Who will be the 1st pick of the Phins 2022 Draft class?
Barring any trades to move up, the Miami Dolphins won’t make their first pick of the 2022 Draft until the 3rd Round with the #102 overall pick. I’ve written that Miami could use another Linebacker, Center and Running back and that all these positions can all be addressed in this draft. It’s a near certainty that one of them will be filled with that first selection.
McDaniel is all about the run game!
With our first pick I’m leaning hard towards Chris Grier drafting a running back. For starters, running backs are not valued heavily in the draft and most teams prefer not to use a first round pick on a runner, since the league has morphed more into a passing league. As a result this means that a top rated running back prospect can still be available in the 2nd and 3rd round.
Sure, there’s definitely going to be a running back selected before Miami finally gets the chance to make their first pick. Still, most of the price per head sites are betting there will still be a top 5 prospect available at that position.
Here are a few running backs that I have my eye on: Brian Robinson Jr, Isaiah Spiller, Kenneth Walker III, James Cook and Dameon Pierce.
My favorite of this group is Brian Robinson Jr from Alabama.
Robinson would be a big addition to the Phins!
First of all Robinson is the biggest back of the above mentioned group… and he’s from Alabama, where they are known for producing NFL stud running backs. Considering that Miami already has tons of speed in their current running back group, a big back that can run over people right and at the heart of the defense would fill a key need. This is exactly what Robinson can do!
If anyone has the chance to watch the film on the Alabama playoff game where they beat Cincinnati, take a look, because Robinson absolutely dominated that game doing exactly that.
The next biggest back of this group is Dameon Pierce from Florida. While under 6 feet tall, Pierce still weighs in at 220 pounds! Pierce is a ultra physical and powerful running back with very low mileage on him since he split carries with two other backs. He was also the best running back at the Senior Bowl showing off very good pass blocking and blitz protection skills, which is always an added plus for a well-rounded back.
Kenneth Walker put up huge numbers and was in the running for the Heisman last year, while basically carrying Michigan State on his back most of the season. Walker racked up 1636 yards and 18 touchdowns and a 6.2 yards per carry average! His running style is a perfect compliment to what we already have at running back because he is a between the tackle runner that can pick up yards after contact
James Cook is the brother of Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook, and he played for Georgia, which is another school that has produced a lot of successful NFL running backs. If he can play anything like his brother, he would be big pick up for Miami. Cook is a smaller back, but is a bit of a speedster, so he may not be that much different then what we currently have on our roster.
Lastly, Texas A&M Isaiah Spiller has some size at 6’0” and 215 pounds but also showed he has quality receiving skills and can produce in the passing game. While not be as fast as some of the other running backs in this draft, Spiller is a well-rounded back and that’s critical to make it as a NFL running back.
Miami should have some pretty good choices in their range on Day 2. Let’s hope the lack of love for the running back position gives Miami a nice surprise at #102!!!
What are the rest of the Miami Dolphins News fans thoughts about drafting a running back in the 3rd Round?