The Miami Dolphins are still looking to contend for the Super Bowl next season, but they lost a number of important pieces in free agency. That meant that the 2024 NFL Draft was going to be a big one for the team, and the Dolphins did well to add a number of potential impact players at positions of need.
Just how well did Miami draft this year, though? We will grade each one of their selections from the 2024 NFL Draft to find out.
Chop Robinson, Penn State, Edge (First round, 21st overall)
It took years for the Dolphins to put together an elite pass-rushing group, but they finally got that last year with Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips. The duo helped the Dolphins finish third in sacks last season, but unfortunately, both players suffered late season leg injuries that will hold them out for a good chunk of next season, if not all of it.
Additionally, the team lost Christian Wilkens, one of the best interior rushers in football, in free agency. That made the Dolphins desperate for pass rushing help, especially on the edge.
Chop Robinson will be able to hold down the fort until the star pass-rushing duo are able to return. When they are back, Miami will have one of the best groups in the league for getting after the quarterback.
Robinson tested incredibly well during the pre-draft process, and that helped him dramatically improve his draft stock. However, he wasn't very productive in college, there are question marks about his ability to stop the run, and he still needs to develop a few more pass-rushing moves.
All of those factors make him a boom-or-bust prospect, but the Dolphins' need at edge was glaring, and they were smart to get one of the pass-rushers with the highest ceiling before the talent at the position fell off a cliff.
Grade: B+
Patrick Paul, Houston, OT (Second round, 55th overall)
The offensive line has been a weak point for the Dolphins for years, and even though they have invested heavily into it in recent seasons, adding another tackle made sense. A run on offensive linemen caused 11 players at the position to go off the board before Miami made its second round pick, but the team was still able to land its blindside protector of the future.
Terron Armstead is getting older, and he has missed significant time in each of the last three seasons. Learning behind Armstead will be beneficial for Patrick Paul, but he may also be asked to step up sooner rather than later.
Grade: B
Jaylen Wright, Tennessee, RB (Fourth round, 120th overall)
Trading a future third-round pick to go get Jaylen Wright was controversial, but Miami will likely receive compensatory picks in that round next year. It can be questioned if the team should have gone after a running back, though, considering injuries and free agent departures mean there are needs elsewhere on the roster.
Raheem Mostert and De'Von Achane formed one of the best rushing duos in the league last year when healthy, so running back probably wasn't the biggest need. However, Miami has struggled with injuries at the position in recent years, and even though Mostert was given a contract extension, he is already 32 years old, so injuries and regression will only become more of a concern going forward.
Grade: C+
Mohamed Kamara, Colorado State, Edge (Fifth round, 158th overall)
Even with the first-round selection of Chop Robinson, the Dolphins still needed to add depth on the edge. Robinson is a high-ceiling player with immense potential, so adding a high-floor player who seems like a for sure thing was a great move for Miami.
They got that type of player in Mohamed Kamara, who unlike Robinson was incredibly productive in college. Kamara's 13 sacks last season were more than Robinson had in his entire career.
Any time a player is drafted from a mid-major school, critics will question the level of competition they faced. However, Kamara had some of his best games against bigger programs. Notably, Kamara announced himself to the world with a huge game against Colorado that was one of the most-watched college football games ever.
Kamara doesn't have out-of-this-world measurables like Robinson does, but some players are just gamers, and Kamara seems like the type of player who knows how to have success on the football field.
Grade: A+
Malik Washington, Virginia, WR, (Sixth round, 184th overall)
The Dolphins have arguably the best receiver corps in the NFL. They have a star duo with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but they also have great depth. The team could use a boost for their third or fourth receiver, though, and Malik Washington offers them that kind of potential.
Washington put up big numbers at Virginia, and although his 40-yard dash time wasn't great, the Dolphins have enough speed demons to where they didn't need another burner.
Grade: B
Patrick McMorris, California, S (Sixth round, 198th overall)
All signs point towards Patrick McMorris not seeing the field very often during his rookie season. That isn't out of the ordinary for late-round picks, but McMorris will still need a lot of development at the NFL level, and that is why this grade only gets a C+.
Grade: C+
Tahj Washington, USC, WR (Seventh round, 241st overall)
With the earlier selection of a fellow receiver named Washington, the seventh-round pick of Tahj Washington seems unnecessary. However, we can't grade this pick that low because Washington was a great value pick this late in the draft. Washington was expected to go a couple of rounds earlier, but a run on receivers early in the draft meant that he fell to the Dolphins' 241st pick.
This pick would have been graded higher if it wasn't for the surplus of receivers Miami now has. While that isn't necessarily a bad thing, it will mean it isn't a guarantee that Washington even makes the roster.
Grade: B-
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