Time for Recent Second-Round Picks to Step Up

As the Miami Dolphins retool their roster, they will need more impact from recent picks Patrick Paul, Cam Smith and Liam Eichenberg

Miami Dolphins cornerback Cam Smith (24) grimaces during the fourth quarter of a preseason game at Hard Rock Stadium on Friday, August 11, 2023, in Miami Gardens, FL. | JEFF ROMANCE/THE PALM BEACH POST / USA TODAY NETWORK

When draft picks are limited, the spotlight shines brighter on the ones you do make.

The Dolphins haven’t had much top-end draft capital recently, selecting just four Top 100 players across the last three drafts. That means players like Cam Smith, Patrick Paul and Liam Eichenberg — Miami’s last three second-round picks —must step in as key contributors.

With limited top-end talent and starting roles up for grabs, all three enter 2025 facing pressure to deliver.

Smith’s time is now

Miami is thin in the defensive backfield, and the situation could worsen with Jalen Ramsey on the trade block. Outside of slot corner Kader Kohou, the Dolphins figure to have four new starters in the secondary. 

The front office invested a second-round pick in Cam Smith, but he’s yet to start a game through two seasons. Quarterbacks completed 16 of 19 attempts for 174 yards and a touchdown when targeting Smith last year, according to PFF. 

“Smith needs to come through at the end of the day,” Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said Tuesday in his pre-draft press conference. “He’s got to stay healthy and be on the field. He has shown some flashes, but this is a very big year. He knows what’s expected because we can’t hold his hand and wait for him anymore.”

Smith barely saw the field as a rookie, struggling to earn the trust of Vic Fangio, and he appeared in just six games last season due to hamstring and shoulder injuries. With little depth or experience at the position, Smith could be a key contributor in year 2 under Anthony Weaver.

Paul Ready to Step In for Armstead

The Dolphins’ offensive line already was a concern before five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Terron Armstead announced his retirement.

Miami drafted Paul in the second round last year to eventually replace Armstead as the anchor at left tackle. He struggled in limited playing time — allowing three sacks and 11 hurries in 338 snaps, according to PFF — but Grier views him as a key part of the equation up front. 

“He will be our starter at left tackle, get the first crack at doing it,” Grier said.

Unlike his rookie year, Paul now has the offseason to prepare as the team’s full-time starter after playing fewer than 35 snaps in six of his 10 appearances last season. A left tackle throughout his college career at Houston, injuries forced him to fill in at right tackle last season, and he allowed a sack and five pressures across 89 snaps.

Armstead surrendered just five sacks over three seasons as Miami’s starting left tackle and was dynamic in space as a run blocker. Moving on from one of the league’s top tackles won’t be easy, but the Dolphins believed in Paul enough to spend a premium pick on their future starter a year before the job was available.

Eichenberg’s path to making the roster

Miami traded a future third-round pick to move up eight spots in the 2021 draft to take Eichenberg 42nd overall. He’s struggled to earn consistent playing time but has lined up at nearly every position on the offensive line during his four seasons with the Dolphins.

Eichenberg, James Daniels and Jackson Carman are the only guards currently under contract (outside of those who were on the practice squad last season), but that’s expected to change in the coming weeks. The Dolphins have 10 picks in the upcoming draft and $16 million in available cap space.

“Liam will come in and provide swing versatility, and he’ll compete for a job,” Grier said. “He’s not promised anything, and he knows there’s going to be competition for it.” 

Eichenberg has played 1,182 snaps at right guard, 945 at left tackle, and 702 at left guard, according to PFF. He hasn’t lived up to the expectations of being a top 50 pick, but his versatility and experience may still earn him a spot as a valuable depth piece as the Dolphins navigate changes in the trenches.