How a Young Dolphins Edge Defender Hopes to Separate Himself from the Pack

The Miami Dolphins have an overload of promising young pass rusher, but Derrick McLendon is looking to stand out among the group

Colorado Buffaloes linebacker Derrick McLendon (9) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium in 2023. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

After spending last year on the Miami Dolphins’ practice squad, Derrick McLendon is out to prove he’s ready for a spot on the 53-man roster.

The outside linebacker room is deep, but training camp is the chance to separate himself from the pack.

“I’m an edge setter and a quarterback go-getter,” McLendon said Wednesday. “I’m deceptively powerful. I know that I don’t look it, but I’m about 255 pounds. And also being able to bend. My ability to bend is something that I predicate my game off of.” 

McLendon signed with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent last year and was with the team through training camp and the preseason. He then joined the Dolphins' practice squad in early September.

“I came in the first week of the season, everything was going so fast,” McLendon said. “They had already gone through three or four installs. So being able to go through OTAs, mini camping, really just get those installs in. And now, on my third or fourth install, the playbook is [like the] back of my hand.”

After beginning his collegiate career at Florida State, he appeared in 12 games with 14 tackles and 1.5 sacks at Colorado in 2023 before entering the NFL. At 6-3, McLendon leans on his flexibility to win against offensive linemen. 

“I can get down to about 5’10, 5’11,” he explained. “Most of your tackles, most of your linemen [who are] 6’6 and above, their bend is probably at about 6’3. Just the science behind it, I don’t feel like they can bend with me. My abruptness, I think, gets the offensive linemen off beat.”

Built for the Competition 

Entering his second season, McLendon is competing for limited roster spots behind established players Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips and Chop Robinson.

“Our coach Ryan Crow told us going into this season that this was going to be the most competitive room, maybe in the NFL—and I welcomed that,” McLendon said of the outside linebackers group. “Tucker High School, Florida State, Colorado, a lot of those were very competitive environments as well. I felt like I was prepped for that task at hand.” 

With joint practices against the Chicago Bears starting Friday, McLendon has a chance to face new opponents as he competes for a spot alongside Cameron Goode, Quinton Bell, Mohamed Kamara and Grayson Murphy.

Asked for his goals in joint practices and preseason games, McLendon said: “Showing that I can play at that physical level—I can make plays at those levels. And honestly, having fun, that’s where my game is. 

“This is an honor just to play this game, and so every time I step on that field, I’m just trying to have fun.”