Breaking Down the Dolphins UDFA Class
The Miami Dolphins got just as much contribution last year from the undrafted rookies as they did from their entire 2022 draft class.
Cornerback Kader Kohou started 13 of the 15 games he played for Miami, and contributed 72 tackles, one interception and forced one fumble.
That was far more of a contribution than Miami got from Channing Tindall, Erik Ezukanma, Cameron Goode and Skylar Thompson, the four draftees in 2022.
The hope is that someone in the 2023 crop of undrafted rookies the Dolphins added Saturday night follows in Kadou’s footsteps, becoming a pleasant surprise that supplements Miami’s thin, four-player 2023 draft class, which featured cornerback Cam Smith, tailback Devon Achane, receiver Elijah Higgins, who Miami plans to convert to tight end, and offensive lineman Ryan Hayes.
The Dolphins have agreed to terms with 18 undrafted free agents, according to league sources and reports from other media outlets, putting the team at the 90-player roster limit.
THE DOLPHINS ROOKIE FREE AGENT CLASS
Miami added to its offensive line by agreeing to terms with San Diego State center Alama Uluave, Michigan State tackle Jarrett Horst, South Dakota tackle Alex Jensen and University of Miami offensive lineman DJ Scaife.
Horst was selected with the first overall pick in the 2023 USFL draft by the Michigan Panthers back in February. Scaife started 51 games over five seasons with the Hurricanes, Scaife possesses versatility to play guard or tackle.
University of Miami edge rusher Mitchell Agude, UCF defensive lineman Anthony Montalvo, Mississippi State defensive lineman Randy Charlton and USC defensive lineman Brandon Pili were added to fortify the defensive trenches.
Jackson State linebacker Aubrey Miller, Nebraska linebacker Garrett Nelson, Illinois State linebacker Zeke Vandenburgh, Oregon safety Bennett Williams, Stanford cornerback Ethan Bonner were the other defenders added.
Miller is the only player in this group draft analysts felt could be selected in the later rounds. The undersized linebacker contributed 117 tackles, 6.5 sacks and forced five fumbles in the 13 games he played for Deion Sanders' HBCU program last season before he moved on to become head coach at Colorado.
Arkansas State quarterback James Blackman, who began his college career at Florida State, BYU running back Chris Brooks, Cal-Poly receiver Chris Coleman, Western Kentucky receiver Daewood Davis and Campbell tight end Julian Hill were the offensive skill position players added.
During his college career, Brooks rushed for 2,551 yards and scored 27 touchdowns, and Davis caught 116 passes for 1,737 yards and scored 16 touchdowns.
COMPETITION AT PUNTER?
Oklahoma punter Michael Turk, the nephew of former Dolphins punter Matt Turk, was the only specialist added. He likely will compete with former Patriots Pro Bowl punter Jake Bailey to determine which punter makes it onto the 53-man roster.
However, considering the Dolphins guaranteed all of Bailey’s $1.1 million contract, Turk likely will have to drastically outperform Bailey to unseat him.
Turk, who averaged 47.2 yards per punt during his college career, which had its time split between Arizona State and Oklahoma, was the only member of this undrafted rookie haul who was invited to the NFL combine.
“There’s still work to be done,” General Manager Chris Grier said after the Dolphins completed the 2024 draft. “We’ll be trying to add the best players we can, and hopefully we’ll find a couple undrafted gems or hidden gems for us to help the roster.
“People have seen kind of what’s transpired here over the last year,” Grier said, referring to undrafted rookies contributing to the team. “It speaks for the players that have wanted to come here.”
The Dolphins have leaned heavily on undrafted rookies to enhance the roster for more than a decade.
That’s how the Dolphins ended up with Davone Bess, Chris McCain, Neville Hewitt, Jonathan Freeny, Jordan Kovacs, A.J. Francis, Preston Williams, Nik Needham, Robert Jones and Kohou over the years, and finding those kinds of undrafted gems will be critical to this franchise’s success the next two seasons as the salary cap gets challenged by eight massive contracts that eat up $187 million in cap space next season.
Last year the Dolphins signed 14 undrafted rookie free agents and two of them — Kohou and tight end Tanner Conner — made the initial 53-man roster. Safety Verone McKinley III ended the season on the active roster after being signed off the practice squad, and wide receiver Braylon Sanders played three games after being elevated from the practice squad.
