Omar Kelly: Let’s take a closer look at Miami Dolphins’ 2022 NFL draft class

It was a quiet weekend for the Miami Dolphins, who made the fewest draft selections in franchise history because of the numerous picks traded away the past few offseasons.

Despite Miami’s efforts to move up in the final two days of the 2022 NFL draft, no draft-day deals got done, so the Dolphins were left to select an athletic linebacker, who should in time compete for a starting spot, a physical receiver who brings some size to that unit, an outside linebacker who produced 20.5 sacks during his collegiate career, and a development quarterback who was a four-year starter.

Dolphins general manager Chris Grier reiterated that picks from Miami’s 2023 draft were off the table in trade talks, so Miami was stuck with the four draft picks they had leftover after the Tyreek Hill deal, which sent three of Miami’s selections to the Chiefs, the trade that landed Miami Liam Eichenberg in last year’s draft, and the move that sent receiver DeVante Parker to the Patriots for a 2023 third-round pick.

“I imagine the first night will be more climatic in the future,” Mike McDaniel said when asked about his first NFL draft as an head coach. “It was good to get my feet wet, doing nothing.”

Grier did revealed that McDaniel had his heart set on selecting a tailback with Miami’s fourth-round pick, but when that player — either Georgia tailback Zamir White (who was selected 122 by the Raiders) or Texas A&M’s Isaiah Spiller (selected 123 by the Chargers) — got taken before Miami was on the clock with pick No. 125 McDaniel “fell out is chair.”

The Dolphins will certainty add to the rookie class by signing undrafted rookie free agents, but here’s a look at how these four draftees fit into the 2022 team:

Third-round pick (102): Georgia linebacker Channing Tindall

Miami used the team’s first draft pick to address a position of need, adding a fast and athletic linebacker who could eventually blossom into a starter. Tindall has sideline-to-sideline skills, the length needed to cover tight ends, and the physicality to stack and shed blockers. He moves fluidly, which indicates that he could be a four-down player, working both in pass coverage and on special teams.

Tindall contributed a career-high 67 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and forced one fumble on Georgia’s national championship team, which was filled with playmakers on defense. It’s reasonable to wonder if Tindall could blossom into a bona fide NFL starter if a team invests more snaps into him. But to unseat Elandon Roberts, a team captain, as Miami’s starting inside linebacker he’ll need to quickly master the Dolphins playbook and prove he’s a more versed in coverage than Roberts and Duke Riley.

Fourth-round pick (125): Texas Tech receiver Erik Ezukanma

Ezukanma has a reputation for being a bully on the football field, consistently bringing down contested catches. The 6-foot-2, 209-pound receiver does a nice job of stemming his routes and selling cornerbacks that he’s going downfield, which helps him get open. He caught 138 passes for 2,165 yards and scored 15 touchdowns during his playing career at Texas A&M. He also scored two touchdowns on 10 career carries.

Ezukanma, who ran a 4.55 in the 40-yard dash, bench pressed 225 pounds 10-times, and has a 10′6″ broad jump, will likely compete with Preston Williams, Lynn Bowden Jr. Trent Sherfield and River Cracraft for the final two spots on the depth chart behind Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Cedrick Wilson. Because of how early he was drafted he should be viewed as the front-runner for the final receiver spot because the odds of Miami releasing a fourth-round pick in his first season are slim.

Seventh-round pick (224): California outside linebacker Cameron Goode

Goode was an outside linebacker in Cal’s 3-4 scheme, racking up 172 tackles, 36 tackles for a loss, 20.5 sacks, two interceptions, scoring two touchdowns, and forcing two fumbles through five collegiate seasons with the Golden Bears. The 6-foot-3, 240 pounder recorded a 4.58 time in the 40-yards dash, which shows he has the athleticism to drop back into coverage against tight end or tailback.

His uncle Don Goode was taken in the first round of the 1974 draft and played eight seasons in the NFL for the Chargers and Browns. And his father James Goode was an Oklahoma standout at linebacker who was a fifth-round pick of the Falcons in 1991. But he never actually played in the NFL. Goode will compete with Brennan Scarlett, Sam Eguavoen and Darius Hodge for a role as Jaelan Phillips and Andrew Van Ginkel’s backups.

Seventh-round pick (247): Kansas State quarterback Skylar Thompson

Thompson’s age (24), injury history, and lack of consistency prevented the five-year starter for the Wildcats from being selected earlier in the draft. Throughout his college career he showcased a decent arm, the ability to make plays on the move, the toughness and football character needed to win. The four-year team captain completed 62.4 percent of his passes in his career, throwing for 7,134 yards with 42 touchdowns through the air, and 26 rushing touchdowns.

He’s experienced working under center, so it should be an easier transition for him to learn McDaniel’s play-action based offense. Because Tua Tagovailoa and Teddy Bridgewater are clearly Miami’s top two quarterbacks, barring injury, Thompson is competing with former CFL standout Chris Streveler for the role as Miami’s third quarterback, who will likely be stashed on the practice squad.

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