Potential Dolphins Draft Target: OL Zach Tom
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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: Zach Tom, offensive lineman, Wake Forest
Zach Tom’s Background
Tom was a fixture of the Demon Deacons’ offensive line for the past three seasons starting 36 of 37 games — primarily at left tackle and center. His 92.1 pass-blocking grade was the highest among FBS linemen this past season, according to PFF.
The redshirt senior is listed at 6-4, 304 pounds with 33¼-inch arms and 10⅜-inch hands. He ran a 4.94 40-yard dash, a 4.47 20-yard shuttle, and jumped 33 inches in the vertical jump at the NFL combine.
Tom, whose brother Cameron spent the 2021 season the Dolphins practice squad and appeared in one game, attended Catholic-B.R. High School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he played offensive guard and tackle. He was a three-star recruit and rated as the 86th-best guard in his recruiting class by ESPN.
Zach Tom Scouting Report
Pass Protection: Tom’s lower half in pass protection is about as good as it gets. He’s smooth while changing direction, reaches his set points with good speed, and is capable of making adjustments on the fly. He’s great against speed rushers, but he does struggle against power. He’s lacking some core strength and will need to add some muscle in order to deal with NFL power rushers.
Run Blocking: Tom is an above-average athlete who plays with good leverage and technique. He’s quick off the snap, allowing him to get across the face of defensive linemen and seal off rushing lanes. With that said, he lacks the power to move defenders off their spot and out of their gap. He’s not going to be pancaking anyone at the next level. Because of this, he’s only going to be successful in a zone-blocking scheme.
Athletic Ability: Tom moves quite well in space. He’s explosive getting to the second level to block linebackers and he’s capable of pulling outside the tackles to be a lead blocker. Tom’s athletic ability will be a huge asset to him, specifically when/if he kicks inside to center full time in the NFL.
Football IQ: Tom not is only a polished technician but an experienced one too. He’s played more than 1,200 snaps at both left tackle and center with just more than 3,000 total snaps logged for his career. Tom understands the game and how to win with his size limitations. That’s a huge plus. He did struggle with penalties a little bit this past season.
Round Grade: Late 4th-Early 5th
Projected Role: Developmental starting center in a zone-blocking scheme
How He Fits with the Dolphins
Miami’s need at the center position has been talked about at length this offseason, so there's no reason to elaborate a ton on it. However, Tom separates himself for two reasons. The first is scheme fit. His movement skills, body type, and prior experience are exactly what makes for a successful offensive lineman in new head coach Mike McDaniel’s heavy outside zone scheme.
The second reason is upside. Miami has incumbent starter Michael Deiter at center, meaning there is no pressure to force Tom into action too early in his career. He can sit and relearn the center position after spending the 2021 season as the Demon Deacons’ left tackle.
Tom has some physical limitations with his anchor and lack of length, but assuming Miami views him as a long-term center, there isn’t a better scheme fit in the entire NFL.
Making the case for Zach Tom
Besides his athletic upside and being a perfect fit into Miami’s scheme, Tom’s versatility is the best argument for Miami to draft him at either pick 102 or 125. He played all over the offensive line in college, and he did it fairly well.
He won’t be a long-term offensive tackle due to his aforementioned limitations, but he could play there in a pinch if someone goes down with an injury. Essentially, he could serve as a backup at multiple spots in the 2022 season.
It’s not a flashy pick, but it’s a functional one that makes the team deeper at a position that has plagued them for years. After the 2022 season, Tom can compete to start at center for the 2023 season.
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Dante Collinelli is the director of scouting for BlueChip Scouting.
