I hesitate to even post this but it's what everyone is talking about. These aren't my rankings but it is interesting to see all the picks. Original by Adam Stites - Palm Beach Post #1 CB Xavien Howard (2016, Round 2, No. 38) In Grier’s first draft, he traded away a fourth-round pick to move up four spots in the second round and secure Howard. His risk paid off with four Pro Bowls in eight seasons from Howard, who had a strong argument as the best cornerback in the NFL a few years ago. #2 OT Laremy Tunsil (2016, Round 1, No. 13) Bizarre circumstances caused Tunsil to slide to Miami where he spent three seasons developing into a reliable blindside blocker. In 2019, Tunsil was traded to the Texans for a haul of draft picks that were largely the reason the Dolphins were able to add Tyreek Hill, Jevon Holland, Bradley Chubb, and Jaylen Waddle. Even if Tunsil never made a Pro Bowl in Miami, his selection is the gift that kept giving. #3 S Jevon Holland (2021, Round 2, No. 36) It’s still early in Holland’s career, but it looks like the Dolphins have a star on their hands in their 24-year-old safety. Holland’s 90.4 grade from PFF in 2023 ranked third among all NFL safeties and just a few tenths behind the Buccaneers’ Antoine Winfield Jr.’s 90.7 that was best in the league. #4 DT Christian Wilkins (2019, Round 1, No. 13) The Dolphins couldn’t afford to keep Wilkins in South Florida, but for five years they got high quality play out of the defensive tackle. The Clemson alum went out on a high note, racking up nine sacks and 23 quarterback hits — easily career-bests — in his final season with Miami before signing a $110 million deal with the Raiders that will surely give the Dolphins a third-round compensatory pick in 2025. #5 DB Minkah Fitzpatrick (2018, Round 1, No. 11) Fitzpatrick only played 18 games in Miami, but it’s hard to blame Grier for making the pick. It was, after all, Fitzpatrick’s frustration with his usage by the coaching staff that resulted in him requesting a trade. The Dolphins got back a first-round pick in the deal that sent him to the Steelers where he’s now a four-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro. #6 G Robert Hunt (2020, Round 2, No. 39) Hunt didn’t make any Pro Bowls during his four years in Miami, but the steadily improving lineman showed enough to get $100 million from the Panthers earlier this year. #7 LB Andrew Van Ginkel (2019, Round 5, No. 151) Van Ginkel proved to be a diamond in the rough discovery by Grier. After a few years as a reliable contributor, the rotational pass rusher broke out with a career-best year in 2023, finishing with six sacks and a pick-six. His 91.1 grade on PFF was the best of any Dolphins defensive player in 2023 and the two-year, $20 million deal he signed with the Vikings could yield a compensatory pick in 2025. #8 RB De'Von Achane (2023, Round 3, No. 84) It’s typically not smart to judge a draft pick after only a year or two, but it’s tough not to put Achane high on this list. As a rookie, he scored 11 touchdowns on only 130 touches and averaged an absurd 7.8 yards per rushing attempt. If he continues to look like the player he did in year one, Achane could deserve the top spot on this list in no time. #9 WR Jaylen Waddle (2021, Round 1, No. 6) In three NFL seasons, Waddle has three 1,000-yard seasons under his belt. There are high expectations for any player taken as high as No. 6 overall, but Waddle has lived up to the hype. #10 DE Jaelan Phillips (2021, Round 1, No. 18) An Achilles tear may have derailed some momentum and raises questions about how well Phillips will be able to bounce back in 2024. Still, the young pass rusher has 22 sacks in 42 career games and looks very capable of double-digit sack seasons in the future. #11 DT Davon Godchaux (2017, Round 5, No. 178) While Godchaux was never really a star, he stands out as one of Grier’s few Day 3 picks to become contributors. The fifth-round pick didn’t take long to develop into a reliable, run-stuffing starter for the Dolphins early in his career. The two-year, $15 million deal Godchaux received from the Patriots in 2021 would’ve been enough for a compensatory pick, too, if Miami didn’t spent money on Will Fuller and other free agents that year. #12 LB Jerome Baker (2018, Round 3, No. 73) With a mid-third round pick, the Dolphins found a mostly reliable starting linebacker, a team captain, and a Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee. Baker wasn’t an irreplaceable player in the Miami defense, but he was a quality mid-round selection for the team. #13 QB Tua Tagovailoa (2020, Round 1, No. 5) Some would say Tagovailoa is a legitimate franchise quarterback and, therefore, one of Grier’s best picks. Others would say the general manager made the wrong choice when he passed on Justin Herbert, who went one pick later. After Tagovailoa led the NFL in passing yards last season, the Dolphins have reason to feel good about their quarterback. #14 K Jason Sanders (2018, Round 7, No. 229) Less than 30 picks before the end of the 2018 NFL draft, the Dolphins found a kicker who earned All-Pro honors in 2020 when he made 36 of his 39 field goals and all of his extra points. #15 WR Jakeem Grant (2016, Round 6, No. 186) The sixth round is typically a place to find role players and special teamers. If a player can make the 53-man roster and get snaps, that’s a success. Find a player like Grant who scores a handful of touchdowns on offense and turns out to be one of the most dangerous returners in the game? That’s even better. #16 OT Austin Jackson (2020, Round 1, No. 18) Picked with the selection acquired in the Minkah Fitzpatrick trade, Jackson has improved into a player the Dolphins can reasonably expect to protect Tua Tagovailoa’s blindside for many years to come. #17 TE Mike Gesicki (2018, Round 2, No. 42) Gesicki’s stats gradually improved each year and the Dolphins used the franchise to keep him in 2022. But then he was phased out of the offense and allowed to walk into free agency. #18 TE Durham Smythe (2018, Round 4, No. 123) Smythe is never going to scare a defense, but the Dolphins know exactly what they’re going to get out of the veteran tight end. He rarely drops a pass and do enough as a blocker to get the job done. The Dolphins re-signed Smythe in 2022 and extended his contract in 2023. #19 RB Myles Gaskin (2019, Round 7, No. 234) Gaskin was a tremendously productive collegiate back, but barely earned a spot in the 2019 NFL draft after measuring in at 5’9 and running a 4.56 40-yard dash. Yet, he not only made the Dolphins roster but scored 13 touchdowns in his first three seasons before the arrivals of Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane eventually pushed him off the roster. #20 DT Raekwon Davis (2020, Round 2, No. 56) After a pretty stellar year of stuffing the run as a rookie, Davis could never quite replicate his early career production. The former Alabama nose tackle’s PFF grade dropped from 71.1 in 2020 all the way to 36.5 in his second season. Still, the Colts saw enough over the last few years to give Davis a two-year, $14 million deal this offseason. #21 LS Blake Ferguson (2020, Round 6, No. 185) Drafting a long snapper is about as unglamorous as it gets. But if the goal was to find a reliable player who would lock down the position for years, mission accomplished. #22 WR Isaiah Ford (2017, Round 7, No. 237) Ford bounced on and off the practice squad throughout his four years with the Dolphins, which included a month with the Patriots sandwiched in the middle. Over 32 games with Miami, he caught 63 passes for 681 yards and two touchdowns. Not bad for a player taken 16 picks before Mr. Irrelevant. #23 S Brandon Jones (2020, Round 3, No. 70) The Dolphins surely hoped they were getting more than a depth player and core special teamer when they took Jones early in the third round in 2020. In four seasons with the Dolphins, he never played more than two-thirds of the team’s defensive snaps. While he was a reasonably reliable backup, that’s not quite what early third-round picks should produce. #24 G Michael Deiter (2019, Round 3, No. 78) Deiter is another third-round pick, who couldn’t hold down a starting job in Miami. After starting 15 games as a rookie, he started only eight over the next three seasons and was allowed to walk in free agency last year. #25 G Solomon Kindley (2020, Round 4, No. 111) Kindley started 13 games as a rookie and looked well-positioned to be a long-term starter for the team. But then Robert Hunt and Liam Eichenberg were both moved to the inside from tackle and Kindley’s time in the starting lineup — and eventually his time with the Dolphins — came to a quick end. #26 DT Vincent Taylor (2017, Round 6, No. 194) Taylor appeared in 13 games as a rookie and was off to a good start in his second season with two sacks and three tackles for loss through eight games before his year ended with a foot injury. That setback turned out to be the end of his career in Miami too. #27 OLB Cameron Goode (2022, Round 7, No. 224) After spending his rookie year on the practice squad, Goode appeared in all 17 games in 2023. While he only took 76 defensive snaps, he showed some good things, generating four pressures and a 71.7 grade on PFF. If he continues his upward trajectory, Goode may prove to be a factor on a team that currently lacks pass rushing depth. #28 OL Ryan Hayes (2023, Round 7, No. 238) It’s too early to judge Hayes, spent his rookie season on the Dolphins’ practice squad after a three-year stint with the Colts. #29 CB Cam Smith (2023, Round 2, No. 51) Smith appeared in 15 games as a rookie last year, but hardly saw the field on defense. It’s far too early to label him a bust, but the cornerback isn’t off to the greatest start. #30 RB Kalen Ballage (2018, Round 4, No. 131) Ballage had brief flashes of brilliance, including his 75-yard touchdown run against the Vikings as a rookie. But he averaged just 1.8 yards over 74 carries in year two and was unsuccessfully traded and eventually waived by the Dolphins before his third season. #31 CB Cornell Armstrong (2018, Round 6, No. 209) Armstrong appeared in 15 games with the Dolphins as a rookie, but was released at the end of training camp in 2019. #32 LB Raekwon McMillan (2017, Round 2, No. 54) After an ACL tear cost him his rookie season, McMillan played two underwhelming seasons in Miami before he was traded for peanuts to the Raiders. #33 S Jordan Lucas (2016, Round 6, No. 204) The sixth-round pick appeared in 19 games over two seasons with the Dolphins, playing almost exclusively on special teams. #34 OL Liam Eichenberg (2021, Round 2, No. 42) Eichenberg has started 38 games in his three seasons with the Dolphins, but he’s never been particularly reliable as a run blocker or a pass blocker. While he’s a versatile with experience at every spot on the line, Miami wasn’t hoping for a useful backup when it used a second-round pick on the lineman in 2021. #35 WR Erik Ezukanma (2022, Round 4, No. 125) Ezukanma appeared in only one game as a rookie and looked primed to be a bigger part of the offense in year two. But after getting five touches that were all rushing attempts in the first two games of the year, Ezukanma landed on injured reserve. #36 LB Channing Tindall (2022, Round 3, No. 102) Two seasons into his NFL career, the former third-round pick has played only 21 defensive snaps and contributed primarily as a core special teamer. #37 CB Cordrea Tankersley (2017, Round 3, No. 97) Tankersley got off to a decent start with 11 starts as a rookie, but his 2018 season ended early due to an ACL tear that eventually kept him out for all of 2019 too. When Tankersley finally returned in 2020, he spent time on the Dolphins’ practice squad before he was finally released. #38 RB Chandler Cox (2019, Round 7, No. 233) Cox transitioned to fullback, but only averaged about nine snaps per game over two seasons and was released prior to the 2021 season. #39 RB/WR Malcolm Perry (2020, Round 7, No. 246) The former U.S. Naval Academy alum caught nine passes for 92 yards and a touchdown as a rookie with the Dolphins, but didn’t make the roster in 2021. #40 QB Skylar Thompson (2022, Round 7, No. 247) Taken 15 spots before Brock Purdy, Thompson was forced into two regular season starts and a playoff start as a rookie and struggled with the opportunities. In 2023, he was a healthy scratch for the entire year after landing behind Mike White on the depth chart. #41 TE/WR Elijah Higgins (2023, Round 6, No. 197) The 6’3 pass catcher didn’t make the 53-man roster and couldn’t be added to the Dolphins’ practice squad as several teams jumped at the chance to claim him. #42 OT Isaiah Prince (2019, Round 6, No. 202) The Dolphins tossed Prince into action as a rookie, but the sixth-rounder unsurprisingly struggled. When he was waived in December after appearing in four games and starting two, the Bengals scooped him up. #43 OT Larnel Coleman (2021, Round 7, No. 231) Coleman spent his rookie year on injured reserve and played a grand total of one snap in his second season with the Dolphins before he was signed by the Panthers. #44 DE Jason Strowbridge (2020, Round 5, No. 154) After appearing in 67 snaps as a rookie and recording three tackles, Strowbridge didn’t make the roster in 2021 and his NFL career ended there. #45 TE Thomas Duarte (2016, Round 7, No. 231) In two years with the Dolphins, Duarte spent most of his time and the practice squad and played just two snaps. #46 LB Quentin Poling (2018, Round 7, No. 227) Poling spent his rookie year on the Dolphins’ practice squad, but never appeared in a game with the team. #47 RB Gerrid Doaks (2021, Round 7, No. 244) Doaks spent his rookie season on the Dolphins’ practice squad, but never played in an NFL game. #48 QB Brandon Doughty (2016, Round 7, No. 223) The Dolphins traded up in the seventh round to get Doughty, but he never appeared in an NFL game. #49 G Isaac Asiata (2017, Round 5, No. 164) The offensive lineman played in only two games over two seasons and took six snaps all on special teams. #50 DE Curtis Weaver (2020, Round 5, No. 164) The fifth-rounder was waived during his first training camp with the Dolphins. #51 TE Hunter Long (2021, Round 3, No. 81) The Dolphins spent a third-round pick on Long and only got one reception in two seasons for their troubles. The tight end was traded to the Rams in 2023 as part of the deal that brought Jalen Ramsey to Miami. #52 OLB Charles Harris (2017, Round 1, No. 22) In three seasons with the Dolphins, Harris recorded 3.5 sacks and was eventually traded to the Falcons for a seventh-round pick. That puts the first-round pick firmly in bust territory. #53 WR Leonte Carroo (2016, Round 3, No. 86) The Dolphins traded away three picks (2016 sixth-, 2017 third-, and 2017 fourth-rounders) to land Carroo, who rewarded their risk by catching only 12 passes in three seasons with the team. #54 CB Noah Igbinoghene (2020, Round 1, No. 30) In three seasons with the Dolphins, Igbinoghene made only five starts. According to PFF, opposing NFL quarterbacks had a 113 passer rating when targeting Igbinoghene. Prior to the 2023 season, the Dolphins traded him to the Cowboys in exchange for Kelvin Joseph, who they released after only four games.
That is a bizarre choice of order. But any way you slice it, Grier and the front office have flat out sucked at drafting for as long as he's been on the job.
I think I might resort the picks from where they were picked - 1st round 2nd round, etc. but keep the commentary. It might be more telling.
The reality is that in nine years on the job, Wilkins is the only player who both panned out with skill and stayed healthy. And Grier couldn't get him to resign for a fair price before he left as a free agent. And Grier ran the college scouting dept for years before he became GM, so this is supposed to be his strength. But its clearly not. He just doesn't have a strong area. Most "success" has come from overpaying in trades for players other teams are ready to move on from, and then overpaying them to sign extensions in Miami.
THE RECENT TOP PICKS "Tindall has been inactive for every game, as he stands fifth on the depth chart as an inside linebacker behind David Long, Jr., Jordyn Brooks, Duke Riley, and Anthony Walker, Jr." "And this, of course, is where we can point out that two of the next eight picks after Smith last year had Kansas City taking wide receiver Rashee Rice and Buffalo taking guard O'Cyrus Torrence, now starting for the two best teams in the AFC at positions where the Dolphins clearly could use some help". "The player picked immediately after Tindall in 2022 was fellow linebacker Leo Chenal, who has become a starter on a Chiefs defense driving the team. We could take this further and point out that after the Dolphins selected Erik Ezukanma (now on the practice squad) in the fourth round in that 2022 draft, the Packers, Cowboys, and Ravens took wide receiver Romeo Doubs, tight end Jake Ferguson, and tight end Isaiah Likely, and all three of those players would be of some help to the Dolphins just about now." That was the price for those high-profile trades for Tyreek Hill, Bradley Chubb, and Jalen Ramsey, not to mention the loss of a third-round pick to move up in the second round to get Liam Eichenberg in 2021 and, of course, the forfeiture of a 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 third-round pick as sanctions for the tampering violations.
Agree to a point. You can't just know what you know now about picks that panned out and say "see he should have picked someone else"> Not one GM has a crystal ball.
Grier has been absolutely awful at drafting after the early second round. Outside of a handful of useful players, he's done next to nothing to stock the roster with useful reserves and contributors. Even bottom of the roster guys who are only around for their rookie contract. And that's then forced them to keep signing far more expensive free agents for those roles, which leads to less cap space and to constantly churning the roster and an inability to build any coherence between the players. Every mistake compounds onto the next.
Did anyone else notice of those 54 draft picks, only 10 were offensive linemen. Of those 10… Only 2 were listed in the top 10 Both of those players are gone Grier has drafted 6 offensive linemen since drafting Tua in 2020 and 3 of them are gone. Sounds like a winner to me
The team has been abysmal at drafting OL the entire time Grier has had any say in the matter at all. He was named director of college scouting in 2007.
I haven't watched them play much to know firsthand, but if Iggy couldn't improve enough to even get onto the field in three years with Miami, moving on was the right move. Drafting him at such a young age with so little experience was a huge risk in the first round. Should have been a 4th-5th round lottery type.
Sorted by Round by Year. OT Laremy Tunsil (2016, Round 1, No. 13) - Bizarre circumstances caused Tunsil to slide to Miami where he spent three seasons developing into a reliable blindside blocker. In 2019, Tunsil was traded to the Texans for a haul of draft picks that were largely the reason the Dolphins were able to add Tyreek Hill, Jevon Holland, Bradley Chubb, and Jaylen Waddle. Even if Tunsil never made a Pro Bowl in Miami, his selection is the gift that kept giving. OLB Charles Harris (2017, Round 1, No. 22) - In three seasons with the Dolphins, Harris recorded 3.5 sacks and was eventually traded to the Falcons for a seventh-round pick. That puts the first-round pick firmly in bust territory. DB Minkah Fitzpatrick (2018, Round 1, No. 11) - Fitzpatrick only played 18 games in Miami, but it’s hard to blame Grier for making the pick. It was, after all, Fitzpatrick’s frustration with his usage by the coaching staff that resulted in him requesting a trade. The Dolphins got back a first-round pick in the deal that sent him to the Steelers where he’s now a four-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro. DT Christian Wilkins (2019, Round 1, No. 13) - The Dolphins couldn’t afford to keep Wilkins in South Florida, but for five years they got high quality play out of the defensive tackle. The Clemson alum went out on a high note, racking up nine sacks and 23 quarterback hits — easily career-bests — in his final season with Miami before signing a $110 million deal with the Raiders that will surely give the Dolphins a third-round compensatory pick in 2025. QB Tua Tagovailoa (2020, Round 1, No. 5) - Some would say Tagovailoa is a legitimate franchise quarterback and, therefore, one of Grier’s best picks. Others would say the general manager made the wrong choice when he passed on Justin Herbert, who went one pick later. After Tagovailoa led the NFL in passing yards last season, the Dolphins have reason to feel good about their quarterback. OT Austin Jackson (2020, Round 1, No. 18) - Picked with the selection acquired in the Minkah Fitzpatrick trade, Jackson has improved into a player the Dolphins can reasonably expect to protect Tua Tagovailoa’s blindside for many years to come. CB Noah Igbinoghene (2020, Round 1, No. 30) - In three seasons with the Dolphins, Igbinoghene made only five starts. According to PFF, opposing NFL quarterbacks had a 113 passer rating when targeting Igbinoghene. Prior to the 2023 season, the Dolphins traded him to the Cowboys in exchange for Kelvin Joseph, who they released after only four games. WR Jaylen Waddle (2021, Round 1, No. 6) - In three NFL seasons, Waddle has three 1,000-yard seasons under his belt. There are high expectations for any player taken as high as No. 6 overall, but Waddle has lived up to the hype. DE Jaelan Phillips (2021, Round 1, No. 18) - An Achilles tear may have derailed some momentum and raises questions about how well Phillips will be able to bounce back in 2024. Still, the young pass rusher has 22 sacks in 42 career games and looks very capable of double-digit sack seasons in the future. Round 2 CB Xavien Howard (2016, Round 2, No. 38) - In Grier’s first draft, he traded away a fourth-round pick to move up four spots in the second round and secure Howard. His risk paid off with four Pro Bowls in eight seasons from Howard, who had a strong argument as the best cornerback in the NFL a few years ago. LB Raekwon McMillan (2017, Round 2, No. 54) - After an ACL tear cost him his rookie season, McMillan played two underwhelming seasons in Miami before he was traded for peanuts to the Raiders. TE Mike Gesicki (2018, Round 2, No. 42) - Gesicki’s stats gradually improved each year and the Dolphins used the franchise to keep him in 2022. But then he was phased out of the offense and allowed to walk into free agency. G Robert Hunt (2020, Round 2, No. 39) - Hunt didn’t make any Pro Bowls during his four years in Miami, but the steadily improving lineman showed enough to get $100 million from the Panthers earlier this year. DT Raekwon Davis (2020, Round 2, No. 56) - After a pretty stellar year of stuffing the run as a rookie, Davis could never quite replicate his early career production. The former Alabama nose tackle’s PFF grade dropped from 71.1 in 2020 all the way to 36.5 in his second season. Still, the Colts saw enough over the last few years to give Davis a two-year, $14 million deal this offseason. S Jevon Holland (2021, Round 2, No. 36) - It’s still early in Holland’s career, but it looks like the Dolphins have a star on their hands in their 24-year-old safety. Holland’s 90.4 grade from PFF in 2023 ranked third among all NFL safeties and just a few tenths behind the Buccaneers’ Antoine Winfield Jr.’s 90.7 that was best in the league. OL Liam Eichenberg (2021, Round 2, No. 42) - Eichenberg has started 38 games in his three seasons with the Dolphins, but he’s never been particularly reliable as a run blocker or a pass blocker. While he’s a versatile with experience at every spot on the line, Miami wasn’t hoping for a useful backup when it used a second-round pick on the lineman in 2021. CB Cam Smith (2023, Round 2, No. 51) - Smith appeared in 15 games as a rookie last year, but hardly saw the field on defense. It’s far too early to label him a bust, but the cornerback isn’t off to the greatest start. CB Cordrea Tankersley (2017, Round 3, No. 97) - Tankersley got off to a decent start with 11 starts as a rookie, but his 2018 season ended early due to an ACL tear that eventually kept him out for all of 2019 too. When Tankersley finally returned in 2020, he spent time on the Dolphins’ practice squad before he was finally released. LB Jerome Baker (2018, Round 3, No. 73) - With a mid-third round pick, the Dolphins found a mostly reliable starting linebacker, a team captain, and a Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee. Baker wasn’t an irreplaceable player in the Miami defense, but he was a quality mid-round selection for the team. G Michael Deiter (2019, Round 3, No. 78) - Deiter is another third-round pick, who couldn’t hold down a starting job in Miami. After starting 15 games as a rookie, he started only eight over the next three seasons and was allowed to walk in free agency last year. S Brandon Jones (2020, Round 3, No. 70) - The Dolphins surely hoped they were getting more than a depth player and core special teamer when they took Jones early in the third round in 2020. In four seasons with the Dolphins, he never played more than two-thirds of the team’s defensive snaps. While he was a reasonably reliable backup, that’s not quite what early third-round picks should produce. TE Hunter Long (2021, Round 3, No. 81) - The Dolphins spent a third-round pick on Long and only got one reception in two seasons for their troubles. The tight end was traded to the Rams in 2023 as part of the deal that brought Jalen Ramsey to Miami. LB Channing Tindall (2022, Round 3, No. 102) - Two seasons into his NFL career, the former third-round pick has played only 21 defensive snaps and contributed primarily as a core special teamer. WR Leonte Carroo (2016, Round 3, No. 86) - The Dolphins traded away three picks (2016 sixth-, 2017 third-, and 2017 fourth-rounders) to land Carroo, who rewarded their risk by catching only 12 passes in three seasons with the team. RB De'Von Achane (2023, Round 3, No. 84) - It’s typically not smart to judge a draft pick after only a year or two, but it’s tough not to put Achane high on this list. As a rookie, he scored 11 touchdowns on only 130 touches and averaged an absurd 7.8 yards per rushing attempt. If he continues to look like the player he did in year one, Achane could deserve the top spot on this list in no time. TE Durham Smythe (2018, Round 4, No. 123) - Smythe is never going to scare a defense, but the Dolphins know exactly what they’re going to get out of the veteran tight end. He rarely drops a pass and do enough as a blocker to get the job done. The Dolphins re-signed Smythe in 2022 and extended his contract in 2023. RB Kalen Ballage (2018, Round 4, No. 131) - Ballage had brief flashes of brilliance, including his 75-yard touchdown run against the Vikings as a rookie. But he averaged just 1.8 yards over 74 carries in year two and was unsuccessfully traded and eventually waived by the Dolphins before his third season. G Solomon Kindley (2020, Round 4, No. 111) - Kindley started 13 games as a rookie and looked well-positioned to be a long-term starter for the team. But then Robert Hunt and Liam Eichenberg were both moved to the inside from tackle and Kindley’s time in the starting lineup — and eventually his time with the Dolphins — came to a quick end. WR Erik Ezukanma (2022, Round 4, No. 125) - Ezukanma appeared in only one game as a rookie and looked primed to be a bigger part of the offense in year two. But after getting five touches that were all rushing attempts in the first two games of the year, Ezukanma landed on injured reserve. DT Davon Godchaux (2017, Round 5, No. 178) - While Godchaux was never really a star, he stands out as one of Grier’s few Day 3 picks to become contributors. The fifth-round pick didn’t take long to develop into a reliable, run-stuffing starter for the Dolphins early in his career. The two-year, $15 million deal Godchaux received from the Patriots in 2021 would’ve been enough for a compensatory pick, too, if Miami didn’t spent money on Will Fuller and other free agents that year. LB Andrew Van Ginkel (2019, Round 5, No. 151) Van Ginkel proved to be a diamond in the rough discovery by Grier. After a few years as a reliable contributor, the rotational pass rusher broke out with a career-best year in 2023, finishing with six sacks and a pick-six. His 91.1 grade on PFF was the best of any Dolphins defensive player in 2023 and the two-year, $20 million deal he signed with the Vikings could yield a compensatory pick in 2025. G Isaac Asiata (2017, Round 5, No. 164) - The offensive lineman played in only two games over two seasons and took six snaps all on special teams. DE Jason Strowbridge (2020, Round 5, No. 154) - After appearing in 67 snaps as a rookie and recording three tackles, Strowbridge didn’t make the roster in 2021 and his NFL career ended there. DE Curtis Weaver (2020, Round 5, No. 164) - The fifth-rounder was waived during his first training camp with the Dolphins. WR Jakeem Grant (2016, Round 6, No. 186) - The sixth round is typically a place to find role players and special teamers. If a player can make the 53-man roster and get snaps, that’s a success. Find a player like Grant who scores a handful of touchdowns on offense and turns out to be one of the most dangerous returners in the game? That’s even better. S Jordan Lucas (2016, Round 6, No. 204) - The sixth-round pick appeared in 19 games over two seasons with the Dolphins, playing almost exclusively on special teams. DT Vincent Taylor (2017, Round 6, No. 194) - Taylor appeared in 13 games as a rookie and was off to a good start in his second season with two sacks and three tackles for loss through eight games before his year ended with a foot injury. That setback turned out to be the end of his career in Miami too. CB Cornell Armstrong (2018, Round 6, No. 209) - Armstrong appeared in 15 games with the Dolphins as a rookie, but was released at the end of training camp in 2019. LS Blake Ferguson (2020, Round 6, No. 185) - Drafting a long snapper is about as unglamorous as it gets. But if the goal was to find a reliable player who would lock down the position for years, mission accomplished. TE/WR Elijah Higgins (2023, Round 6, No. 197) - The 6’3 pass catcher didn’t make the 53-man roster and couldn’t be added to the Dolphins’ practice squad as several teams jumped at the chance to claim him. OT Isaiah Prince (2019, Round 6, No. 202) - The Dolphins tossed Prince into action as a rookie, but the sixth-rounder unsurprisingly struggled. When he was waived in December after appearing in four games and starting two, the Bengals scooped him up. QB Brandon Doughty (2016, Round 7, No. 223) - The Dolphins traded up in the seventh round to get Doughty, but he never appeared in an NFL game. TE Thomas Duarte (2016, Round 7, No. 231) - In two years with the Dolphins, Duarte spent most of his time and the practice squad and played just two snaps. WR Isaiah Ford (2017, Round 7, No. 237) - Ford bounced on and off the practice squad throughout his four years with the Dolphins, which included a month with the Patriots sandwiched in the middle. Over 32 games with Miami, he caught 63 passes for 681 yards and two touchdowns. Not bad for a player taken 16 picks before Mr. Irrelevant. LB Quentin Poling (2018, Round 7, No. 227) - Poling spent his rookie year on the Dolphins’ practice squad, but never appeared in a game with the team. K Jason Sanders (2018, Round 7, No. 229) - Less than 30 picks before the end of the 2018 NFL draft, the Dolphins found a kicker who earned All-Pro honors in 2020 when he made 36 of his 39 field goals and all of his extra points. RB Myles Gaskin (2019, Round 7, No. 234) - Gaskin was a tremendously productive collegiate back, but barely earned a spot in the 2019 NFL draft after measuring in at 5’9 and running a 4.56 40-yard dash. Yet, he not only made the Dolphins roster but scored 13 touchdowns in his first three seasons before the arrivals of Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane eventually pushed him off the roster. RB Chandler Cox (2019, Round 7, No. 233) - Cox transitioned to fullback, but only averaged about nine snaps per game over two seasons and was released prior to the 2021 season. RB/WR Malcolm Perry (2020, Round 7, No. 246) - The former U.S. Naval Academy alum caught nine passes for 92 yards and a touchdown as a rookie with the Dolphins, but didn’t make the roster in 2021. OT Larnel Coleman (2021, Round 7, No. 231) - Coleman spent his rookie year on injured reserve and played a grand total of one snap in his second season with the Dolphins before he was signed by the Panthers. RB Gerrid Doaks (2021, Round 7, No. 244) Doaks spent his rookie season on the Dolphins’ practice squad, but never played in an NFL game. OLB Cameron Goode (2022, Round 7, No. 224) - After spending his rookie year on the practice squad, Goode appeared in all 17 games in 2023. While he only took 76 defensive snaps, he showed some good things, generating four pressures and a 71.7 grade on PFF. If he continues his upward trajectory, Goode may prove to be a factor on a team that currently lacks pass rushing depth. QB Skylar Thompson (2022, Round 7, No. 247) - Taken 15 spots before Brock Purdy, Thompson was forced into two regular season starts and a playoff start as a rookie and struggled with the opportunities. In 2023, he was a healthy scratch for the entire year after landing behind Mike White on the depth chart. OL Ryan Hayes (2023, Round 7, No. 238) - It’s too early to judge Hayes, spent his rookie season on the Dolphins’ practice squad after a three-year stint with the Colts.
Yes, I always say hindsight is 20/20, but there’s enough blatant flubs to say maybe, just maybe he’s doesn’t know what he’s doing. lol
I agree it was to early to pick him but he had a borderline first round grade going into the draft. Grier likes to gamble and take potential over production, hope it works out with Robinson, he does that to often imo.
I think his picks are only part of the story. His free agents should be taken into account. His 1st round and 2nd round picks have been pretty damn solid. 3rd round not so much.
This exactly. Grier is a gambler and that is not the way to be successful at drafting. He thinks he will look like a genius overdrafting these guys but it almost never works. Teams who draft production over project players with potential more often than not end up with a better success rate. And even the guys that grier overdrafts for potential who are bad at first but end up being decent after a while (Jacskon for example) never actually end up being great players, just serviceable. It's not worth the risk. Overall Grier's drafting deserves a solid D-.
Playing it safe is the best way to draft. Grier has never understood that unfortunately which is why we have sucked at drafting for so long.
Does he? His 1st round is (90%) 2nd round picks 6 out of 8 (could be 7 - 75%-80%). His 3rd rounders he's 50%. 4th round 1 for 3 (1 TBD). 50% on 5th round. 4 for 7 in the 6th (57%). 5 for 13 on 7th rounders (39%). Now that being said, many of those picks aren't with the team anymore which is within his scope. But to say he doesn't draft well I can't really agree with. And you can't look back and say "he could have had this guy or that guy after the fact". I just don't think crystal ball after the fact is fair. Where he really lacks is keeping his draft picks and failed free agents IMO.
You could make a pretty strong argument that from the 2023 and earlier drafts, which Grier was the GM for eight of them, the only player drafted after the first round who's a lock to come back in 2025 is Achane. That's it. Holland is likely leaving as a free agent, and his play has been lousy regardless. Eichenberg is hopefully gone. Smythe probably will be. Ferguson and Sanders are question marks, and that's the long snapper and kicker anyways, so if they're anyone's argument in favor of Grier, its a weak one. And then Cam Smith, Tindall, Ezukanama, and Goode have done quat so far, and at best would be fighting for jobs in camp. It is a horrendeous job at building and sustaining a team. Just awful.
He had Cam Smith and Achane in 2 and 3. And then not another pick until the 6th and this is the draft you're saying it all rides on? You said he's been horrible drafting. Look I think the guy should go becasue of his mismanagement of free agents, being able to keep the players he did draft and the way he built the roster, but his percentages on draft hits is pretty damn good. Wish we could compare it to other GM's in the same way. I think your intense dislike for him is clouding your judgement on just the pure ability to draft.
He screws the team over by giving away draft picks, or he screws the team over by drafting bad players. We lose either way. Truly, over the length of his time with the team, how many useful players has he taken after the high second round? Almost anyone that can even be considered is a ST specialist, and those are guys other teams often get as UDFA.
No one would listen to me when I said from the get predraft he’s a slot exclusive only player, no one not even ****ing coaches
I have a strong suspicion you are grading these very leniently. Just because a player is not a total bust does not mean it was a good pick or was worth picking them where we picked them. Overall grier overdrafted many players, and even the ones that worked out decent did not turn into superstars. Only all pro he drafted who stayed with the team was Howard. He had a ton of draft capital to work with, probably more than any other GM, and we have very little to show for it.
Every 1st round pick is not a superstar. You might get 2 a draft. Almost every 1st rounder is above average. Tunsil, Fitzpatrick, Wikens, Tua, Waddle and Phillips are stars. 3 or 4 maybe superstars.
You are right that not every 1st round pick is not a superstar but I do believe that every first round pick (except quarterback) should be a day 1 starter. You can’t draft project players in the first round. OL, DL, LB, RB…if you draft those positions in the 1st round, they had better be day 1 starters. Grier has a history of drafting players higher that they should have been while passing on players he shouldn’t have.
Where did those stats come from? I'd love to see how that was created. If one does not want to compare to what could have been, then yeah Greer is the most awesome GM ever.
Those are my stats. Looking at what they have done so far whether with the Dolphins or not. You might have a different ruler than me but I thought it was fair. Again I'm not trying to defend Grier. I just don't think his drafting is as bad as you all are making it out to be once it's put up and looked at.
