The Miami Dolphins look to be heading into the 2019 regular season as one of the few teams with very low expectations. After dealing away a handful of players and naming Ryan Fitzpatrick as the starting quarterback, many believe the team is primed to be picking first in the 2020 NFL Draft. Despite this, their first-round pick isn’t ready to give up at all.

Christian Wilkins, who was selected 13th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft, said the team has no plans to just give up on the season because of expectations from people outside of the team.

“I feel as a team, we can’t let outsiders or people who aren’t in this building create a narrative for us or create that rhetoric for us,” Wilkins said (via The South Florida Sun-Sentinel).

“I’ll be working; I prepare every day. It’s hot as hell out there, and we work every day hard. Me personally, just because everyone thinks we’re supposed to be this or that, I’m not rolling over for anybody. I’m trying to bring it and be the best I can and I feel like guys around me are definitely trying to be the best they can be.”

Wilkins’ role in the Dolphins defense has yet to be defined, but given how much of a key piece he played for Clemson during his time there, it’s likely that the Dolphins will be looking to him to become a leader in the locker room and on the field. Thankfully for them, it seems Wilkins is up to the task, saying he’s already focusing on becoming a great leader.

“I just feel I have to bring the right mindset to get better every day; make those around me better,” Wilkins said. “It’s not just me around there; it’s a team effort. Hopefully I’ll bring some of my good energy; [have] my positivity rub off and make everyone around me better.”

If the Dolphins do end up selecting early in the next draft, it likely won’t be the fault of Wilkins, but it is nice to see young players not so ready to give in an entire year just yet. With the Dolphins hoping that Wilkins will be a core member of their defense for the future, they have to be happy with the things the young player is already saying.