Even after the team’s former general manager spent three draft picks on defensive tackles last year, the Dolphins still need another impact player along their defensive front.
So it’s not a surprise that Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald, who is considered one of the most imposing, powerful specimens in the draft, has been booked for a visit to Dolphins headquarters.
McDonald told SI.com’s Justin Melo that Miami is one of eight teams that has booked a 30 visit with him. Teams can bring in as many as 30 draft prospects for medical checks and meetings with coaches and executives.
“Every team that needs a physical defensive tackle has been in touch with me,” McDonald told Melo.
McDonald, who is 6-2 and 322 pounds, played three seasons at Ohio State and last year had 65 tackles, including nine for loss, and three sacks. Pro Football Focus rated him the third-best run defender among all FBS interior linemen last season.
“He’s someone very difficult to move,” NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said.
ESPN’s Field Yates slotted McDonald 36th overall to the Raiders in this mock draft this week — between the Dolphins’ picks at 30 and 43.
“There is no better option to anchor that scheme than McDonald, who is the best run-stuffer in this class,” Yates said. “He is rugged at the point of attack, using his powerful hands to control interior offensive linemen.”
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein called McDonald “a talented run defender, McDonald plays with natural leverage and rattles pads with his initial contact. He’s quick to locate ballcarriers, play off of blocks and rally to the action. His technique is a bit underdeveloped and he’s not a natural drain-clogger against double-teams, but he still managed an unusually high tackle rate as an interior defender.
“Quicker hand strikes should allow for more efficient reps and earlier wins at the point. He offers limited rush value, so his money will be made by giving grief to centers and guards as an even-front nose tackle with starting potential.”
McDonald, who was born in Texarkana, Texas, and played high school football in the Atlanta area, was all first-team Big 10 last season and was named the conference’s lineman of the year.
“He’s a rare talent, a mountain of a man, can get a few sacks a year as well,” ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. said.
The Dolphins last season allowed 4.8 yards per rush, which was fifth worst in the league, and 5.3 per carry during their final three games. New general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan has said that augmenting the trenches is a priority.
Rookies Kenneth Grant, Jordan Phillips and Zeek Biggers had some good moments, but none were remotely close to being game changers.
Miami has five returning defensive tackles under contract: Zach Sieler (rated 58 among 107 tackles by PFF), Grant (102nd), Phillips (76th), Biggers and Matthew Butler. The team did not re-sign Benito Jones, who was ranked 102nd.
Sieler had 10 tackles for loss, but the rookies combined for only four TFLs — two by Grant and one apiece by Phillips and Biggers.
The Dolphins signed three defensive linemen in free agency, but those three — Joshua Uche, David Ojabo and Robert Beal — are edge rushers, not behemoth tackles.
Second-round options
Yates’ Tuesday mock draft offers more insight into players projected for the range of Miami’s pick at 43, which Yates has the Dolphins using on UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence.
After slotting McDonald 36th, Yates has these six players going next, just before Miami’s pick at 43: Texas A&M guard Chase Bisontis, Clemson right tackle Blake Miller, South Carolina cornerback Brandon Cisse, inside linebackers Jake Golday (Cincinnati) and Anthony Hill (Texas) and San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson, a player who has been repeatedly mocked to Miami. Except for the two inside linebackers, the other four would make sense for the Dolphins.
Yates has these five players immediately going after Miami’s pick at 43: Georgia defensive tackle Christen Miller, Clemson edge player T.J. Parker, Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers, Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks and Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor, who reportedly has spent a lot of time with the Dolphins. Stowers, a skilled pass receiver, is widely viewed as the No. 2 tight end prospect in the draft, behind Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq.
As for Lawrence, Yates said he has “some of the best closing ability in the class (19.5 sacks in the past three seasons). He has been a riser during the predraft process.”
This and that
▪ The Dolphins guaranteed $187,500 of new tight end Ben Sim’s $1.3 million salary.
He’s the front-runner, at least at this point, to replace Julian Hill as Miami’s top in-line blocking tight end.
Conversely, the Patriots guaranteed $7.5 million of Hill’s three-year, $15 million deal, which could be worth $18 million in incentives. The Dolphins, who were up against the cap, were unwilling to go that high for Hill, though they did make an offer.
▪ It was notable that Miami guaranteed $1.3 million of veteran punter Bradley Pinion’s one-year, $1.5 million contract. He’s the clear front-runner over former UFL punter Seth Vernon.
▪ Zach Wilson, who began last season as the Dolphins’ No. 2 quarterback, signed with the Saints, where he will compete to back up Tyler Shough.
Miami Herald
Barry Jackson has written for the Miami Herald since 1986 and has written the Florida Sports Buzz column since 2002.