From now until 2023 NFL DraftI’m going to feature some of my favorite drafts in dolphinsgreatest areas of need. Heading into the second day of the draft, General Manager Chris Greer and Head Coach Mike McDaniel will be looking for starters and/or depth in several areas of need on the roster. The biggest needs, in my opinion, are right tackle, tight end, linebacker, left guard and running back. Maybe that’s what I’ll order them too! Of course, there are other areas that Miami can tackle and different ways to do it, but for now, these are Miami’s glaring weaknesses (IMO).
So. Without further ado, here are five tight ends that the Miami Dolphins should draft in the 2023 NFL Draft.
(If you miss 5 running backs you should target for the Miami Dolphins in this 2023 NFL Draft article, click here)
Darnell Washington, Georgia
hometown: Vegas, Nevada
to rise: 6’7
Weight: 270 lbs.
2022 Statistics: 28 receptions for 454 yards and two touchdowns.
Remember that kid in seventh grade who was laughably bigger than everyone else, making him the first pick at recess no matter what the sport?
I feel the same way watching Darnell Washington pic.twitter.com/zebU07E3JA
– Josh Norris April 16, 2023
Shortly after the gathering, I boldly stated that Darnell Washington would Possible Unavailable when the Dolphins are on the clock in pick #51. And while that’s still the case, I think there’s a better chance now that he’ll be available than ever before. Unlike some other tight ends in this category, Washington was underutilized in Georgia. He’s impressive as a run blocker and equally impressive at pass protection, but he has some work to do as a pass pro and roadblock.
Will that be enough for the general managers to pass him on in favor of some of the other players in this class? Mostly not. And if I still had a pick of the litter—outside the top two, Dalton Kincaid and Michael Meyer—Darnell Washington would be my friend. Now, lettuce is praying he drops to No. 51 — so Miami can get a game-changing tight end and the actual sixth offensive lineman the team desperately needs.
Sam LaPorta, Iowa
hometown: Highland, Illinois
to rise: 6’4
Weight: 249 lbs.
2022 Statistics: 58 receptions for 657 yards and 1 touchdown.
Iowa State tight end Sam LaPorta is the prospect many are considering excellent Suit Mike McDaniel’s offense. It’s also the probability that most draft picks will have the Dolphins ranked 51st overall. Of course, that doesn’t mean he’s the guy, but Miami met him during the recruiting process. And while most of Iowa’s 2022 season was overshadowed by mediocre quarterback play, Laporta has emerged as the team’s best offensive weapon.
It’s fine as a blocker but it won’t wow you like Darnell Washington, but that’s okay. He makes up for this with his clever running and quick feet. He is also very good at catching and bringing in disputed catches. And unlike some of the tight ends Dolphins fans are used to, he doesn’t come down on first contact. The LaPorta is a beast, and if it were the #51 option, I wouldn’t lose any sleep on it—and neither should you.
Luke Musgrave Oklahoma State
hometown: Bend, Oregon
to rise: 6’6
Weight: 253 lbs
2022 Statistics: 11 receptions for 169 yards and 1 touchdown. (suffered an injury towards the end of the season)
At first, I was a little hesitant to watch Luke Musgrave from Oklahoma State, considering some of the talk going around Twitter was that he reminded former Dolphins draft analyst Mike Gesicki. To me, that immediately meant he couldn’t block and struggled to pick up yards after catch. Fortunately, this is not the case completely Musgrave condition. Like LaPorta, he’s an apt blocker in the running and passing game. But that doesn’t stop him from looking the tight end of the NFL. From what I’ve seen, he doesn’t break a lot of tackles or make yards after a catch, but that wouldn’t stop him from being an NFL staple for a team that’s willing to take a chance on a player who’s coming off a big stint. knee injury
Could Musgrave be the tight end Mike McDaniel covets to take the offense to the next level? It is certainly possible. And like both Washington and Laporta, the Dolphins will likely have to pull the trigger on the 51st to make it happen. Personally, I like Tucker Kraft more than Musgrave and think he would be better suited to what Miami is trying to do offensively.
Tucker Craft, South Dakota State
hometown: Timber Lake, San Diego
to rise: 6’5
Weight: 255 lbs
2022 Statistics: 27 receptions for 348 yards and three touchdowns.
We all remember when the Dolphins selected Mike Gesicki over Dallas Goedert from South Dakota State in the 2018 NFL Draft. Many experts Pre-draft Miami had taken Goedert, so when Miami was on the clock, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that he would be the pick. Fast forward five years later, another South Dakota tight end is in the draft, and he might be a better prospect than Goedert — if you can believe it. Kraft is very good at blocking, but what stands out most when watching the tape is how much of a bully he is with the ball in his hands. Maybe it’s because he competed in the Moutain West Conference, but he seemed like a man among the boys, often fighting through one or two fullbacks before picking up extra yards. He’s also a good road runner.
In general, I am a huge fan of Kraft. Plays like a refrigerator on a skateboard. And I believe that under coach John Embry and Mike McDaniel, he can take the Dolphins offense to the next level. Craft is officially on Men’s crush list for 2023.
Brenton Strange, Pennsylvania
hometown: Dalton, Georgia
to rise: 6’3
Weight: 246 lbs
2022 Statistics: 32 receptions for 362 yards and five touchdowns.
In a draft with several stellar TE leads, Brenton Strange is an interesting guy on Day 2/3. Good frame makes himself available as a target in the red zone, aggressive and strong hand as a blocker, and has some post-holding skills pic.twitter.com/tjjsyNOGr1
– Billy M (@ BillyM_91) April 20, 2023
Brenton Strange is an exciting prospect that McDaniel and the Dolphins frequently met on Penn State pro day. There have even been videos of him and the Miami manager listening to music on his iPhone. Strange, like LaPorta, has been hampered by poor quarterback play for most of his collegiate career, but that hasn’t stopped him from being a great playmaker on the Nittany Lions offense. It is not necessary great At anything but he can do it all very well. pass protection? check. Block run? check. He’s also an above-average road runner who always found a way to make it happen when Penn State needed a big play.
I’m not sure what round Strange will be coined, but there’s a perfect chance he’s the tight end the dolphins aspire to be. And based on their experience with the Nittany Lions tight ends, it’s probably worth pursuing.
What are your thoughts on the tight end class in this year’s NFL Draft? Do you think the Miami Dolphins will target one with the 51st overall pick? Which late draft prospect do you favor because of Mike McDaniel’s offense? Let us know in the comments section below!