PERFECT PICKS 2024: MIAMI DOLPHINS
By Andy Davies
The Miami Dolphins’ 2023 season ultimately ended in heartbreak, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wildcard Round after such promise in the regular season. This caused a lot of Dolphins fans to wonder what happens next.
Tua Tagovailoa has taken the biggest beating on social media, with many feeling he cannot win the big one, with head coach Mike McDaniel also receiving plenty of criticism, despite back-to-back playoff campaigns in his first two seasons as an NFL head coach. Both Tua and McDaniel are almost victims of their own success, as expectations rise the more games you win.
The offseason so far has caused a frenzy from the fanbase on social media, with Christian Wilkins, Robert Hunt, Xavien Howard, Jerome Baker, and Andrew Van Ginkel all departing in Free Agency.
Jordan Poyer, Shaquill Barrett, Jordyn Brooks, Kendall Fuller and Jonnu Smith have come in, all bringing in vast experience on short, low-priced deals and whilst the Dolphins are in “win now” mode, they will also be looking towards the future in the 2024 NFL Draft.
As part of our Perfect Picks series, Andy Davies gives you his selections for the Dolphins’ 2024 draft, as well as going in-depth on four players from each stage of the weekend.
Round 1 – Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA
The departures of Wilkins and Van Ginkel this offseason make the need for a defensive stud all the more important. With the injuries they suffered on defense in 2023, adding depth is key. They may have added reinforcements, however, Barrett’s numbers have slowed down since turning 30 and Anthony Walker spent the entirety of 2023 injured. There is no guarantee he will be the same player that had over 500 combined tackles in his first four NFL seasons when he returns to the field.
Laiatu Latu will be the perfect player to make up for the Wilkins and Van Ginkel absence, with 23.5 sacks during his two years with UCLA. He spent his first two college seasons with the Washington Huskies, although a neck injury ruled him out for his sophomore year. He transferred to UCLA through the portal and never looked back, with a very successful stint in California.
At 6”4 and 265 pounds, Latu could the perfect player for the Dolphins to take with their 21st overall pick. He has the potential to form a formidable trio alongside Zach Sieler and Bradley Chubb that can cause problems for opposition quarterbacks.
Round 2 - Christian Haynes, Guard, Connecticut
Even with the departures of Wilkins and Van Ginkel, offensive line is the number one target position for the Miami Dolphins. However, Latu maybe deemed too good to pass on and they will still feel they can get a top prospect in the second round. With the 55th overall pick, Connecticut’s 6”3, 317-pound guard Christian Haynes might be the guy to go to.
Connor Williams played nine games in 2023, and the team won seven with him in the starting lineup. The Dolphins went 4-4 in his absence. He is seemingly not going to be returning in 2024 and former Tennessee Titan Aaron Brewer has arrived in Free Agency. With Austin Jackson signing a new deal, Robert Jones and Isaiah Wynn re-signing and Terron Armstead restructuring his contract, they have brought some of their guys back, but adding in someone such as Haynes will be a well needed addition to a unit that struggled to stay healthy in 2023.
These are some of the words in Haynes’ scouting report, with him praised for excellence in wide zone blocking schemes, his athleticism and ability to pass protect. This will be welcome news for Tua. The report did, however, show concerns for his size. The Dolphins may feel the benefits outweigh the negatives as they attempt to address something that has been a problem position for a very long time.
Mid Round Gem – Jamari Thrash, WR, Louisville
After their second-round selection, the Dolphins do not have a pick until the fifth round and they may look towards offensive weapons when they select 158th overall.
Miami already have two great offensive weapons in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, arguably the best one-two tandem in the NFL. However, the team struggled to find a third guy.
Hill (1,799) and Waddle (1.014) had 1,000+ yard seasons, however the next best total was not even a wide receiver, as tight end Durham Smythe pitched in with 366 yards. Cedrick Wilson Jr, who was fourth on the list, only had 296 yards from 38 targets.
The Dolphins had one of the most exciting offenses in the NFL in 2023, one which helped Tua throw for the most receiving yards in the league. However, at times the game plan became predictable, especially when running backs Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane spent time on the sidelines.
The Dolphins need a third guy to throw to and 6”0- and 188-pound Jamari Thrash is a wide receiver that the front office should look towards.
Thrash spent his first four college seasons with Georgia State, recording 1,122 yards and seven touchdowns in his final year. He then moved to Louisville, where he recorded 858 yards and six touchdowns during one season with the team.
A work in progress, his draft profile suggests a Tyreek regen. He is praised for his IQ and ability to track the deep ball, as well as being a smooth and fluid mover, all strength’s to Hill’s game. However, concerns are rife about making contested catches, his down-the-field speed and catch radius.
Again, these are some of Hill’s best features, and with the former Kansas City Chief saying he wants to retire in 2025, he can be the perfect guy to teach Thrash in his first two seasons before setting off into the sunset.
Late Round Sleeper- Hunter Nourzad, Center, Penn State
The Dolphins may have signed Aaron Brewer at the center position this offseason, but this is not a guarantee he will start as there were complaints during his time with the Tennessee Titans about snap issues and being undersized.
Adding in another center will add in competition at the position and just like Brewer, Penn State’s Hunter Nourzad can play a number of positions in the offensive line, a welcome addition to a unit that suffered a plethora of injuries in 2023.
Whether this is with the Dolphins 198th overall or 241st overall selections, Nouzard is a realistic proposition, projected to go as late as the sixth or seventh round.
Starting off at right tackle before moving to guard and centre, he was part of an offensive line at Penn State that saw quarterback Drew Allar sacked just twice in 2023 as they went 10-3.
His draft profile describes him as athletic, great in pass protection and having a competitive toughness. He will want to work on his ablities in the run game.
Draft in full
Round 1 – Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA
Round 2 – Christian Haynes, Guard, Connecticut
Round 5 – Jamari Thrash, WR, Louisville
Round 6- Hunter Nourzad, Center, Penn State
Round 7- Taulia Tagovailoa, Quarterback, Maryland
ANDY DAVIES
NFL ANALYST
ANDY IS A SPORTS JOURNALISM GRADUATE WITH OVER FOUR YEARS EXPERIENCE OF NFL WRITING AND PODCASTING. ANDY IS THE HOST OF THE ACROSS THE POD, FINS NATION UK AND EURO TRIPZ PODCASTS AND HAS PRESS PASS EXPERIENCE AT THE LONDON GAMES AND MANY OTHER NFL BASED EVENTS, HAVING INTERVIEWED THE LIKES OF JASON BELL, OSI UMENYIORA, DOUG PEDERSON, DERRICK HENRY, TREVOR LAWRENCE AND MIKE VRABEL.