Dolphins Select Georgia LB With First Pick
After patiently waiting their turn in the 2022 NFL draft, the Miami Dolphins finally made their selection late Friday night and they settled on a speedy linebacker from one of the all-time best defenses in college football history.
With the 102nd selection, the Dolphins drafted Channing Tindall from the University of Georgia.
The Bulldogs set an NFL draft record with five first-round selections off their defense this year, and Tindall became the seven Georgia defender drafted when the Dolphins took him.
The Dolphins are scheduled to have three picks Saturday, one in the fourth round and two in the seventh round.
Tindall was among the players the Dolphins brought in for a top 30 pre-draft visit and he was among the potential Dolphins draft targets that we profile in recent days.
This is what Dante Collinelli of BlueChip Scouting wrote about Tindall before the draft:
Draft Profile: Channing Tindall, LB, Georgia
Channing Tindall's Background
Tindall operated in a rotational role for all four years with the Bulldogs, but he easily had his best season in 2021. He finished with 67 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 19 quarterback hits, and 5.5 sacks while earning a spot on the AP All-SEC second team.
Although Tindall wasn’t a consistent starter for the Bulldogs, he missed only three games across four seasons, and he played in every game as a freshman. Before coming to Georgia, Tindall was a four-star recruit from Spring Valley High School in Columbia, South Carolina. He was ranked as the nation’s fifth-best outside linebacker that year. He also competed in the discus and shot put while in high school.
The 6-2, 230-pound linebacker performed well at the NFL combine, posting a 4.47 40-yard dash, a 42-inch vertical jump, and a 129-inch broad jump.
Channing Tindall Scouting Report
Run Defense: Tindall is an aggressive downhill run defender. He does a good job shooting gaps to make tackles for loss. He understands how to avoid contact at the second level, giving him a clear path to the ball carrier. When he’s decisive reading run keys, he can be a high-impact player. His arm length can make it hard for him to shed blocks at times, and he’s still learning how to read keys. He’s a physical tackler who doesn’t miss his target when he squares them up in space.
Pass Defense: Tindall’s best asset on passing downs is his ability to rush the passer off the edge. He displays a ton of effort rushing the passer, allowing him to work his way through contact to pressure the quarterback. In coverage, he’s an adequate enough athlete to survive, but he’ll need to improve his overall man-coverage technique and zone-coverage processing in the NFL.
Range: Tindall has enough range to survive in the NFL. He projects as an outside linebacker, so his ability to get sideline to sideline isn’t a deal-breaker. However, he is definitely a high-effort player willing to run down plays at all three levels of the field, even when he’s the backside defender.
Versatility: Tindall’s experience playing on the edge makes him a pretty versatile player. He’s got a nice pass rush repertoire and is smart enough to slide into a middle linebacker role. He doesn’t have the length to be a full-time edge, but he can play there in certain packages.
Round Grade: 3rd
Projected Role: Developmental Starting OLB in a 4-3
How He Fits with the Dolphins
Tindall’s fit with the Dolphins likely would involve a similar role to that of Andrew Van Ginkel. Miami’s defense relies on players who can switch between playing on the line of scrimmage as a true edge rusher and as a more traditional linebacker in space.
Although he wasn’t an every-game starter for the Bulldogs, that is what Tindall did on their national championship-winning defense. He’s only an average athlete on tape but is still effective as both a pass rusher and when dropping into coverage.
Tindall would serve as another versatile piece with pass rush ability on a Dolphins defense that enhances those players’ strengths. Additionally, Tindall could develop into a more traditional middle linebacker with better coaching, which is also a position of need for the Dolphins.
Making the case for drafting Channing Tindall
Drafting Tindall follows the “doubling down on a strength” approach to the NFL draft. Miami has a ton of movable pieces at all three levels of its defense, and Tindall would add another one to the list.
While he’d likely play a similar role to Van Ginkel during the 2022 season, Tindall has the upside to be a long-term running mate with Jerome Baker in the middle of the defense. He’s a tick slow at reading blocks and working through his assignments, but NFL coaching and more playing time could allow him to make a jump in that area.
For the Dolphins, Tindall represents both a player they can utilize effectively in the short term and develop him for an increased role for the long term. This makes him one of the rare players who could be available at pick 102 who has both a high floor and a high ceiling.
