Dolphins Potential Draft Target: OT Matthew Bergeron
The 2023 NFL draft is quickly approaching.
The Miami Dolphins don’t have a first-round pick (would have been 21st overall) due to tampering with Tom Brady and Sean Payton, but they do have the 51st overall pick, a third-round pick (85) and two Day 3 picks (198 and 241).
Miami is hoping those picks can help them build on a roster that reached the playoffs this past season for the first time since 2016.
This article series is intended to be an introduction to these players so fans are familiar with a number of options and why they make sense for the Dolphins.
We’ll dive into some simple biographical information, the pros and cons of their game and how they fit into Miami’s scheme or depth chart.
SYRACUSE OL MATTHEW BERGERON
Basic background: Bergeron stepped on campus as a freshman in 2019 and started five games. Once he was entrenched as one of the Orange’s bookend tackles, he never gave the job up. He ended up starting 39 games in four seasons with Syracuse. He started the first eight games of his career at right tackle before flipping over to the left side for the next 31 starts. Bergeron was a two-time All-ACC selection and participated in the 2023 Senior Bowl. He was ranked as the No. 2 overall recruit from Canada in 2019, making him one of many international players starting to make it to the NFL.
Pros of Bergeron's Game
Bergeron’s experience playing both right and left tackle is a huge deal to Miami’s current offensive line predicament. Although he has just eight collegiate starts at right tackle, if the Dolphins wanted him to play there, they wouldn’t have to re-teach him everything. When it comes to his actual play, Bergeron’s athletic ability is probably his biggest strength. While he’s not generally explosive, he’s smooth in pass sets. His feet don’t cross over much, allowing him to win against speed rushers frequently. This also makes him an ideal zone blocker in the running game, something Miami is likely looking for in its lineman. Additionally, his experience shows up in how he handles stunts and twists. He appears to be a good communicator, and he’s got the athletic ability to pass off defensive linemen with teammates while not compromising his gap.
Cons of Bergeron's Game
Bergeron has some technical skills he needs to clean up. His hand placement, especially in pass protection, could be more consistent. This prevents him from extending his arms and locking out rushers early in reps. He has good arm length (33¾ inches) but doesn’t always take advantage of it. The other primary concern with his game is his lack of overall power. He won’t be a mauler in the running game or create a consistent vertical push up front. Bergeron can use angles to win in this area, but the lack of power limits him a bit. Bergeron’s lack of functional strength and power shows up in pass protection, too. Rushers can compromise Bergeron’s anchor with a strong speed-to-power move. He’ll have to add some more core strength at the next level. At the end of the day, all of Bergeron’s shortcomings are fixable, and his strengths are based more on natural ability. That’s the type of profile worth targeting, even if there are some ugly reps on tape.
HOW MATTHEW BERGERON FITS THE MIAMI DOLPHINS
Bergeron fits the Dolphins in two key ways. The first is his right tackle experience. Miami has a hole at that position, and it might not be filled in free agency, leaving the draft as the best option.
It’s been a while since Bergeron has lined up on the right side, but at least he’ll have a solid base on which to build. Getting average play from Bergeron in his rookie season would be an improvement over the play Miami has received from that position in recent seasons.
The second is Bergeron’s scheme fit. Miami’s offense mixes concepts, but they’re still a primary zone-blocking run scheme. Bergeron’s athletic ability and run-blocking demeanor translate well to that scheme.
His limitations in power and functional strength would be at least minimized in head coach Mike McDaniel’s offense. If Bergeron develops, he could become Miami’s long-term left tackle when Terron Armstead leaves.
Chances Bergeron makes it to 51
If Bergeron is on the board at pick 51, the Dolphins shouldn’t consider him. Instead, he should be targeted with pick 85 in the third round.
Bergeron isn’t a polished enough prospect to spend the 51st pick on, and Miami likely will have better options at that point. However, if he’s still on the board at 85, the Dolphins should consider drafting him.
Bergeron should make it to 51, but 85 might be a stretch. Although Bergeron’s talent dictates he should probably be a third- or fourth-round pick, offensive tackles with above-average athleticism tend to go higher than they should.
However, the 2023 offensive line class is pretty deep. The top of the class has some talented players — Broderick Jones, Paris Johnson, Peter Skoronski — but they’re projected to go outside the top five, with some even dropping outside the top 20.
If those players fall in the first round, it will push the rest of the class down a bit. There’s a realistic chance Bergeron makes it to 85, and he would make a ton of sense for Miami in that scenario.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for reading. Make sure to bookmark this site and check back daily for the latest Dolphins news and analysis year-round. Also, you can follow Dante on Twitter at @DanteCollinelli.
