NFL mock draft 2023: Dolphins 7-round mock draft

To say the Miami Dolphins had an interesting 2022 season would be an understatement. After losing the start of the season with the loss of two draft picks as a result of the NFL's investigation into allegations of tampering with Tom Brady, the Dolphins finished 9-8 to earn their first playoff berth since 2016.

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa took a huge jump for the Dolphins last season, throwing for 3,548 yards and 25 touchdowns in 13 games. That said, Tagovailoa missed four regular season games and the postseason due to concussions. Injuries to Tagovailoa and backup Teddy Bridgewater led to rookie Skylar Thompson starting for the Dolphins in the postseason against Buffalo. Even with that uncertainty, the Dolphins had the fourth-best passing offense. On defense, they gave up the sixth-most passing yards (3,992 yards allowed) but had the sixth-best rushing defense (1,751 rushing yards).

With the team fully entrenched in win-now mode, the Dolphins have spent most of the offseason building their team through free agency as opposed to looking to build through the draft.

Significant free agency additions

• QB Mike White
• CB Jalen Ramsey
• WR Braxton Berrios
• LB David Long Jr.
• S DeShon Elliot

Significant free agency losses

• WR Trent Sherfield
• TE Mike Gesicki
• OL Michael Deiter
• DT John Jenkins
• LB Elandon Roberts

Dolphins 7-round mock draft

The Dolphins only possess four picks — two on day two and two on day three of the draft. The Dolphins lost their pick in the round due to the aforementioned tampering investigation, and then traded their remaining first-round pick to the Broncos at the trade deadline as a part of the Bradley Chubb trade. The Dolphins also had the No. 77 pick in the draft after they traded DeVante Parker to the Patriots last offseason, but they used that pick to net Ramsey at the beginning of March. We ran through this mock draft on Pro Football Network where trade offers are on the table:

97. RB Devon Achane, RB, Texas A&M
115. Cameron Latu, TE, Alabama
121 Jaquelin Roy, DT, LSU
238. Tyson Bagent, QB, Shepherd

Chris Grier has been incredibly aggressive since taking over the Dolphins, so we made sure to be just as aggressive in this mock draft, as the Dolphins engaged in two separate trades to get some more capital. First, the team traded their third-round selection (pick no. 1) to the Commanders for the No. 97 pick and a second-round pick in 2024 before trading the No. 88 pick and a 2024 6th-round pick to the Saint for picks No. 115, 121, and the Saints' fourth-round pick in 2024.

When the Dolphins finally get a chance to pick, we had them take Texas A&M running back Devon Achane, who immediately slots into the third running back slot vacated by Myles Gaskin. Achane was a versatile back with the Aggies, as he recorded 1,102 rushing yards and 196 yards receiving last season. With the second pick, we had the Dolphins pick Alabama tight end Cameron Latu, a big reliable tight end who would immediately become one of the Dolphins' top red zone targets.

We selected depth pieces in Laquelin Roy and Tyson Begent with the final two picks. Roy = has been projected as a project who could eventually turn into a starting defensive tackle (which is fine given the presence of starting nose tackle) Raekown Davis, while Bagent gives the team more quarterback insurance if Tagovailoa struggles with injuries again.

  
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