Phins Nail Round #1 with Kenneth Grant!

Dolphins went physical in a big way in Round 1 of the 2025 Draft

The Miami Dolphins had needs everywhere, but instead of their usual move of opting to add speed and finesse in the draft, this time they smartly went with size and power by adding mammoth Kenneth Grant. Maybe this will be a trend throughout the rest of the draft? Either way, the addition of Grant was a good move and now Sieler again has a fitting partner in crime and the Phins are stout again inside.

The extra sweet part of Grant’s addition beyond his talent is the Phins set the tone of the round and forced other teams to react, instead of the usual where they are chasing the draft. You can bet with the best pay per head that if Miami can keep this trend up, they might end up with their best draft of the Grier era.

But let’s not count our chickens before they hatch just yet. Before I start celebrating, I’m going to cross my fingers in hopes that we finish this draft strong.

Grant brings a giant lift to the Dolphins defense

Grant as we all know is a big man at 6’4” 334lbs, but while being big is great, not having agility and balance can limit that asset in a big way. Raekwon Davis was a prime example of the downside of a one-dimensional player, and he was even bigger and stronger than Grant. This is why Grant was an excellent pick because he is an athlete who is exceptionally light on his toes, so he possesses some of Davis’s strengths and some of Wilkins’.

I first thought of Grant as a nose tackle and was concerned with him only putting up 22 reps on the 225lbs bench press. But the kid is only 21 years old, and you can grow in strength. So, if Grant can add a little more strength, who knows what his limit will be. Also, with Benito Jones to man the pit between the guard, Grant will play more 2 and 3 techniques compared to nose tackle. Another good thing for Grant, Sieler will take a load of heat off him leaving him plenty one-on-one, and in those situations, he was a dominator in college.

I expect Grant to take a couple of years to reach his full potential. This isn’t a knock because Wilkins took about 3-4 years to hit his stride, and this kid has a higher floor. If Grant can keep the intensity high all game and can get a little stouter, then I expect not only will Wilkens loss not be felt, but he might take the position to a whole other level.

How good will be compared to the rest of the 1st Round DTs?

In Round #1, Walter Nolan went right after Grant at #16 to the Cardinals, Derrick Harmon 21st to the Steelers, and Tyleike Williams 28th to Detroit. Miami kicked off a clear run on defensive tackles. I think not matter what Grant will be good. In fact, I think all four will be good pro players. But how Grant fits into the pecking order a few years down the road will tell if this was a great use of the 13th Overall or just a good one. Either way, I think it’s a winner on some level and I’m happy. Doing well with our top draft capital isn’t always a given, so I’ll just smile and wait to see Grant wreck some havoc in 2025… whatever comes of the season! Go Phins!!!