The Case For And Against Draft an Offensive Lineman in Round 1

The Miami Dolphins have several needs to address in the draft, and that includes the offensive line

Texas Longhorns offensive lineman Hayden Conner (76) and offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr. (78) and Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Cody Simon (0) in action during the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Ohio State Buckeyes at AT&T Stadium. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The offensive line is among the most popular positions mocked to the Miami Dolphins with the 13th overall pick in the upcoming 2025 NFL draft.

It’s not hard to see why. The team’s line has been a huge weakness for a few seasons, and it's possibly losing its best pass protector, left tackle Terron Armstead. Additionally, the team still needs one more starting guard.

However, Miami already has invested in the offensive line this offseason. James Daniels is expected to fill one guard spot, while Larry Borom and Liam Eichenberg could compete for the other one.

As for replacing Armstead, Patrick Paul is expected to be the starting left tackle after the team selected him in the second round of the 2024 draft.

While it would make sense for the Dolphins to invest another pick in the offensive line, spending their top pick on one isn’t as straightforward as it would seem. We’ve decided to break down the pros and cons of the Dolphins using their first-round pick on an offensive lineman.

The Argument For Selecting an OL in Round 1

The obvious starting point for this argument is that the Dolphins are still missing a starting guard. As mentioned above, Eichenberg and Borom could compete for that spot, but neither player should be considered a solid starter.

Eichenberg struggled mightily last season, whether it was run or pass blocking. He knows the scheme, but his lack of balance and strength makes him a liability if he’s forced to play too many snaps.

Borom is much stronger and a better athlete but did not perform well with the Bears. He played most of his snaps at tackle, and it was clear that he was overwhelmed technically by NFL pass rushers. His limited tape at guard was better, but that small sample size is risky to bet on.

There are also potential holes at the team’s other positions. Daniels is coming off a torn Achilles, so there’s a chance he’s not ready for the start of the season. He might not be the same player he was before he was hurt.

The same could be said of right tackle Austin Jackson, who ended last season on injured reserve with a knee injury that required surgery. Jackson has suffered various injuries in previous seasons, so he’s not exactly reliable, either.

That leaves Paul, who had an up-and-down rookie season. He played well enough to believe he’s got the ability to be a viable starter, but he also wasn’t tested much.

That leaves Aaron Brewer as the only player on the Dolphins’ projected starting line with a proven track record of strong play and no concerning injury history.

Moving past personnel reasons, the Dolphins really struggled to run the ball after Jackson’s injury last season. They lacked a powerful presence up front, and adding a first-round offensive line could go a long way to making Miami’s running game better.

It should also be noted that quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is an incredibly injury-prone player. Although his injuries from last season were on plays where he scrambled past the line of scrimmage, keeping him upright has to be a top priority for the Dolphins.

The Argument Against Selecting an OL in Round 1

While we can poke holes in many of the Dolphins’ starting options up front, there’s also an argument that the team is already comfortable with its four starters.

If healthy for most of the season, Jackson, Paul, Brewer and Daniels make up four-fifths of a solid offensive line. This is especially true for a Dolphins offensive system that gets the ball out quicker than any other team.

That means the Dolphins would be selecting a guard with the 13th overall pick, which opens up several problems. For starters, there isn’t a pure guard who fits the Dolphins’ scheme and is expected to be on the board at 13th overall.

Some have mocked Tyler Booker to the Dolphins in the first round, but we’ve covered why we believe that’s an unlikely option already.

So the Dolphins would have to pivot to selecting a college tackle, playing him at guard as a rookie, and then bouncing him back outside sometime in the future. While that is technically viable, it’s not without its own set of challenges.

Many analysts and fans hand waver over how hard it can be to transition from tackle to guard, but it’s not easy, especially for a player who hasn’t done it before.

Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. is a popular name associated with this thought process. Banks did not play a single snap at guard in college; in fact, he played only left tackle in his three seasons with the Longhorns.

Banks isn’t the only player to whom this applies. Oregon’s Josh Conerly played six guard snaps in college, and Ohio State’s Josh Simmons played zero.

In this hypothetical, the Dolphins would start the 13th pick at guard in Year 1, then move him to tackle in Year 2. However, Paul’s worst tape was at right tackle last season. So, the Dolphins would be forced to move Paul to a position he’s uncomfortable with or ask the hypothetical rookie to learn a second position in as many seasons.

It’s a lot to ask of any young player and adds a lot of risk with the Dolphins’ first pick.

That brings us to the big picture of the Dolphins’ roster. While the offensive line is a need, Miami can still sign a starting-caliber guard in free agency and could address the position later in the draft.

Several needs on the defensive side of the ball should be considered more dire. Cornerback and interior defensive line should jump to the front of the line, and safety should be close behind.

Cornerback and interior defensive line are high-impact positions and much harder to fill late in free agency and the draft. Plus, those positions have good players who might be available when the Dolphins pick, like Will Johnson, Jahdae Barron and Kenneth Grant.

If the Dolphins wait for an offensive line pick, they could select a player who is more comfortable at guard. That would prevent Miami from asking that player to learn too many positions and keep it from shuffling around another young player, like Paul, in the future.

Even if they select a college tackle and transition them to guard, that risk is much easier to accept when it’s the 48th or 98th overall selection.

The Final Verdict

The Dolphins taking an offensive lineman with the 13th overall pick wouldn’t be a bad decision. Firmly investing in that unit would help this team this season and in the future. In a perfect world, a player like Banks can play guard as a rookie and kick out to tackle down the line.

That’s not a bad strategy by any means. However, it’s also not a slam dunk. The Dolphins have a lot of needs at premium positions on defense that line up much better with how the draft is projected to play out.

If a can’t-miss offensive lineman like Will Campbell or Armand Membou falls down the board, as Laremy Tunsil did in 2016, that could change things. But based on where things stand, the Dolphins would be reaching for a player who isn’t a natural fit into the offense.

Whether that’s playing someone in a new position like Banks or taking someone like Booker, who doesn’t fit the team’s prototype at guard.

That is a huge risk for General Manager Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel. They’re under a lot of pressure to win this season, and the 13th overall pick is their most valuable asset to improve the roster.

Miami’s roster is not in a position to throw a dart at an offensive lineman and hope it hits with its first-round pick.

There are worse chances to take, and the offensive line is a need, but given how things are projected to play out, it should be lower on their list in the first round.