Phins have Brewer but looking at a mid-round center in this draft
The Miami Dolphins’ first notable offensive line signal of draft season arrived with a reported meeting at the American Bowl: Missouri center Connor Tolson. It’s a small breadcrumb, but it speaks to a bigger question—what kind of offensive line does Miami want to build under its new football leadership, and what does that say about the current roster?
Who is Connor Tollison?
Tolson checks many boxes teams look for at center. He’s athletic, plays with aggression, and shows the kind of intelligence teams value for making protection calls and handling stunts and blitz looks. On film, his movement skills stand out: he can climb to the second level, work laterally, and stay connected in space. That profile fits modern run games that stress defenses horizontally and lean on timing, angles, and play-action credibility.
The concern is simple and serious: power. Tolson is listed around 285 pounds—an extreme outlier for an NFL center and reportedly among the smallest players at his position in this class. Evaluations of undersized centers are always tied to one question: can he anchor against NFL nose tackles when the pocket compresses? When a center gives ground to a bull rush, it doesn’t just affect that rep—it collapses the quarterback’s launch point and ruins the timing of the entire passing concept. It also shows up in short-yardage and red-zone football, where controlling the A and B gaps is often the difference between scoring and settling.
That’s why Tolson profiles as a “home run or strikeout” prospect. If he can add functional strength—particularly through his chest and back—and improve his ability to re-anchor, he could become a major value pick, especially given his athletic baseline and processing ability. If he can’t, he risks becoming another lineman who looks smooth in space but struggles in the most punishing moments of the game.
What Does Interest in Tollison hint at?
This meeting also hints at the Dolphins’ broader philosophy. Miami already has Aaron Brewer in the building, another athletic center type. If the team is spending time on Tolson, it may signal that Brewer is not viewed as a long-term solution—or it could suggest Miami is leaning heavily toward a run identity built around outside-zone principles. The danger, however, is that an offense overly dependent on finesse can get stuck when defenses tighten in December and January. The most successful teams can win outside and inside, and inside runs require centers who can survive power.
Ultimately, you can bet with the best pay per head that the Tolson meeting doesn’t confirm a draft pick—but it does spotlight the central challenge of Miami’s rebuild. The Dolphins must add toughness and stability to the offensive line without repeating past mistakes: over-investing in “traits” while ignoring the one trait that consistently decides NFL games—who can handle power when it matters most.
I can’t help but get my rabbit ears of caution up over targeting a small player at a position that demands physicality. I get the promise, but Grier has left me 50 times bitten and very shy!
Go Phins!!!