There’s nothing fairly like the primary day of college when graduating to an institute of upper studying. The Miami Dolphins will welcome their 2022 rookie class on Tuesday, as the children report back to camp. Mockingly, these rookies, on their first day of sophistication, will report back to a freshman professor.
Ivy-league educated and west-coast soccer groomed first-year NFL head coach Mike McDaniel will get his top quality of pupils to orientate into skilled soccer life. All on the identical time, he’s getting assimilated to his new function and a brand new alternative to create one thing nice in South Florida.
The 2022 Dolphins rookie class features a franchise-low of simply 4 chosen gamers and simply over a dozen undrafted free brokers that can make the primary week of camp aggressive.
Keep in mind, Miami traded their prime two 2022 picks to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs to amass vast receiver Tyreek Hill, so the 2022 Dolphins class was smaller. Third-round linebacker Channing Tindall, fourth-round vast receiver Erik Ezukanma and a pair of sevenths in linebacker Cameron Goode and quarterback Skylar Thompson spherical out the names Miami known as in Could’s Draft.
Throw within the undrafted free brokers, and also you really have the start of coaching camp battles, particularly at operating again, vast receiver, and most significantly, offensive line.
Whereas not a first-round decide, it’s debatable that Tindall has that kind of expertise. Miami made him their first decide of 2022, however the potential for first-round influence is there. He has electrical pace in the course of the second tier of the protection and can complement Jerome Baker and Elandon Roberts in a gaggle searching for a younger heavy-hitter.
Flipping to offense, Miami can be seeking to construct their operating again room, and McDaniel will undoubtedly have robust selections to make. The Dolphins have returning runners Myles Gaskin, Salvon Ahmed and 2021 rookie Gerrid Doaks. Nevertheless, signing three free brokers this offseason in Raheem Mostert, Chase Edmonds and Sony Michel, and inking an undrafted in ZaQuandre White, might point out the writing is on the wall for Gaskin and Ahmed.
White has a full week to be the apple of his new coach’s eye, as McDaniel specializes within the operating scheme. If White impresses early, and when issues decide up subsequent week when veterans report, Gaskin and/or Ahmed could possibly be on the chopping block. Gaskin, a seventh-round decide in 2019, holds some commerce worth if Miami would try that route.
Sticking with the ability positions, Ezukanma is a large receiver from Texas Tech and can get a possibility to study from a former NFL go catcher, who was each a Pink Raider and Dolphin.
Present Miami vast receiver coach, Wes Welker and Ezukanma have that commonality, and that may solely assist in the rookie’s efforts to battle his means not solely onto the roster however into the snap rely consideration.
In 4 years at Texas Tech, Ezukanma caught 138 passes for two,165 yards and 15 touchdowns. He joins a loaded room of expertise with Hill, 2021 rookie report holder in receptions, Jaylen Waddle, and newly signed free agent Cedrick Wilson Jr.
Within the combine for the primary spots on the 53-man roster, ought to Miami preserve six or seven lively weekly, this leaves the upcoming competitors with Ezukanma and veterans Lynn Bowden Jr., Preston Williams, Trent Sherfield, River Cracraft, Cody Core and CFL standout DeVonte Dedmon. The Dolphins additionally signed undrafted free agent receiver Braylon Sanders from Mississippi who could possibly be a possible apply squad participant.
Maybe the make-or-break determiner of success this season for Miami is the offensive line. Heading into camp, the excellent news is that the Dolphins add elite left deal with Terron Armstead, previously of the New Orleans Saints. In addition they added guard (on the time of signing) Connor Williams from the Dallas Cowboys who’s rumored to have the lead on the beginning heart spot based mostly on early experiences from OTAs final month.
The brand new Dolphins be a part of a youthful line that features 2020 first-round decide Austin Jackson and his fellow draft classmates Robert Hunt and Solomon Kindley. 2019 third-round decide Michael Deiter and 2021 second-round decide Liam Eichenberg are additionally closely within the competitors. 2021 undrafted free agent Robert Jones could possibly be combating for swing guard reps, and two UDFAs will begin their practice camps this week in Blaise Andries from Minnesota and Kellen Diesch from Arizona State.
There appear to be extra questions than solutions heading into camp concerning the development of the offensive line each of which 5 and the place every will play. The one identify you’ll be able to lock in with iron-clad ink is Armstead at left deal with. Pencil in Hunt at proper guard, after which there can be battles everywhere in the line with guys like Jackson and Eichenberg with the leads in the meanwhile.
The depth of the road can be essential, and due to the place flexibility of fellows like Deiter and Jones, Andries and Diesch may compete for the apply squad. The wild card on this was Williams enjoying heart, as he spent his first 4 NFL seasons in Dallas as a left guard.
Questions will quickly be answered, because the Dolphins’ 2022 coaching camp formally opens in South Florida.