Dolphins-Related Combine Soundbites
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The 2023 NFL scouting combine wrapped up Sunday with on-field work for offensive linemen and running backs, one day after all media sessions for the prospects concluded.
In those four days of combine press conferences, which began with linebackers Wednesday, the prospects in Indianapolis addressing all sorts of topics that includes the teams with which they had met, the strengths and weaknesses of their game, as well as NFL connections.
Since we were at the Indiana Convention Center for all the prospect interviews, we were able to dig up a bunch of Dolphins-related comments that stood out.
SHORTEST PROSPECT A BIG FAN OF SKYLAR
Running back Deuce Vaughn was measured at 5-5, making him the shortest combine prospect in almost two decades, but he was an uber productive at Kansas State the past two seasons.
Vaughn's quarterback in 2021 was none other than Skylar Thompson, and he had nothing but praise for him.
"Man, he's a leader of men," Vaughn said. "First and foremost. He's the guy that I came in as a freshman and he was a junior, I believe at the time, and took me under his wing. He's one of those guys that anytime you're in the huddle with him, there was a sense of calmness, there was a sense of urgency that you needed in a quarterback. Anytime I was in the huddle sitting next to him, man, I felt so comfortable because I understood that he knew what to do. He's gonna put us in a position to be successful. And man as a person, he's somebody I look up to every single day and I still text to this day because that's just the kind of person he is.
"Man, it was huge (for him to start games for the Dolphins as a rookie), and I was rooting for him every single game. I texted him before every one and it was really really cool to see him in there. And it's just the start to the beginning of a great career for him."
Vaughn indicated he had an informal meeting with the Dolphins.
"It went really well," he said. "I was able to talk to the running back coach and we talked a lot of ball and it was got some really good perspective. It was really cool. He asked me if I was the coach and he was there as the running back that was coming into the draft to give him some questions. So it was cool to put that in perspective. "
THE OREGON BUDDIES
Running back Travis Dye closed out his collegiate career at USC, but not before he played four seasons at Oregon, where he was teammates with Dolphins safeties Jevon Holland and Verone McKinley.
Dye indicated he was tight with the two defensive backs, but with a caveat.
"We had a great dynamic relationship all three of us, Jevon and Verone," Dye said. "Those guys are tied to the hip."
TUA AND THE POLYNESIAN IMPACT
Practically every Polynesian prospect talked about the pride of representing their culture, whether it was Oregon linebacker Noah Sewell or Alabama linebacker Henry To'oto'o.
And that brings us to Tua Tagovailoa, who was selected as the Polynesian College Player of the Year in 2018 and 2019 and this past season was named the Polynesian NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
Brigham Young wide receiver Puka Nacua, as it turns out, was the Polynesian High School Player of the Year in 2018 when he shared the award with Tua's younger brother, Taulia.
Nacua, who says he's a "huge fan" of Tua, met with the Dolphins at the combine.
"Got a chance to meet (wide receivers coach) Wes Welker and I kind of got to go over some of the formations and some of the concepts that they have installed," Nacua said. "It was a really good meeting."
MEETING WITH THE DOLPHINS
Other prospects shared what went down in their meeting with the Dolphins at the combine:
-- South Alabama wide receiver Jalen Wayne, whose cousin is longtime Colts receiver Reggie Wayne: "I feel like they liked me a lot and I asked them if I fit into the program and they asked me if I was fast. I told them yeah. I would be able to fit in with Tykree and Jaylen Waddle, I guess."
-- Princeton wide receiver Andrei Iosivas, who's from Hawaii and played against Tagovailoa in high school: "Yeah, I talked to Wes Welker. It was good. He's a really nice guy. He's super laid-back and just asking me about football, asking me about my life. So it was pretty chill." Iosivas then was asked about the idea of playing with a Hawaiian quarterback in the NFL on a team coached by a fellow Ivy League (Mike McDaniel): "That'd be super interesting. I wouldn't mind going there at all."
-- Mississippi running back Zach Evans, whose indicated his favorite running back growing up was Leonard Fournette: "We got up on their film, they showed me the physicality they want in the backfield. I feel I can apply that."
-- Kansas linebacker Lonnie Phelps: "They really were interested in my special teams, my 2021 film, running down on kickoffs, being a maniac and showing my speed and showing how fast I get to the ball."
THE FINAL WORD
And then, of course, there was the famous quote from linebacker Jack Campbell of Iowa when he explained what he meant by saying he has to be amphibious at his position.
When I think of amphibious, I think of a frog," he said. "You can go in the water, you can go on the land. At linebacker you've got to play the run, take on blocks, you've got to be able to use your hands. You've got to be violent back there. But also you've got to drop back into coverage. I'm going to use this guy as an example: Tyreek Hill. I'm going to have Tyreek Hill in the slot, so I have to be able to take on 330 pound guys and defeat them and then go tackle a Nick Chubb. The next play I'm going to have to cover Tyreek Hill. That's the context I'm talking about."
