After a wild afternoon of moving and shaking, the Miami Dolphins find themselves with the No. 6 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
The Dolphins were originally slated to pick third with the selection they obtained from the Houston Texans in the Laremy Tunsil trade in 2019. Miami then traded that pick to the San Francisco 49ers for the No. 12 pick, multiple future firsts and a 2022 third-round pick, only to move up six spots to No. 6 in a deal wth the Philadelphia Eagles.
Now that general manager Chris Grier's maneuvering appears to be complete, who will the Dolphins take with their first-round pick?
All signs point to Miami taking one of the top receivers in a loaded class. Each of the first four picks could ultimately be quarterbacks, meaning the Dolphins could practically have their pick of the litter at No. 6.
Let's take a look at Miami's four best options.
4. WR Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
Jaylen Waddle could well be the most explosive receiver in the class when all is said and done.
The former Crimson Tide star is one of the best deep threats available. He averaged 18.9 yards per reception in three seasons at Alabama. That includes a 2020 in which Waddle averaged 21.1 yards per reception and had four touchdowns prior to sustaining a suffering an ankle injury in October.
Waddle also offers the benefit of a tremendous return man. He averaged a whopping 24.4 yards per punt return and 35.0 yards per kick return in 2019, finishing with three return touchdowns in his Alabama career.
But Waddle is the last name on this list because the Dolphins already have deep threats.
Miami signed Will Fuller in free agency. Fuller is one of the best deep-ball receivers in the game when healthy and can take the top off against opposing secondaries. The Dolphins will also likely hope for better health from Preston Williams, who averaged 16.0 yards per reception and had four touchdowns in just eight games in 2020.
Maybe Grier and Co. feel Waddle is too much of a game-breaking talent to leave on the board. But the Dolphins have similar personnel. They might look elsewhere.
3. TE Kyle Pitts, Florida
Kyle Pitts is continuing to earn rave reviews with just over a month until the 2021 NFL Draft. In fact, he is establishing a reputation as a generational tight end prospect.
Indeed, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. called Pitts one of the “most talented” tight ends he has graded in his years as a draft analyst. There's good reason for that.
Pitts has a ridiculous combination of size (6-foot-6 246 pounds) and athleticism for someone at his position. He made some of the most athletics catches in college football last season and is physical enough to overpower smaller defensive backs for jump balls.
The former Florida Gator also boasts tremendous speed. He recently ran a 4.46 40-yard dash.
Florida TE Kyle Pitts running a 4.46 40 (per the caption from @level40 on Instagram) is just the latest example of how different this dude is. pic.twitter.com/GM60Iyr1I5
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 22, 2021
That's better than a good chunk of receivers.
Pitts' size, speed and hands make him a matchup nightmare. He can line up in formation or in the slot and has the potential to be an unstoppable weapons in the seams, much as Rob Gronkowski was during his All-Pro seasons with the New England Patriots.
But Pitts comes in at No. 3 on this list for a couple reasons. The most notable reason is there is a very real chance the Cincinnati Bengals take him fifth overall. Kiper has him going there, and it seems feasible if Cincy wants to add pass-catching talent for Joe Burrow.
Secondly, the Dolphins have a tremendous tight end in Mike Gesicki and don't run a ton of dual tight end sets.
Of course, Pitts can also line up out wide. But Miami might be more comfortable selecting a bona fide wide receiver.
2. WR Ja'Marr Chase, LSU
Chase opted out of the 2020 season, but still remains one of the top players in the class.
The former Tigers star was utterly dominant in his sophomore season at LSU, tallying 84 receptions for 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2019. Chase was Joe Burrow's top weapon as a speed-strength receiver who made plays all over the field.
That strength is what makes Chase one of the top receiving prospects. He is not the biggest guy as a 6-footer, but he weighs close to 210 pounds and can outmuscle opposing defensive backs. Chase gets separation and can adapt to back-shoulder throws.
The Dolphins would certainly be getting one of the most talented guys at his position if they opted for Chase. But he is a little less polished in terms of his route-running ability. There is also the obvious element of him not getting any game action in 2020.
That said, Chase might just have the highest upside of any receiver in the class because of his advanced frame and ability to create separation.
1. WR DeVonta Smith, Alabama
It seemed just a matter of time before teams and analysts started making comments regarding Smith's smaller frame.
But all the talk about his body distracts from Smith being probably the best route-runner and playmaker in the class.
Smith had 68 receptions for 1,256 yards and 14 scores in his junior season at Alabama. He returned for his senior season and boosted his stock by nabbing 117 receptions for 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns en route to winning the Heisman Trophy.
Other receivers lacking in size have had incredible success in the NFL. Just look at someone like Marvin Harrison, another guy who excelled in his route-running and could beat defenders over the top.
Smith is similar. He consistently creates separation with sharp cuts and can spot open spots in zone coverage. That ability to get off quick and create separation might help Smith expose bigger corners in press coverage.
The Dolphins could use a route-running savant like Smith. As has been mentioned, they already have a couple promising deep threats. But Smith could be a nice complement to DeVante Parker — who does have good size — out wide.
Miami would probably prefer Tagovailoa starts opening things up and taking downfield shots next season. But reuniting the former Bama star with a guy who can make plays on quick-hits both in the middle of the field and towards the sidelines could be a wise decision with some of the speed already on the roster.
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