Why Marshall Could Make a Big Move in His Second Season

Former University of Florida standout Jason Marshall Jr. was a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft

Miami Dolphins CB Jason Marshall Jr. addresses the media after a minicamp practice August 3. | Alain Poupart - Miami Dolphins On S

The new Miami Dolphins regime seems committed to getting back to a state of comfortability for their second-year players.

Offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea going back to the right side, where he primarily played in college, has been well documented. However, cornerback Jason Marshall, Miami’s 2025 fifth-round pick out of Florida, is also returning to his position of old.

Outside Cornerback

Coming out of Florida, Marshall was almost exclusively an outside corner. However, Mike McDaniel’s staff mostly utilized him in the nickel in his rookie campaign. Per NFL Pro, Marshall played 144 of his 227 snaps last season in a slot alignment.

This, predictably, led to some growing pains. On his 102 pass coverage reps from the slot, Marshall allowed a passer rating of 114.4 when targeted, compared to a rating of 45.1 on his 30 outside reps.

When asked about returning to the outside after practice Monday, Marshall said, “Honestly, I could be more aggressive, be more physical… That’s my natural position, so I’m very comfortable out there.”

Physicality

That aggression is something Marshall couldn’t consistently apply on the inside. Due to the extra space to work with for slot receivers, those reps are often more about reading and reacting to a two-way go, rather than pressing and disrupting the timing of a route.

Marshall added that he’s gotten stronger this offseason, further growing into the body type of a physical outside corner. His height, a listed 6’0 ⅜, is 56th percentile among defensive backs, per MockDraftable, while his weight (194 pounds) entering last year’s draft was only in the 38th percentile. 

Marshall is listed at 204 pounds now, and for a player who was lauded for his aggression and press-coverage ability during his college career, a more dense frame could fit him nicely.

Health

A healthy season will also be among the focuses for Marshall. In his final season at Florida, he appeared in only seven games, and faced a season-ending shoulder injury against Kentucky.

Then, last year, Marshall missed five games with a hamstring injury that he suffered against the Buffalo Bills in week three.

It’s worth noting that injuries, prior to these last two seasons, have not been a consistent issue for Marshall. He played 12 or more games in each of his first three collegiate seasons.

Consistency and health will be among the biggest concerns for the Miami Dolphins cornerback room. Rookie Chris Johnson will look to settle in early, while JuJu Brents, who has played 18 total games in three NFL seasons, appears to be a front-runner for a starting spot.

Marshall, with more comfortability in a familiar spot, and another offseason to grow into his own, has all of the opportunity to make an impact on this coaching staff and prove that he’s a building block for this defense.