Dolphins Monday Mailbag: Gordon, Malik, Mauigoa, and More

Third and final part of a pre-offseason program Miami Dolphins On SI mailbag:

From Olive Grove Jon:

Hi Alain, do you think Ollie Gordon will feature more in this new offense? He seemed to be overlooked during the last days of McDaniel. Might we see more of a 1-2 punch with Achane or do you see the Fins drafting yet another RB?

Hey OGJ, after drafting Achane, Wright and Gordon the past three years, it sure would be a bit of overkill to go with yet another running back, but we also can’t rule it out. As for Gordon, he would have to demonstrate a massive — and I mean massive — jump in his ability to come close to having a 1-2 setup because De’Von Achane is by far the best offensive player on the team.

From Lee Michael Morrison:

Have the Dolphins reporters been told, on the down low or even blatantly, by the organization to not criticize/ask questions about the 2012 Dolphins rebrand, especially the logo?

Hey Lee, I can’t speak for anybody else, but I haven’t been asked anything of the sort and I would be very, very surprised if anybody else had.

From Juan M Saborio:

Hello Alain, as I wait for the draft, I wonder what position Phins should prioritize the with 1st pick? I know they should go BPA, but what if they get two top guys like Delane and Mauigoa??

Hey Juan, I wrote about that very topic Friday, and on one hand you always want to go bigger if prospects are equal, though a cornerback is more valuable in my eyes than a guard. Therefore, if you project Mauigoa as a tackle in the NFL, he’s the choice. If you see Mauigoa as a guard, you go with Delane. That’s assuming you have an even grade on both prospects.

From Phin Phan:

Any chance we can bring back Christian Wilkins on the cheap? Would massively bolster our D-line and would make Sieler awesome again. And he's probably looking to get back into the league.

Wilkins’ agent said recently that Wilkins was close to being ready to return and already had teams reaching out. If we’re being honest, he doesn’t make a lot of sense for a rebuilding team and, besides, why would he choose the Dolphins if he indeed has other offers.

From Gabriel:

How do you feel about the ceiling for Willis? Is it high enough for Patrick Mahomes to walk in and not bump his head?

Hey Gabriel, that’s the $64,000 quedtion, isn’t it? Yes, I do think the ceiling is pretty high with Willis based on his physical traits. The question is whether he can reach it.

From Joe Barrett:

I’m excited about the addition of Malik Willis!! The first time he takes off running the ball gains 20 yards, I’ll be in heaven after watching Tua slide, short of the first down marker. Do you have any predictions for his first season as a Miami Dolphins starting quarterback?

Hey Joe, would you be disappointed if I told you that, no, I do not have any predictions. This is pretty unchartered territory because of the limited body of work, but I have allowed myself to be optimistic he’ll be a good quarterback for the Dolphins. And I most definitely am anxious to find out and love that the Dolphins took the chance that he could be special.

From Mmmm:

What’s one WR name we should be thinking about for Miami? (first three rounds of course).

Beyond the obvious names, I would mention Chris Brazzell from Tennessee, a guy who has been compared to Packers wide receiver Christian Watson. I wouldn’t mind him as a second-round pick, even better as a third-round choice if somehow he were available there. And then I’ll throw a late-round flier on Chris Bell from Louisville with an eye toward the future since he’s coming off an ACL.

From Bryan Watson:

Who is your favorite player in the draft for Fins, and why?

Hey Bryan, I’m going to preface my answer by saying I’m not totally jacked on the group of 2026 prospects as it pertains to the Dolphins. That out of the way, if you were to ask me for a favorite, guess I’d go with one of the Ohio State linebackers, Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles, because they’re freakish athletes with the ability to help a defense in multiple ways and the Dolphins haven’t had that kind of player in a while.

From Dolfan:

Is CB or O-line the priority Rd 1?

The priority in Round 1 is getting a prospect who will be a difference-maker for years to come. If we’re zeroing in on positions, I’d rank them as CB, pass rusher, tackle, and go from there. So if the question is cornerback or offensive line, I’d say cornerback or tackle (if that makes sense).

From Bladeaux:

Do we have any clue going into the draft what each side of the ball will look for in players schematically eg 4-3/3-4, man v zone, power v zone running, west coast vs vertical or play action passing?

The defense, as we hear all the time, will be multiple, so the Dolphins will be looking for prospects with multiple skills, though ideally they’ll look for cornerbacks who are in good in press coverage and bigger defensive ends. Offensively, what stands out is that mobility will be a factor for linemen since the new scheme will resemble the old scheme.

From BryanHolliday:

If Mauigoa and Tate are available at 11, who do you take?

Hey Bryan, if those are the options, it’s Mauigoa without a millisecond of hesitation. In addition to the idea he’s a cleaner prospect, if he ends up at tackle, there’s much better positional value. So it’s a no-brainer from where I sit.

From Brett Michaud:

Jon-Eric Sullivan said he was going to build from the inside out, yet many mock drafts predict us taking a wide receiver and/or CB with picks 11 and 30. Which direction do you think is best and who should we target?

Hey Brett, we shouldn’t hold Sullivan to that statement in every single draft because picks are made dependent on who’s available at the time. As for what direction I think is best, for me it has to be cornerback or tackle at 11 unless there’s a linebacker or safety who can be impactful enough to overcome the positional value issue. So my list of targets at 11 would be Francis Mauigoa, Mansoor Delane, Sonny Styles or Caleb Downs.

From Mark Malbeck:

Looking at current roster, I think we focus the draft on defensive side. I get we need a guard or two. But I think our defense besides linebacker is weak. If a WR that’s a steal drops, then, fine, but don’t reach. A good defense can cover a lot of weaknesses. Your thoughts?

Hey Mark, absolutely agree with you, but I’d add there’s no wide receiver I’d take at 11. None. But, yes, I think the Dolphins right now need more help on defense than on offense. Overall, though, the Dolphins just need to stockpile good players regardless of position.

From Jordan Paxton:

Why does no one ever mention Ewers?

Hey Jordan, this is simple, it’s because the kind of commitment the Dolphins have made to Malik Willis suggests — actually screams — that he’ll be the starter in 2026 and most likely again in 2027. That relegates Ewers to the role of backup, and backup quarterbacks don’t generate a lot of attention usually.