The National Media View on the Dolphins Selecting Tindall

The Miami Dolphins added speed at the linebacker position when they selected Channing Tindall from the University of Georgia with their first pick of the 2022 NFL draft, the 102nd overall selection.

While the pick might not have been considered splashy, it generally earned positive reviews from national draft analysts who handed pick-by-pick grades of the third round.

Here's the rundown:

CBS Sports (Chris Trapasso): Grade: B-

Analysis: Speed, speed, and more speed. A blur on the field. But very unpolished as a LB and not a coverage type yet.

NFL.com (Chad Reuter) — Grade: B+

Analysis: The Dolphins did not have a second-round pick after the Tyreek Hill trade and sent their third-round selection to the Giants in a trade last year to move up for OT Liam Eichenberg. Eichenberg must become a good starter for that deal to tip in Miami's favor. They did receive a third-round pick, however, from the Trey Lance trade last year. They spent that pick on Tindall, who fills a need as an inside linebacker with great speed.

Bleacher Report (Brent Sobleski) — Grade: C+

Analysis: Good things happen for those who wait. Just ask Georgia's Channing Tindall.Tindall waited three years before he became a starter on the Bulldogs defense. He needed time to transition from a high school edge-defender into a capable and reliable off-ball linebacker. "I didn't know a lot about inside linebacker," Tindall told reporters in September. "I just knew it was going to take me a little while to understand it. I didn't try to use it as an excuse to leave or anything like that."Once in the lineup, Tindall's sideline-to-sideline speed became a critical component to Georgia's run to the national championship. The 230-pound linebacker ran a 4.47-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. Tindall doesn't need to be in the starting lineup to impact a game, though. His energy can be beneficial as a sub-package defender or on special teams, where he excelled during his time in Athens.

The former Georgia linebacker isn’t likely to unseat either Jerome Baker or Elandon Roberts, but he may be able to contribute in some of the Miami Dolphins’ sub-packages. Tindall can make his mark early on special teams, as he did during his Bulldogs career. As he gets more comfortable and takes advantage of his speed, he can probably push Roberts out of the lineup.

The Sporting News (Vinnie Iyer) — Grade: A

Analysis: Tindall’s calling card was flat-out speed, combined with great range and finishing ability whenever getting a chance to produce in the Bulldogs’ loaded national championship defense. He fills a big need for the Dolphins and is a great value.

Sports Illustrated (Kevin Hanson) — Grade: B

Analysis: Tindall was a rotational defender for the Bulldogs with no starts in his Georgia career, but he is an explosive athlete (4.47 40-yard dash and 42” vertical jump). While he’s occasionally a step slow to diagnose, he covers ground in a hurry and delivers some big hits as a run defender. He is my 75th-ranked prospect.

Yahoo Sports (Eric Edholm) — Grade: B-

Analysis: A nice spot for Tindall, who emerged last season as a legitimate playmaker on a super-talented defense. He's not yet facile in coverage and will need help getting lined up at times, but the top-shelf athleticism will ease his development. Miami can use more athletes like this to groom.

Pro Football Network (Cam Mellor) — Grade: B

The Dolphins had to wait until the 102nd pick to make their first selection. But all things considered, they were able to acquire an exciting prospect at that point. At the 102nd pick, the Dolphins selected Georgia LB Channing Tindall.

Tindall is one of the highest-upside linebackers in the 2022 NFL Draft. There’s also a lot of projection that comes with him. Tindall has good size at 6’2”, 230 pounds, with arms near 33” long. He’s also an elite athlete with 4.47 speed and a 42” vertical. Tindall very much needs to hone his instincts. He wasn’t an every-down linebacker at Georgia, and when he had to read the play, he was inconsistent. But in a run-and-chase role, his explosiveness and tackling ability will provide value. In the meantime, he can develop on the operational side.

The Athletic (Sheil Kapadia) — Grade: B+

Tindall (6-foot-2, 230) did not start a game in college. But he still played 474 snaps last year and had 67 tackles (7.5 for loss) and 5.5 sacks. Tindall ran a 4.47 and tested athletically as one of the top five linebackers in this year’s class. This is a fine pick at this point in the draft.