Examining a Dolphins-Specific Day 2 Big Board

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The Miami Dolphins came away with two selections on our team-specific big board Thursday night when they drafted offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor with the 12th overall selection and cornerback Chris Johnson with the 27th pick after trading up from 30th.
Those two prospects fit the mold of matching good players with needs, though it could be said the Dolphins have needs all over their roster, whether it be defensive end, safety or wide receiver.
Our big board did not include prospects who basically had no shot to be available at the Dolphins' picking spot of 11th, a list topped by the top three picks, Fernando Mendoza, David Bailey, Jeremiyah Love and Carnell Tate.
The list reflected a preferred group of prospects Miami should be prioritizing with its 11 picks in this year’s draft. It was built around team needs, positional value, and where players are expected to come off the board.
In the first round Thursday, 19 players on our big board were selected in the first round: tackle Francis Mauigoa, guard Olaivavega Ioane, cornerback Mansoor Delane, tackle Spencer Fano, defensive end Rueben Bain Jr., wide receiver Makai Lemon, wide receiver K.C. Concepcion, defensive end Keldric Faulk, tackle Monroe Freeling, tackle Blake Miller, tackle Max Iheanachor, tackle Caleb Lomu, wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr., edge defender Malachia Lawrence, defensive tackle Caleb Banks, and guard Kaylen Rutledge — and, of course, the two players the Dolphins drafted, Proctor and Johnson.
Here then is the updated Dolphins-centric big board heading into the second day of the draft:
DOLPHINS-SPECIFIC BIG BOARD
1. WR Denzel Boston, Washington
Big-bodied receiver with strong hands and red zone ability. Projects as a possession target who can move the chains and provide consistency.
2. EDGE TJ Parker, Clemson
Productive edge rusher with a knack for getting into the backfield. Creates pressure and turnovers, adding another disruptive presence off the edge.
3. CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
Talented cover corner with high-end traits and ball production. Knee concerns cloud his evaluation, but without the injury he likely would have been in the CB1 conversation.
4. CB Colton Hood, Tennessee
Versatile defensive back with experience in multiple roles. Brings flexibility and depth to a secondary that values interchangeable pieces.
5. EDGE Zion Young, Missouri
Athletic edge rusher with length and burst off the line. Still developing, but flashes the traits to become a disruptive pass rusher.
6. G Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M
Powerful interior lineman with starting experience and strong movement skills. Could come in and compete for a starting job early.
7. G Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon
Experienced guard with good size and pass protection ability. Like Bisontis, he could compete for a starting job right away.
8. CB Aveion Terrell, Clemson
Competitive corner with strong coverage instincts and technique. Best suited as a nickel corner at the next level.
9. DL Christen Miller, Georgia
Powerful interior presence with the size and strength to anchor against the run. Flashes disruption ability and fits as a rotational piece with upside.
10. EDGE R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma
Explosive edge rusher with burst off the line and pass-rush upside. Still refining his game, but flashes the ability to consistently pressure quarterbacks. Hafley could mold him into his style of pass rusher.
11. EDGE Gabe Jacas, Illinois
Long, athletic edge defender with production and motor. Offers developmental upside as a pass rusher with the tools to grow into a larger role.
12. CB Brandon Cisse, South Carolina
Athletic corner with good length and movement skills. Flashes coverage ability and projects as a developmental outside option.
13. S Treydan Stukes, Arizona
Versatile defensive back with experience in multiple roles. Brings physicality and flexibility to the secondary. Climbing up boards as of late.
14. CB D'Angelo Ponds, Indiana
Undersized but instinctive corner with strong ball skills and competitiveness. Plays bigger than his size and fits best in a coverage-heavy role.
15. WR Chris Bell, Louisville
Big-bodied receiver with the ability to win down the field. Adds size and vertical presence to the passing game. Torn ACL in November so may not contribute early but was a first round prospect prior to the injury.
16. WR Germie Bernard, Alabama
Reliable target with strong hands and route-running ability. Projects as a steady contributor who can move the chains. All-around receiver, jack of all trades.
17. LB Jake Golday, Cincinnati
Instinctive, productive linebacker with strong downhill ability and tackling consistency. Has the traits to come in and compete for a starting spot early.
18. TE Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
Former quarterback with athleticism and versatility at the position. Still developing as a tight end but offers intriguing upside as a pass catcher.
19. S A.J. Haulcy, LSU
Instinctive safety with range and ball production. Brings playmaking ability and depth to the back end of the defense.
20. EDGE Derrick Moore, Michigan
Physical edge defender with power and strong run defense traits. Projects as a rotational piece with upside as he develops as a pass rusher.
21. DB Keionte Scott, Miami
Versatile defensive back with experience at corner and nickel, along with return ability on special teams. Can contribute across multiple roles early on.
22. OL Gennings Dunker, Iowa
Physical tackle with good size and strength at the point of attack. Brings toughness and projects as a developmental depth option.
23. OT Caleb Tiernan, Northwestern
Versatile lineman with experience across the offensive front. Reliable and technically sound with the ability to provide depth at multiple spots.
24. DB Keith Abney II, Arizona State
Athletic defensive back with range and coverage ability. Flashes playmaking traits and projects as a developmental secondary piece.
25. WR Antonio Williams, Clemson
Polished receiver with strong route running and dependable hands. Projects as a consistent target who can contribute inmultiple areas of the offense, mostly from the slot.
26. TE Max Klare, Ohio State
Athletic tight end with receiving ability and movement skills. Saw decreased production in a low-volume passing offense but still offers upside.
27. WR Ted Hurst, Georgia State
Developmental receiver with high upside and intriguing physical tools. A traits-based option who could grow into a larger role over time.
28. TE Oscar Delp, Georgia
Former No. 1 tight end recruit in the 2022 class who never fully produced at a high level. Still has the tools to develop into a productive pass catcher.
29. WR De’zhaun Stribling, Ole Miss
The best run-blocking wide receiver in the class. Brings physicality and effort with the ability to fill a specific role.
30. LB Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh
Instinctive linebacker with strong play recognition and coverage ability. Undersized but plays fast and impacts multiple phases.
31. IOL Jake Slaughter, Florida
Experienced interior lineman with good awareness and technique. Projects as a reliable option with the ability to compete for snaps.
32. WR Malachi Fields, Notre Dame
Big-bodied receiver with strong catch radius and physicality. Wins in contested situations.
33. QB Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
Experienced passer with arm talent and downfield ability. An oblique injury led to a lesser version of his 2024 play.
34. WR Elijah Sarratt, Indiana
Productive receiver with strong hands and route-running ability. Reliable target who consistently finds space.
35. EDGE Romello Height, Texas Tech
Long, athletic edge defender with pass-rush upside. Still developing but flashes pressure ability.
36. S Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina
Physical safety with range and tackling ability. Brings versatility to the secondary.
37. IOL Jalen Farmer, Kentucky
Physical interior lineman with strength at the point of attack. Brings toughness and developmental upside.
38. S Zakee Wheatley, Penn State
Instinctive safety with range and tackling ability. Could start sooner than later.
39. IOL Logan Jones, Iowa
Experienced interior lineman with strong awareness and consistency. Provides stability up front but will start as a depth option with developmental upside.
40. WR Skyler Bell, UConn
Productive receiver against lower competition. Reliable target with questions about translation. Could be a good reliable downfield receiver for Malik Willis.
41. IOL Sam Hecht, Kansas State
Interior lineman who impressed at the Senior Bowl. Showed he can hold up against higher-level competition.
42. S Bud Clark, TCU
Experienced safety with instincts and ball production. Adds playmaking to the back end.
43. OT Markel Bell, Miami
Long, athletic tackle with intriguing physical tools. Developmental option with upside.
44. WR Deion Burks, Oklahoma
Explosive playmaker who produced at a high level at Purdue. Brings speed and big-play ability.
45. CB Daylen Everette, Georgia
Physical corner with SEC experience and strong coverage traits. Competitive with developmental upside.
46. CB Devin Moore, Florida
Athletic defensive back with versatility. Projects as depth with room to grow.
47. TE Sam Roush, Stanford
Strong in-line blocker who can stretch the field vertically and horizontally. Well-rounded skill set. Struggled at time against better competition but was playing with a bad offense.
48. TE Eli Raridon, Notre Dame
Former elite recruit who battled injuries. Showed upside after finally putting together a healthy season.
49. DL Kaleb Proctor, Southeastern Louisiana
Interior defender with size and strength. Developmental option with flashes against the run. Feasted on lower level competition which is what you want to see from players in lower divisions of college football.
50. DL Chris McClellan, Florida
Physical interior presence with the ability to hold up against the run and flash disruption.
51. OT Trey Zuhn III, Texas A&M
Experienced lineman with versatility and over 50 career appearances. Could move inside., but starts off as a depth option for Miami.
52. QB Drew Allar, Penn State
Prototype frame with high-end arm talent. Flashes upside but struggles with consistency. Made some incredible throws at time but disappeared when it mattered the most.
53. S VJ Payne, Kansas State
Physical safety with range and tackling ability. Brings versatility to the secondary.
54. OT Jude Bowry, Boston College
Tough, physical tackle with experience in a run-heavy system. Developmental depth option.
55. IOL Billy Schrauth, Notre Dame
Powerful interior lineman with strong run-blocking ability. Brings toughness inside. Injured a lot but when he suited up you felt his presence.
56. LB Bryce Boettcher, Oregon
Instinctive linebacker with strong play recognition. Plays fast and offers developmental upside.

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of Miami Dolphins On SI and host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press and the Dolphins team website. In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books, such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.
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Zack Duarte is a South Florida–based sports media professional with over a decade of experience covering the region’s top teams and major sporting events. A graduate of Florida Atlantic University, Zack began his career with WQAM/WAXY sports radio in Miami, where he worked as a sports talk show host and reporter for more than ten years. He later contributed to both the Palm Beach Post and South Florida Sun Sentinel, covering local high school athletics. Over the course of his career, Zack has covered Super Bowls, Big Ten and SEC Media Days, and has reported on the Miami Heat, Miami Hurricanes football program, and the Miami Dolphins in various roles. Most recently, he served as a video content creator and writer in the fantasy football space with Dynasty Rewind, where he produced analysis-driven content and articles for their platform.
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