Potential Dolphins Draft Target: RB Dameon Pierce
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The 2022 NFL draft isn't going to be as eventful as usual for the Miami Dolphins as the result of not having a first- or second-round pick.
That's a reasonable price to pay, however, to be able to land dynamic playmaker Tyreek Hill from the Kansas City Chiefs.
As things stand right now, the Dolphins won't make their first selection until the latter stages of the third round, the 102nd pick overall, and will pick again in the fourth round before then having to wait until the seventh round.
In the days leading up to the draft, we'll continue profiling prospects who the Dolphins might consider either in the third or fourth round.
Draft Profile: Dameon Pierce, running back, Florida
Dameon Pierce’s Background:
Pierce spent his first three seasons as a rotational contributor in the Gators’ rushing attack. In 2021, Pierce stepped up to lead Florida’s running backs in all major categories, including yards, touchdowns, yards per attempt, and average yards per game.
The senior running back was a four-star recruit from Bainbridge High School in Bainbridge, Georgia where he finished top-10 on the state’s rushing list and recorded 92 total touchdowns.
Pierce is listed at 5-10, 218 pounds with 30¾-inch arms and has 9⅜ hands. He ran a 4.59 40-yard dash, put up 21 reps on the bench press, and jumped 34.5 inches in the vertical jump.
Pierce has a reputation as an iron man. In four seasons with the Gators, he appeared in 50 out of 51 potential games. Pierce’s 93.5 rushing grade was the highest in the FBS this past season, according to PFF.
Pierce’s Scouting Report
Vision: Pierce has cultivated good vision in multiple schemes over the years and understands how to win with sound decision-making, despite some athletic limitations. He’s patient behind the line of scrimmage, allowing his blockers to set up in front of him. He can see defenders in peripheral vision well and does a good job getting the yardage his offensive line provides for him.
Third-Down Skill Set: Pierce wasn’t a featured part of Florida’s passing game much in 2021 (he caught just 19 passes). He does look functional catching the ball out of the backfield on simple concepts like screens and swings, but I wouldn’t count him to do much more than that. As a blocker, Pierce is willing to square up blitzing linebackers, but his blocking technique and lack of size and length puts him at a disadvantage.
Big Play Ability: Pierce lacks a second and third gear he can get to. He’s not going to erase pursuit angles at the NFL level. He has small bursts of acceleration allowing him to create some chunk plays. Pierce is not a creative runner. He doesn’t have the speed or change of direction skills to truly create for himself if plays are not blocked up correctly.
Contact Balance: Pierce has a sturdy and well-built lower half. He uses it to pinball his way through contact and pick up extra yards. He broke 39 tackles on just 100 rushing attempts in 2021. Pierce has enough power in his frame to run fully through contact as well.
Round Grade: Late 4th - Early 5th
Projected Role: Rotational contributor in any scheme
How He Fits on the Dolphins
Miami made two investments at the running back position during free agency by bringing in Raheem Mostert and Chase Edmonds, and last year’s leading rusher, Myles Gaskin, is still on the roster. With that said, there is still a clear path to playing time for Pierce.
Pierce brings a much different skill set than Mostert, Edmonds and Gaskin. He’s much more powerful in his lower half, making him a better option for short-yardage situations. He’s also a consistent presence without an injury history, something that can’t be said for Mostert and Edmonds.
Pierce’s experience working both gap power and zone blocking concepts makes him a solid fit for new head coach Mike McDaniel’s offense. While his offense is primarily known for zone blocking concepts, McDaniel likes to use gap power concepts to keep defenses off balance.
Ideally, Pierce can function as a replacement running back for any of Miami’s backs thanks to his well-rounded skill set and consistent approach.
Making the Case for Drafting Dameon Pierce
Drafting Pierce with one of their first two picks — ideally 125 — would give Miami a diverse backfield, which is important since McDaniel is likely bringing one of the NFL’s most diverse running games with him from San Francisco.
Pierce can provide a steady and powerful presence in a backfield filled with speed backs, who have suffered injuries in recent seasons. He won’t wow fans with long runs or flashy juke moves in space, but for a team that averaged just 3.5 yards per carry last season, Pierce’s career average of 5.5 yards per attempt would be a huge upgrade.
Pierce achieved that number through his ability to break tackles and quality vision. He would make the most out of his runs behind a Dolphins’ offensive line that still has some question marks upfront.
It might not be the most pressing need on the team, but getting someone who projects as a consistent contributor with a late third-round or fourth-round pick is a win. Additionally, Mostert only signed a one-year contract, so Pierce could help replace him in 2023 if needed.
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Dante Collinelli is the director of scouting for BlueChip Scouting.
