Why Coach Expecting Jump From Wilkins

Christian Wilkins had, by all measures, a solid rookie season for the Miami Dolphins, though it maybe wasn't quite as impactful as one would have hoped from the 13th overall selection in the 2019 NFL draft.

Wilkins did lead all rookie defensive linemen in tackles, but he himself acknowledged that making big plays in the NFL was a whole lot more difficult than in college.

His position coach, Marion Hobby, isn't necessarily predicting more big plays from Wilkins in 2020, but he is forecasting progress for the former Clemson star.

And Hobby certainly has special insight into Wilkins, having coached him in college in 2015 and 2016.

“It’s funny when you watch Christian, at the end of the year, I thought he probably was in his better shape and it started showing up on the field because he started making those plays that we want him to make," Hobby said during a Zoom media session Saturday morning. "I think he’s come in this year in better shape. He’s ahead of his ... and that’s tough because we didn’t get OTAs, we didn’t get minicamp, but somewhere, this man went and really worked his butt off to keep his weight down.

"He really looks good out there. We want to see him step up a little bit more as a leader. Last year he came on at the end, stepped up a little more as a leader. It’s his second year in the scheme and knowing what’s expected of him, I’m looking for great things from him.”

Wilkins clearly will be a key player if the Dolphins front seven — the whole defense, really — is to improve after what was a disappointing 2019 performance.

Hobby explained that Wilkins' growth through the 2019 season came from within, along with some tough love from his coaches.

"If anybody knows anything about Christian Wlikins, he loves football," Hobby said. "He’s a football guy and with critiquing him, showing him where he could be better — sometimes that, as a coach, can be critique or that can be coming down on him; but I think it has a lot to do with him — him wanting to do well and get better as a player. That’s where it starts. They’ve got to be self-motivators and then as coaches, we just continue to build on what they bring to the table.

"I think he matured as he went on. I think he had a lot of things going on early. He’s going to try do them all in the community, he’s going to try to do them all any way he can. (laughter) I just think he had a lot on his plate early. I talked with him about it and he said, ‘Yeah, Coach, I had a lot going on, but I’m settling into my role.’ ”

Wilkins' role in 2020, plain and simple, is to be a difference-maker on the Dolphins defensive line. And it's not just 2020, but in the coming years as well.

That's why the Dolphins selected him with their first-round pick last year.

Add us as a preferred source on Google