Breaking Down Dolphins Rookie Minicamp Tryout Players

The Dolphins invited 20 players to tryouts at rookie minicamp. Here's a look at some of the notable names.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) rushes for yards en route to a touchdown against New York Jets cornerback Kendall Sheffield (27) during the fourth quarter Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins' rookie minicamp is this weekend, and with it comes an opportunity for the team’s young players to make a good first impression. 

While the team’s eight-player draft class and 16-player undrafted free agency class are likely to get most of the headlines, the Dolphins also invited 20 players to minicamp on a tryout basis. 

These players are long shots to make the roster, but it’s still worth looking at a few notable names since there’s always a chance one of these players sneaks onto the practice squad at some point. 

An Interesting Veteran Cornerback 

Although it’s rookie minicamp, veteran players are sometimes brought in to try out. That’s the case with Kendall Sheffield. The veteran cornerback has bounced around the league quite a bit since the Falcons selected him in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL draft. 

He started 20 games across his first two seasons but hasn’t played more than 100 defensive snaps since 2020. Last season, he played 92 defensive snaps and 48 special teams snaps with the New York Jets. 

Sheffield is worth mentioning because the Dolphins’ cornerback room is barren. With Jalen Ramsey not expected to be on the roster for Week 1, Miami's group is lacking multiple starters and reliable depth pieces. 

Still, it would be shocking if Sheffield ended up being a factor in that room. 

NFL Roots 

A few of the tryout players are related to players who have played in the NFL.

The most obvious is quarterback Brett Gabbert, the brother of Blaine Gabbert, who was selected 10th overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2011 NFL draft. Brett Gabbert battled injuries in college but started 53 games for Miami (Ohio). 

Tennessee offensive lineman Cooper Mays is the brother of Carolina Panthers guard Cade Mays. Cooper Mays made 53 starts at Tennessee, but has a lot of names to climb over on the depth chart in Miami. 

Lastly, Notre Dame edge rusher RJ Oben is the son of former offensive tackle Roman Oben. Roman started 130 games across 12 seasons and currently serves as the NFL's Vice President of Football Development. RJ Oben is a raw pass rusher who recorded 15 sacks in four seasons between Duke and Notre Dame.

A Local Product 

Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Sam Brown Jr. received some buzz during the pre-draft process and is the only local product receiving a tryout this weekend. 

Brown Jr. had 36 catches for 509 yards and two touchdowns, catching passes from the eventual No. 1 overall pick, Cam Ward. The receiver was expected to have a much more impactful season after he put up 62 catches for 815 yards and three touchdowns for Houston in 2023. 

Still, Brown has good natural tools and is a bigger player, checking in at 6-2, 200 pounds. That fits with the other bigger receivers Miami has at rookie minicamp, like Andrew Armstrong (Arkansas) and Theo Wease Jr. (Missouri).

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