The Best Dolphins Non-First-Round Picks of the 2000s
Barring a last-minute trade, the Miami Dolphins again will be without a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft. That doesn't mean, however, they can't land an impact player in the draft because they've shown the ability to find some gems beyond the first round through the franchise history and even more recently.
Not surprisingly, the best post-Round 1 draft picks of the past 20 years have come in Round 2, but the Dolphins also have been able to find some impact players in later rounds.
Here's our top 10 list of the best non-first-round Dolphins draft picks of the 2000s, with the rankings based on the quality of the player in relation to the draft value (where he was selected):
1. CB Xavien Howard, Round 2, 2016
It's easy to forget the Dolphins actually traded up in that 2016 Round 2 to make sure they got Howard, and they obviously knew what they were doing there. Howard has made the Pro Bowl four times in his seven NFL seasons (even if last year wasn't deserved) and when he was at his best in 2020-21 he belonged in the conversation for best cornerback in the league. And it says here he's primed for a big bounce-back season in 2023.
2. WR Jarvis Landry, Round 2, 2014
Landing the LSU standout near the bottom of Round 2, the Dolphins got an immediate star with Landry. In his four seasons with Miami, Landry set the franchise rookie record for receptions, then set the team's overall record, then broke that record when he lead the NFL with 112 catches. On top of the production, Landry brought an attitude to the Dolphins with his feistiness.
3. S Reshad Jones, Round 5, 2010
Arguably the second-best player of the 2010s for the Dolphins behind Cameron Wake, Jones turned out to be quite the steal as a fifth-round pick out of Georgia. Jones finished with 21 picks and four touchdowns in his 10 seasons with Miami.
4. WR Jakeem Grant, Round 6, 2016
Grant gets the nod here for becoming arguably the best kick returner in franchise history after arriving as a sixth-round pick out of Texas Tech. While he never quite emerged as a wide receiver, Grant gave the Dolphins a bona fide weapon in the return game with his six career touchdowns (four on punts, two on kickoffs).
5. DT Paul Soliai, Round 4, 2007
It took a while for the big defensive tackle from Utah to get his career cranking with the Dolphins, but when he did, Soliai became a rock in the middle of the defensive line. As proof of how effective he was, Soliai earned a Pro Bowl selection in 2011 at a position where stats weren't easy to compile.
6. DB Bobby McCain, Round 5, 2015
The Dolphins had a remarkable four picks in the fifth round of the 2015 draft, and McCain ended up the best of the bunch — even if Jay Ajayi had the most memorable season of the four. McCain ended up starting 55 games in six seasons for the Dolphins.
7. G Robert Hunt, Round 2, 2020
Of the Dolphins' five picks in the first two rounds in 2020, it's difficult to argue that Hunt hasn't been the most consistently productive. In three seasons, Hunt has established himself as a foundational piece on the offensive line and it seems a matter of time before he winds up in the Pro Bowl.
8. S Jevon Holland, Round 2, 2021
Holland made an immediate impact after arriving as a second-round pick out of Oregon and the feeling (and hope) is that his game is going to get to a whole other level with the arrival of Vic Fangio as defensive coordinator. If that happens, he'll be moving up this list.
9. DT Davon Godchaux, Round 5, 2017
The 2017 draft was one to forget for the Dolphins because of what happened at the top, but landing Godchaux out of LSU in the fifth round was a coup. Godchaux was a solid starter in the middle of the Miami defensive line for four years before he left for New England.
10. TE Charles Clay, Round 6, 2011
Clay was a multi-position player at Tulsa, and the Dolphins eventually turned him into a tight end/H-back and he was very productive in his final two seasons in Miami. Clay caught 69 and 58 passes in 2013-14 before moving on to Buffalo as a restricted free agent.
HONORABLE MENTION
-- RB Lamar Miller, Round 4, 2012
-- WR Brian Hartline, Round 4, 2009
-- LB Andrew Van Ginkel, Round 5, 2019
-- DE Olivier Vernon, Round 3, 2012
-- TE Durham Smythe, Round 4, 2018
-- DE Kendall Langford, Round 3, 2008
-- S Yeremiah Bell, Round 6, 2003
-- WR Chris Chambers, Round 2, 2001
