How Smaller Grant Is Trying To Set Himself Up for a Big Second Year

Taking a player in the first round is a statement. Taking a player with a top 15 pick in the first round is an even bigger statement.

Kenneth Grant is a big man, who was a big statement just one year ago when the Miami Dolphins drafted him with the 13th overall pick.

Grant was brought in to be a force along Miami’s defensive line, but his rookie season left a lot to be desired as he had just 16 total tackles with two sacks. Most rookie defensive tackles take some time to develop, and with a new coaching staff in place, Grant is looking to make a big leap in his second season as a pro.

“Yeah, it's a fresh start so everybody just wants to embrace that culture because obviously we want to win,” Grant said. “We're going to do everything to buy into that culture and buy into the camaraderie we want to build around the building. So just looking to build on that and get some wins.”

Draft and Develop Philosophy

In order to get some wins, the Dolphins are going to need more from their 2025 first-round pick. Jon-Eric Sullivan comes from Green Bay, which is the quintessential draft and develop franchise across the NFL.

The lifeblood of any draft and develop franchise is the development portion of their first round picks. Those picks and players are worth their weight in gold to a franchise with that philosophy.

The difference in this case could be that the Dolphins current regime was not the group that drafted Grant, but any regime can use a big man that can move the way Grant does. Jeff Hafley tried to build his defensive line in Green Bay around Kenny Clark, and he thinks that Grant has taken a step forward as he moves into year two.

“I think he's taking a step forward. I know he's changed his body. He's faster. He looks more like the guy that I saw in his college tape with his lateral quickness, his pass rush ability, his ability to play the run, just the way he's moving,” Hafley said. “And I also think that goes back to Year 1, lack of experience, lack of reps, lack of maybe a little bit of confidence as you're out there. I just feel like right now, he's starting to believe in himself and his abilities that we know that he has and hopefully once the pads come on, we'll see that to continue.”

The offseason program is just that. Football is not played in a helmet and shorts. That’s especially true in the trenches where Grant plays. Whether or not he’s taken a significant jump won’t be fully on display until the pads come on.

Kenneth Grant Is More Comfortable

One thing that is certain, is Grant is more confident and comfortable going into his second season.

“Yeah, I just feel like comparing to this offseason to last offseason, I feel, like you were saying, I'm more confident, more vocal and things like that,” Grant said. “But I know what it takes and what I have to do to get ready for a real NFL season. It’s not my rookie year anymore, so I kind of know what to expect now.”

Sometimes comfort off the field can lead to bigger plays on the field, which Miami is certainly searching for.

The defensive tackle group includes Grant alongside a group of players that are largely unproven. Zach Sieler, Zeek Biggers, and Jordan Phillips are expected to be primary contributors up front alongside Grant. They have roles within the defense, but none of them are dominant players, nor do they have the ability to affect both the run and pass game in the way that Grant does.

They have, however, become more of a unit this offseason as Grant has trained with some of those guys during the offseason.

“Yeah, actually, we're training this offseason together. Me, Jordan (Phillips), Zeek (Biggers), Matt Butler. We were all pretty much here, training together,” Grant said. “Nobody likes training alone, so we kind of build a camaraderie that way and focus on things we need to work on.”

That seems like a small thing in the short term, but in the big picture that internal competition could bring out the best in each individual player.

There is no player who is more talented in this group than Grant. Getting him off to a good start in Jeff Hafley’s system could go a long way toward making the players around him better.

Lighter and Faster

One good sign early in the offseason program would be when Grant was trying to bull-rush Kadyn Proctor, showing off more explosion which is something Grant worked on this offseason.

“Yeah, I'm down about seven pounds, so I'm looking to come back from training camp about 325, so that's where I'm trying to get to right now,” Grant said.

“I played a little heavier, probably like 337 last year, so just looking to get down some more.”

In a world where quarterbacks are getting the ball out of their hands faster than ever, being explosive in the middle of the defensive line is more important than it ever has been.

That’s what the Dolphins saw when they drafted Grant a year ago. Now, under a new regime, they’re trying to help him shake off a forgettable rookie season to become an anchor in Jeff Hafley’s defense.

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