Why the Dolphins Selected CB Cam Smith With Their 2023 Pick
The biggest errors General Manager Chris Grier had made during his time running the draft for the Miami Dolphins came from drafting for need.
Grier has consistently stated that taking the highest-rated player on the team’s board is the ideal approach for building a healthy roster, and the Dolphins seemingly did that by selecting South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith with the 51st pick in the 2023 NFL draft.
Cornerback happens to be one of Miami’s deepest positions following this offseason trade for Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey and the re-signing of Nik Needham. But that didn’t stop the Dolphins from adding the instinctive cornerback, who many draft analysts viewed as a top 50 talent in this draft class.
“Cam Smith is a very gifted athlete,” said NFL draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah. “Really loose and really fluid. Some thought he’d sneak into the first round. Some thought he’d be there in the third.”
The run on tight ends started later than expected in the second round, and there were some top-tier offensive linemen still available when Miami was on the clock, but the Dolphins’ top needs went unaddressed.
Ohio State offensive linemen Dawand Jones, Georgia tight end Darnell Washington, Minnesota center John Michel Schmitz, Florida guard O’Cyrus Torrence, Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson all were available to Miami, but the Dolphins felt the best approach was to stick to their board and add a cornerback who produced 91 tackles and six interceptions in his four seasons with the Gamecocks.
Smith can play inside and out and is viewed as a natural fit for new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s zone scheme.
“My hands, my feet, my hips," Smith said when listing off the strengths to his game. "Being able to get on top of dudes and playing even ... being able to be in those positions (to make plays). My hands, feet and hips being all in one is what separates me from a lot of dudes."
Smith ran a 4.43 time in the 40-yard dash, and broad jumped an impressive 11 feet, 2 inches, which is an indicator that he's an outstanding athlete.
He’s viewed as an effective run defender who will come up to stop runners and pass catchers. The downside of Smith is that he’s got limited ball production and has a knack for drawing penalty flags.
The Dolphins seemingly had inside knowledge about Smith because Grier's son, Landon Grier, is a walk-on cornerback for the Gamecocks.
Smith gave Landon a ton of credit for schooling him on what NFL teams are looking for, knowledge Landon gained from growing up around an NFL franchise.
"Having that in my back pocket was great," Smith said of Landon, who he thanked on Twitter after being selected. "They told me Landon was calling them about me. I’m grateful for it."
The last time the Dolphins drafted a cornerback was Noah Igbinoghene, who was selected with the 30th pick in the 2020 NFL draft. Igbinoghene is viewed as a bust because of how little impact he’s had the past three seasons.
But the Dolphins have made up for his stalled development by grooming Needham and Kader Kadou, two undrafted cornerbacks, and turning them into fringe NFL starters.
Smith likely will compete with Needham, Kadou and Trill Williams for a role as Miami's third cornerback, and/or the primary backup role to Ramsey and Xavien Howard.
