Demonstrates
exceptional lower body power, reportedly squatting six hundred and sixty
five pounds and overhead pressing three hundred and sixty five
pounds for two reps, which is just absolutely massive leverage
(18:22):
and balances. Wrestling background is evident in his ability to
maintain a low pad level and anchor efficiently against double
Team's first go on this list who has a low
pad level. Interestingly, run defense for the six Seals at
clogging running lanes, using his size and strength to occupied
blockers and free up teammates to make plays. And his
(18:42):
work ethic and leadership has been known by coaches and
teammates having praised his dedication and leadership qualities, noting his
commitment to improvement and team cohesion, and obviously a second
defensive tackle pick in the first three from the mummed ofphense.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
Okay, there are areas of his game that need to
be work on. Of course, he's got limited pass rushing production.
Recording no sacks over two seasons at Maryland, indicating a
need for development in this area. He can be slow
to diagnose plays, which sometimes results in delayed reactions and
missed opportunities to disrupt offensive schemes. And lastly, he occasionally
(19:24):
struggles with maintaining consistent pad levels and disengaging from blocks,
which can affect his effectiveness against more agile offensive linements.
So I mean all indications point to the fact that
he's very much going to be a project. Doesn't need
to Just want to summarize where we are with this
particular pick.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
I think it is considered a deveopmental prospect with significant
upside his physical tools and work as it provide a
strong foundation, but he will need time to refine his
techniques enhance his past rushing skills. If he can address
these areas, he has to potential become of valuable assets
of Miami Dolphins and a defensive line rotation. And it
feels like the Kenneth Grant pick really helps the Jordan
(20:05):
Phillips fit because he's not being picked to go in
there and start. Whereas before the draft we needed tackles,
We needed defensive tackles badly. Both of these guys have
the size to play no second for the Dolphins.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
Yeah, I was going to say exactly the same thing.
The pick of Grant gives takes the pressure off Jordan
Phillips somewhat, doesn't it, because he's not necessarily expected to
be an immediate starter on that O line and the
opportunity is there for a rotational piece. But at least
the pressure is off and he's going to have time
to develop.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
And also, you know it talk about his willingness, his
want to be a leader and his work ethic. The
more time he's able to take from Kenneth Grant, which
is able to help his longevity, you know, within games.
(20:57):
You can see how this can work out really nice
sleep for the Dolphins defensive front.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Yeah, absolutely so. Continuing on the defensive side of the ball,
their next pick on one hundred and fifty in round
five was Jason Marshall, a cornerback from Florida. He's certainly
got the physical attributes and athleticism you need and a cornerback.
Standing at six foot and weigh one hundred and ninety
four pounds, he combines size with athletic prowess. He's quick,
(21:25):
having clocked a four point four to nine forty yard dash,
and he can jump, having achieved a thirty seven and
a half inch vertical jump at the combine, which was
third among defensive backs. Interestingly enough, he's got man coverage
proficiency because he excels in man to man situations, utilizing
his length of physicality to disrupt receivers at the line.
(21:48):
His fluid hit movement and quick reaction time allow him
to mirror roots effectively, making him particularly adept against deep
and long developing plays. He's got really good route recognition
and anticipation because he demonstrates a really high football like Marshall,
reads route combination as well and anticipates quarterback intentions, which
(22:09):
of course enables him to position himself advantageously in both
man and his own coverages. And lastly, he's got really
good press coverage technique. His hand usage in press coverage
is refined. He times his jams effectively and maintains leverage
throughout the route and has ability to disrupt timing at
the line. And that's also a noticeable asset. So really
(22:34):
promising pick by the sounds of it. Lots of good
things to note there, but he's around five pick. After all,
Lee's there for a reason. So what areas of his
game do you think he needs to improve?
Speaker 3 (22:47):
Tackling consistency. While he's a willing tackler, he sometimes relies
on size rather than form, leading to mistackles and suboptimum
angles in the open field. Ball production. Despite despite his
coverage skills, Marshal's ball productionsm his modesty only two career interceptions.
Scouts and noted noted a need for him to make
(23:09):
more impactful plays on the ball to elevate his draft stock.
Aggressive His aggressiveness sometimes leads to penalties for excessive contact,
particularly in press situations. Adjusting to the NFL officiating standards
would be crucial to minimize these infractions and mental lapses
(23:30):
in coverage. Sometimes he loses focus, such as being caught
looking in the backfield and losing track of his assignment.
These lapses have sorted the significant plays against him, including
some long touchdowns. I would imagine if there is a
way to learn how to improve in some of these areas,
(23:53):
it's to take some reps against Jaden model on tyro
kill because if you're caught watching the backfield, you're going
to be watching them run into the end zone pretty quickly.
So again there's another guy that has god given size
and strength and has stuff that he can learn to
(24:15):
go along with that, which feels like a kind of
a theme here.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Yeah, and to play against the likes of Hill and
Model every single day in practice is surely going to
improve him as a player, even before he takes a
snapping earnest in the regular season. So I'd like to
think that you're going to see a good prospect there.
He's certainly got promising future offering. That combination of size, speed,
(24:42):
and coverage ability. Like we said, it makes him a
valuable prospect for the Dolphins, and he's a physical quarterback. However,
to maximize his potential at this professional level, it will
need to refine his technique, tackling technique, increase ball production,
and maintain consistent focus throughout plays. I think though, with
(25:03):
targeted coaching and development, he's got the tools to become
a reliable contributor in the NFL for sure.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
Yeah, it's a really interesting especially with it we spoke
about the situation with jam and Ramsey possibly not being
on the roster. There was also again a need at cornerback,
so the pick made a lot of sense.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Yeah, and that brings us too halftime in the show.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
Absolutely, and with half time comes a quiz question. So
I've got one that I haven't seen you this week, Yeah, Simon.
So please play a lot at home, shout at your
at your radio, just shout out loud, Just make a
fool of yourself.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
Be unless unless you're commuting on public transport, then you
don't want to shout very loud.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
So the Myrie Dolphins select Grant from Steven Ross's and
Martha Michigan in the first round the twenty twenty five draft.
But how many other Michigan players of Miami selected in
the first round of the draft.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
I'm going to hazard a guess that this one late.
I'll leave you my answer until the end, shall I?
But I've got a number in my head that is
my gut instinct. Or do you want to hear it
now and give the answer.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
To the You can give us your answer. I'll tell
you at the end if you're.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
Right I think, and I'm probably wrong, but this was
the first one.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
Tell me the end, I can tell you that you're
certainly not right. Right, I'll give you a hint. Jake
Long also came out of right in Michigan.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
Yes, some time ago, wasn't it.
Speaker 3 (26:57):
Right?
Speaker 2 (26:57):
I look forward to finding out how many they and whom?
Speaker 3 (27:00):
Mm hmm. But we don't stut we move on to
these to the second half of our draft picks. And
in the second half of the show, should we start
off with Dante Trader, safety from safety from Maryland, who
the obviously took one hundred and fifty fifth pick in
the fifth round. They kind of have a florrier picks here,
(27:22):
pretty close to here. I think it's three and like
twelve picks or something. Remember, rightly, it might have been
going a bit delirious at this point as well.
Speaker 2 (27:29):
They didn't trade into this pick, though, did they? This
was their natural pick, wasn't it.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
This is the natural pick, I believe.
Speaker 2 (27:36):
I'm just thinking that's a shame, really, because otherwise they'd
have traded for Trader, wouldn't.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
They for Trader? That is absolutely right?
Speaker 2 (27:48):
Sorry, I'll put you off there, I with my trade joke.
Speaker 3 (27:53):
That's amazing. I completely lost our train, I thought. But
let's start off with his strengths again, position versatility and trailers.
Demonstrated the ability to play multiple roles in the secondary,
including single high safety, box safety, nickel corner. His ability
his adaptability allows defensive coordinators to deploy him in various
(28:16):
schemes effectively. That's just got to absolutely jump off the
page for Coach Weaver and his defense and the sort
of different ways they can now the sky is things
which they love to do. It's just again feels like
a perfect fit there. Football IQ. He's a high football IQ,
(28:37):
quickly diagnosing plays and reacting appropriately. His anticipation allows him
to jump routes and meet timely plays on the ball.
He's a reliable tackler. I'm known for securing for a
security tackling technique, particularly in open field situations. He says
proper angles and wraps up the ball carriers, effectively minimizing
the yards after contact. He's good support, aggressive, aggressive in
(29:03):
run defense, quickly inserting himself into the box and taking
on blockers when necessary. His physicality and willingness to engage
make him valuable our seconds to run and again. Another
high leader, leadership and character kind of guy off the field.
Trade has been recognized for his leadership and community involvement.
(29:24):
He was named as semi finalist for the Jason Widon
Collegiate Man of the Year award and as has participated
in various charitable charitable There's.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
A pattern here, isn't there? High IQ and leadership and
character traits on a lot of these players that the
Dolphins are picking, Isn't there?
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Absolutely, It's definitely a theme running running through here.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
Yeah, you can feel them wanting to build that culture
in the dressing room, having lost significant leaders in the
likes of to Aun Armstead and Klais Campbell, to name
a couple, But you can see that long term they're
looking to already at these kind of players to be
those leaders, aren't they in the locker room? So areas
of improvement. Though whilst effective in zone schemes, Trader can
(30:11):
struggle sometimes in man to man situations, particularly against quicker
slot receivers. So he's going to get a good test
in practice and athletic tight ends. Improving his man coverage
skills will be crucial at this level. He does lack
a little bit of top end speed. It's considered above
average but not elite, which may lead to challenges when
(30:33):
covering deep routes or recovering against faster opponents. Again, he'll
have that exposure in practice against those types of receivers.
Although he has solid ball skills, his interception numbers are modest,
enhancing his ability to convert past breakups into turnovers could
elevate his impact. And finally, he's only five eleven and
(30:56):
two hundred and two pounds, which is a slightly undersized
frame for an NFL safety that may affect his ability
to match up against larger receivers and tight ends.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
So doctor repot Craier a little bit here and as
the world rounded safety prospect with strong strong foundation in football, intelligence, tackling,
and bursatility. His leadership qualities, the commitment to the game
make him an attractive candidate and for NFL teams, and
I think one needs to be very pleased. Is now
(31:28):
one of the Miami Dolphins.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
Intriguing pick. And what this leads me nicely onto the
next pick, one hundred and seventy nine in round six,
which was Oli Gordon, running back from Oklahoma State. And
a funny story about this particular pick. Dany had been
keeping an eye on him throughout the draft and kept
insisting the Dolphins drafted Oli Gordon and it was one
(31:54):
of the few picks on this particular day that we
didn't actually see together, and we were in separate rooms
when the was made, and was half expecting Danny to
yell out when the pick came through, but he didn't.
He was very modest with the fact that he got
the pick that he'd been after for quite a while,
So I really like the pick.
Speaker 3 (32:13):
Actually.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
He's certainly got that size and physicality that you want
with an imposing frame. It allows him to absorb contact
and gain yards after initial hits. His ability to run
through armed tackles and maintain balance makes him a formidable
presence between the tackles. He's got that vision and patience
that you look for in a running back, demonstrating excellent
(32:36):
field vision, effectively identifying running lanes and setting up blocks.
His patience allows him to develop, enabling him to exploit
defensive gaps efficiently. Despite limited opportunities in college, he does
showcase reliable hands and the ability to contribute as a
checkdown option in the passing game. His natural catching ability
(32:58):
adds versatility to his skill set. What I did also
like about him Lee is that he's a willing blocker
who understands past protection schemes, so his size and strength
enable him to engage blitzers effectively providing valuable support in
passing situations, So yet another asset in that that's going
to help to a little bit there. And finally, he
(33:20):
maintains stability through contact, often requiring multiple defenders to bring
him down. This trait continue contributes to his ability to
extend plays and gain additional yardage.
Speaker 3 (33:33):
And there's more a point you would flip here from
some of the highlights that I saw on Oli Gordon
as well, because when I heard this, I don't think
i'd ever heard a clip quite like this where someone
said genuinely this impressed. Yeah, that's after a fifty four
(33:57):
yard touchdown right against I think it was West.
Speaker 2 (34:03):
Sorry, I was just going to say I mentioned there
around You're going to talk about his twenty twenty three
season in a moment, I think, But I just wanted
to refer to that in advance because i'd heard and
I'd been reading about his twenty twenty three season and
the general consensus was that he was the second best
running back in that class that year. So for him
(34:23):
to fall to the Dolphins with that kind of pedigree
in round six can only be a good thing. He
didn't really contribute in twenty twenty four due to a
support poor supporting cast, but he certainly got some talent.
Speaker 3 (34:37):
Yeah, I think it's you know, talking about twenty twenty
three seasons, he won the don'e. Walker Award as a
nation's top running back. He was the first team Associated
Press All American Big twelve Offensive Player of the Year,
First Team All Big Twelve. He led the FBS with
one thousand, seven hundred and thirty two rushing yards. You know,
(35:03):
really quite an impressive season. And you say we've probably
have been higher had he come out of the year
before into the draft. I'm really excited about this pick.
I've got to say, watching his highlights over the weekend,
I can't wait to watch some kind of full games
to see how that expands out. His blocking ability is
also noticeable on tape, and I can see how that's
that could be a real asset. I was trying to
(35:25):
prove himself to the coaching staff and wyam'ty.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
Do you think he's going to if he pans out,
going to make a case to take that RB two
roll away from Jaylen Wright. Do you think given the
fact that he's bigger and he's got more power, or
do you think Jayen Wright's got that RB two position secure,
and Olie Gordon for now he's going to be RB
three or even RB four if Alexander Madison has anything
(35:49):
to say about it.
Speaker 3 (35:50):
Yeah, I think the comparison, probably the better comparison is
to Madison because of the sheer size, But I think
he offers something that I think he potentially offers something
that the top guys on the roster don't and saying
that I think was sorely needed last season, and that
has the ability to get that short yardage. I can
(36:11):
imagine Oarlie Gordon behind Ali k ing Gold in the
short run game. Could be could be a really good
way to get him into the lineup when you know
it's not necessarily you're not necessarily looking for home run,
you're looking to move the chains. That could really be
a great start in place for him. I also mentioned
his willingness to play on special teams, which must go
down in pratibly well with the Coaks that stuff.
Speaker 2 (36:32):
Their shortyardage game on paper looks to be improved because
you have Olly Gordon who could follow Ali k ing
Gold Alexander Mattison as well, and you have Fererra Brown
who's a specialist at blocking, so you can see where
they're going here, can't you, in terms of trying to
address a team weakness to make those third and shorts
a lot more easier to convert.
Speaker 3 (36:55):
And then you pick a guard in the second round
of the draft and sign James Daniels in free agency Garden,
all of a sudden things look different in that area
of the game, but there is some areas to improve.
As we've mentioned with all the draft picks so far,
he does tend to run with a very upright style
that is clear when you watch his tape, making him
(37:15):
a larger target for defenders and potentially limiting his power
and leverage his lateral agility. He is a little bit
limited there, affecting his ability to make sharp cuts or
change so quick change of directions, and this limitation may
reduce his effectiveness in zone blocking schemes that require agility.
(37:41):
Some top end speed, while it's deceptive, I don't think
it tested as particularly high. I haven't got that number,
but I would say if you watch some of his
eyes lights, he does also have some breakaway speed, so
it's an interesting kind of I would say he's somewhere
in the middle. He's probably not going to feel fast
on this roster, if that's any hot Ball security has
(38:03):
been something to note. He's recorded six fumbles, losing four
of them, so improving ball security will be crucial to
his success at the next level and consists. The last
point here we've got is consistency. You know that you
mentioned after a stellar twenty twenty three season having a
down yere in twenty twenty four. Again probably is a
(38:25):
blend between some personal performance but also the team struggles
as well.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
Yeah, absolutely, I mean overall, then he offers a blend
of size, vision, and versatility that makes him an attractive
prospect for the Dolphins who were seeking a physical running back.
While he as areas to refine such as pad level
and lateral agility, his strengths in vision, past protection, and
contact balance position him well for a good, successful professional career,
and I'm sure he'll be able to develop into a
(38:52):
reliable contributor in the power running scheme. So that moves
us on to round seven. Who was the Dolphin's next pick.
We've got two to.
Speaker 3 (39:02):
Go, so as we headed into round seven, I think
this would be an interesting pick for a lot of people.
With the two hundred and first pick, the Dolphins select
a quarterback, and that was Quinn Ewers, quarterback from Texas.
We'll start off with some of his strengths, which is arm, talent,
and touch. He possesses quality. I'm capable of making all
(39:23):
the necessary throws. He demonstrates excellent touch, especially in the
intermediate routes alara and severs to maximize yards after the catch.
Tell me if you've heard this described about someone before.
It's quick release and anticipation making effective in rhythm and
passing situations. It's funny because I know a guy who's
kind of elite in those areas as well. Interesting. He's
got offense in sorry experience in pro style offenses. Operating
(39:46):
after understand Sarkesian at Texas, he has gained experience in
a pro style offense that required complex reads and decision making.
This should aid him when going into Mike McDaniel's system,
which we know is one of the more complex. Mental toughness.
Throughout his college career, you has displayed resilience, notably competing
with high profile recruit arch manning for the starting role.
(40:08):
His ability to handle internal competition and external expectations speaks
to his mental fortitude youth and development. I mean, he
was born in two thousand and three years is among
the younger quarterbacks in the NFL draft. His age suggests
room for growth development under the right coaching, which I
(40:28):
think he's going to get in Miami. I think that's
probably an ideal place to land. But he was also
I think he was the number one recruit in the
country when he was originally recruiting. And I was watching
some stuff with John Grudden's quarterback rooms earlier, which is
very interesting with him. I can't wait to finish that off.
Speaker 2 (40:47):
Yeah, it was a bit of a strange one for quarterbacks,
wasn't it, with Jackson Dart going in the first round
for the Giant and obviously the notable fall of Shirdez Sanders,
who eventually went to the Browns. And I think had
should Sanda has been taken earlier then I'm sure Quinn
Youwers would have been taken earlier as well. It seemed
to be almost like a case of let's just wait
(41:09):
and see on quarterbacks, and there are areas for improvement,
though his decision making under pressure needs to be looked at,
because he has shown a tendency to become raffled when
facing a past rush, leading to hurrid throws and turnovers.
His composure in collapsing pockets remains a concern. His pocket
awareness is sometimes a bit lacking, and he isn't aware
(41:32):
of oncoming pressure, resulting in unnecessary sex. Improving his internal
clock and pocket navigation is essential. Ers occasionally relies in
his arm talent over proper footwork, leading to inconsistent accuracy,
especially on deeper throws. Refining his mechanics could enhance his
overall performance, and while proficient in a pro style offense,
(41:55):
he has struggled at times to read and react to
complex defensive schemes, leading to missed opportunities and turnovers. Certainly
areas of his game that he needs to work on,
And as we've said previously Lee, if he doesn't see
the field long term, it probably means that QB one
is still in post, because with this kind of pick
(42:15):
and the potential to develop, I'm thinking longer term he's
got the possibility of being QB two. Zat Wilson was
only on a one year deal, of course, so you'd
like to think eventually yours would take that QB two role,
wouldn't you?
Speaker 3 (42:30):
Yeah? I mean, that has to be the ideal situation,
isn't it When you cannot pay a free agent to
be the backup and you can have a guy potentially
in the next through three to four years on a
rookie deal. Doing that, it frees up the cash you
to spend somewhere else. You know, he offers a blend
of arm talent, pro style, experience, mental toughness, which must
(42:52):
have made him an intriguing prospect. Like you say, the concision,
the concerns over decision making under pressure, pocket awareness and
consistency feel like the sort of thing that will be
addressed and by the front office. There are also some
things there that we've mentioned about Tour in the past,
you know, some pocket awareness, he's mentioned that, the consistency
(43:13):
of his feet, all things that he's improved whilst he's
been in Miami. So again, it feels like a good
spot for yours, but also really interesting spot for us
as a team and as a fan base. An interesting
prospect and watch forwards.
Speaker 2 (43:26):
And last but not least, that brings us to Zick Biggers,
who was the third defensive tackle taken out of Georgia
Tech and was picked number two hundred and fifty three
in the seventh round. That's sorry, that's picked one hundred
and fifty three overall in the seventh round. I should
say not two hundred and fifty third in the seventh round.
(43:47):
He's got exceptional size and length. He's got a towering
frame and nearly thirty five inch arm length, which provides
him with a significant advantage in occupying space and disrupting
offensive lines. His physical attributes make him a natural fit
for roles requiring a strong presence in the interior. At
the twenty twenty five Combine, he showcased his impressive athleticism
(44:11):
for his size, recording a thirty four and a half
inch vertical jump, a nine foot three broad jump, and
a five point zero nine second forty yard dash, which
those metrics highlighted his explosiveness and mobility, traits that are
valuable for penetrating defensive and pursuing ball carriers. He's got
experience playing as a one technique defensive tackle, but his
(44:33):
combination of size and athleticism allows four potential adaptability to
various defensive schemes. He has the ability to shed weight
as well, so he's gone from three hundred and sixty
pounds when he was at college to three hundred and
twenty one pounds during the draft process, which to me
shows he's got that commitment to versatility and professional growth.
And lastly, he was a consistent performer at the college level.
(44:56):
He showed steady improvement and in twenty twenty three season
he had massed forty tackles, including four TFLs along with
a sack, three pass deflections, a fumble recovery, and a
block kick. And his performance in an invitation to the
twenty twenty five East West Shrine Bowl underscoring his impact
on the field. So lots of good things there to
(45:19):
like about Zeke.
Speaker 3 (45:20):
Figures absolutely definitely a continuing theme with a very large
defensive tackle. What did you say his hype was? Is
that six y three? Yeah? So I had it on
another screen. Sorry, he is six five, three hundred and
twenty one pounds his listed hightwight. That is just mammoth.
(45:44):
But as we mentioned with some of the other players,
you know, especially when you get down to the seventh round,
there are areas for improvement. He needs to develop his
past rushing techniques. While he demonstrated the ability to disrupt plays,
enhancing his past rush arsenal will be crucial at professional level.
Developing a variety of moves and counters will increase his
(46:07):
effectiveness against more advanced offensive linemen and consistency in leverage.
At pad level, maintaining a low paddler was essential to
maximize his power and control. He will need to focus
on consistently playing with proper leverage to avoid being neutralized
by opposing blockers. I think again, you can see he
(46:28):
plays a little high, and I think the other thing
is just going to be the competition. He's already seen
a couple of defensive tackles taken before him in the draft.
There is going to be lots of competition to get
playing time and reps throughout training camp and the preseason.
It should be an interesting one for ze Begause, but
(46:48):
we mentioned that rotation that could be key for all
of these guys seeing time.
Speaker 2 (46:54):
Just to summarize, then, he presents a blend of size, athleticism,
and dedication that make him an ting prospect for the Dolphins.
His physical tools and collegiate experience provide a solid foundation,
but his success at the NFL level would depend on
his ability to refine technical aspects of his game and
adapt to the professional environment with focused development, He's got
the potential to become a valuable asset in that defensive
(47:18):
line rotation. So that is Zeke Biggas, who was the
last pick the Dolphins made. You just want to summarize
the where you are with the pigs lead. Do you
think the Dolphins had a good draft? You wish they'd
made any other picks that were for players that you've
got your eye on, or overall? Are you really happy?
Speaker 3 (47:35):
I'm really happy that this is the time of you
to be happy. We had we had rolled some holes
on the roster. We've definitely seen how some of those
are planning to be filled if everything turns out as
you would hope, and there's still things to improve. We've
heard Chris Career in his press conference of my McDaniel
mentioned still looking at the free agent market and being
in contact with players. So I still think moves you
(47:56):
want to say where It's not like the roster is
now suddenly set. But I mean, this just seems like
high upside guys all across the board. None of the
picks are really head scratching picks. And which is you
do see from time to time. I mean, you know,
the Browns taking two quarterbacks fairly high whilst having I
think three or four already on the roster is you
know what I referred to as a head scratching pick.
(48:18):
So no, I was pretty pleased. How about you.
Speaker 2 (48:20):
Yeah, likewise, I think that they certainly filled needs with
the best available players at the time they were picking,
So no concern there. You weren't going to fill every
single whole lot in inverted commas on the roster with
a pick. It just simply wasn't going to happen. It
was almost the case of determining priorities. And like you say,
the indications are they are going to continue to be
(48:42):
active in free agency now the draft is over, and
the good news there is that any signings they do
make from this point going forwards do not affect the
compensatory picks for next year's drafts. So they were waiting
for a reason. And obviously there are some good players
still out there who are free agents, particularly in the secondary,
that the Dolphins could look to go after. So, like
(49:05):
you say, the roster is in the by no means
set and there is still room for improvement in terms
of any signings they may look to make.
Speaker 3 (49:14):
Absolutely so, I think pretty exciting and a good draft,
and hopefully we'll be back soon to talk about some
of the undrafted free agents who were also signed to
the roster. I think there's been a lot of reports
either way, and if you believe every report, the Dolphins
are currently over the number. So we'll wait to get
an official tally on that and see who's got saved
bias and who's been signed as an unrestricted free agent.
Speaker 2 (49:37):
Drafted free agent. Yes, right, so that brings pretty much
brings us to the end of this week's show. Lie,
but before we go, you're going to reveal the answer
to the quiz question.
Speaker 3 (49:49):
Absolutely so. It was a little bit of a trick
because which I like you you saw where I was
going with it, trying to get one. I saw you, yeah,
and I thought a lot of people might get Jake
Long being a little while ago, but maybe not so long.
But there is actually three Michigan men taken in the
(50:12):
first round of the NFL Draft by the Minho Dolphins.
Kenneth Grant obviously on Thursday, Jake Long in two thousand
and John Grey's offensive tackle who was taken twenty four
to nineteen seventy nine draft.
Speaker 2 (50:25):
Well, I wouldn't have known that one at all, obviously,
well before even my time there. So unless you've researched
that question, that was a pretty tricky one. But we'll
have another one next week or next show, won't we
absolutely right? Any final thoughts lead before we draw the
episode to a close.
Speaker 3 (50:41):
No, just going to enjoy diving more into the tape
on the guys the Dolphins are picked up. I find
this a really exciting time of year to you know,
be able to kind of have a secondary dive into
football because there's now players that actually go out watch,
you know, where there's prospects. There's so many prospects in
you can go down all sorts of paths. But now
(51:02):
we know the guys are on the teams, So now
and go and actually enjoy some more film of their
guys and see zactly what they're going to bring to
the twenty twenty five Miami Dolphins.
Speaker 2 (51:11):
And don't forget Lea, it's the Miami Grand Prix this
coming weekend at the time of recording as well, so
always look forward to watching that on the Telly. Seeing
hard Rock Stadium being the focal point for a global
sporting event, it is always a good thing and it's
obviously close to our hearts, having been there many times
and we've seen the track. We've been on the track
not on race day but on football game day, and
(51:32):
it's always nice to see hard rock stadium turn into
a multi sport venue, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (51:38):
Absolutely? And maybe next year we'll make a trip out
to the Grand Prix and take it in person.
Speaker 2 (51:42):
If anybody's offering, there's an invitation. And on that note,
thanks everyone for listening. Please do livers leave us a
rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. We
like it when you say nice things about us, and
of course the more ratings and reviews we get, the
more dog Wins fans will be able to reach, especially
in the UK. So with that being said, we shall
(52:05):
bid you a fair well and we shall speak to
you again very soon
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