Will Dolphins Be in the Bama Business Again?
It's really difficult to predict much of anything when it comes to the Miami Dolphins and the 2022 NFL draft, in large because the team doesn't have a pick in either the first or second round.
But based on the Dolphins' track record since Chris Grier was named general manager in 2016, maybe one good guess is to suggest Miami will be taking a player from the University of Alabama at some point over the next three days.
Since that 2016 draft, the Dolphins have selected five Bama players in the draft, which might not sound like much, except it's tied for most Crimson Tide prospects for any team in that time span with the New England Patriots and the Washington Commanders.
It's also the most popular school for Dolphins draft picks since that 2016 draft, beating Ohio State by two, with only five other schools (Auburn, LSU, Notre Dame, Penn State and Wisconsin) producing more than one of Miami's 47 picks over the past six drafts.
And the Dolphins' Bama picks in recent years have been premium picks, all of them occurring in the third round or earlier.
The Dolphins' Recent Alabama Picks
That includes three first-round picks over the past four years — Jaylen Waddle in 2021, Tua Tagovailoa in 2020 and Minkah Fitzpatrick in 2018. The other two Bama picks since 2016 were running back Kenyan Drake in the third round in that 2016 draft and defensive tackle Raekwon Davis in the second round in 2020.
While it's certainly not the only reason, there's a clear connection between the Dolphins and Alabama with Nick Saban having served as head coach in Miami in 2005-06 at a time when Grier was a national scout and assistant director of college scouting for the team.
It also might have something to do with the fact that Alabama is winning the national championship or competing for it every single, solitary year.
It's not a coincidence that Alabama always has a lot of top-end prospects in the draft, and this year is no different.
Alabama's 2022 Draft Prospects
There were 11 Crimson Tide players at the 2022 scouting combine in Indianapolis, and the group was led by tackle Evan Neal and wide receiver Jameson Williams, both of whom the Dolphins figure to have any shot of landing.
But the other nine conceivably could be in play for the Dolphins, either in the third or fourth round or for some perhaps as late as the seventh round.
Those nine Bama prospects at the combine who don't project as first-round picks are LB Christian Harris, DT Phidarian Mathis, RB Brian Robinson, WR John Metchie III, Edge Christopher Allen, CB Jalyn Armour-Davis, CB Joshua Jobe, DT LaBryan Ray and WR Slade Bolden.
It's really no stretch to believe that. It also would be no surprise if the collection of rookie free agents the Dolphins sign after the draft included one or two Bama players.
The Dolphins simply have been in the Bama business in recent years, and there's every reason to believe it's going to continue.
