Miami Dolphins spending extra time with these top prospects at key need position

A six-pack of Miami Dolphins notes on a Wednesday:

▪ The Dolphins have had multiple virtual meetings/conversations with top running back prospects Najee Harris, Travis Etienne and Javonte Williams heading into next week’s draft, and it would be surprising if the Dolphins once again bypass the position during the first two rounds.

According to sources, the Dolphins have spent a significant amount of time with Alabama’s Harris, while North Carolina’s Williams and Clemson’s Etienne have had multiple Zoom sessions with the Dolphins staff and front office.

For many prospects, either one Zoom session or a phone call would suffice. If a team is going to take the time for multiple interactions — as the Dolphins have with all three of these backs — it would suggest at least some advanced level of interest.

If Miami uses the 18th pick for a defensive player, the Dolphins couldn’t go wrong with either Harris, Williams or Etienne at 36. Whether any will be there at 36 remains in question. But it would be a disappointment if the Dolphins don’t get one of the three or don’t address running back until the third day.

The Dolphins coaching staff spent time with Harris at the Senior Bowl and time with him “virtually” since then. Draft-eligible players aren’t permitted to visit team headquarters because of NFL COVID restrictions.

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said he has spoken to teams and doesn’t envision any running back going in the first round The lead draft analysts at both networks — Jeremiah and ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. — envision a run on running backs early in Round 2.

In ESPN’s Kiper/Todd McShay combo mock draft, they have Harris going to Pittsburgh at 24, Etienne slotted to Jacksonville with the first pick of the second round (33rd overall) and Williams to Atlanta at No. 35.

Because the Dolphins don’t have a dominant offensive line, it’s essential that they draft a running back who can break tackles. And both Harris and Williams are very good at that, while Etienne is one of the best big-play running back threats in recent college football history.

Consider these 2020 stats, according to Pro Football Focus:

Williams forced 76 missed tackles on 127 rushing attempts.

Harris forced 71 missed tackles on 252 rushing attempts.

And Etienne forced 44 missed tackles on 156 rushing attempts.

As detailed here, the Dolphins ranked among the NFL’s worst last season in yards after catch and average yards of separation.

What’s more, the Dolphins averaged just 1.4 yards after contact per rushing attempt, which was worst in the league. By comparison, the Titans (thanks to Derrick Henry) averaged 2.5 and the Bills 2.3 after contact.

Dolphins running backs broke only 19 tackles all year, per profootballreference. Only two teams broke fewer.

▪ Here’s how Pro Football Focus sized up the top backs:

Williams (ranked 53rd among all prospects) “has rare contact balance. His 76 broken tackles on 157 carries this past season produced easily the highest broken tackle rate we’ve recorded for a single season. Not even 21 years old, Williams is still an ascending player.”

Harris (ranked 65th among all prospects) “had an incredibly productive Alabama career with rushing grades of 91.8, 89.8 and 90.1 the past three seasons. He also established himself as one of the best receiving backs in the country, with only three career drops on 83 catchable targets.”

Etienne (ranked 66th among all prospects) “with 4.4 speed, is one of the best home run threats at the position in recent college football history. He racked up 85 runs of 15-plus yards in his Clemson career. He also reinvented himself in the passing game as his career went on and led all backs in the country with 588 receiving yards in 2020.”

ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller makes the case for Harris at 18, a scenario that would be somewhat surprising because running backs usually don’t go in that range.

“I love the idea of pairing Najee Harris with Tua Tagovailoa at No. 18 overall,” Miller said. “This is a Le’Veon Bell-type player who’s going to impact your run game and pass game. He’ll jump over you. He’ll run over you. He’s probably the nicest human being on the planet.”

During the past 10 drafts, only one running back has gone in the teens and only seven running backs have gone in the top 20 picks: Saquon Barkley (second to the Giants in 2018), Leonard Fournette (fourth to Jacksonville in 2017), Christian McCaffrey (eighth to Carolina in 2017), Ezekiel Elliott (fourth to Dallas in 2016), Todd Gurley (10th to the Rams in 2015), Melvin Gordon (15th to the Chargers in 2015) and Trent Richardson (third to the Browns in 2012).

If you missed it, I wrote at length about Harris, Williams and Etienne in this recent piece.

▪ Though Alabama receiver DeVonta Smith’s size (166 pounds) worries some evaluators, NFL Network analyst and former Texans and Redskins general manager Charley Casserly said it’s not a big deal.

Casserly noted that Hall of Famer receiver Marvin Harrison was “5-10, 175, coming out of college, played at 179. DeVonta Smith is 5-10, 170. What’s 5 pounds? That’s two Big Macs and he’ll put on 5 pounds. Very similar comparisons.”

Casserly made that comment before reports surfaced Wednesday that Smith weighed in at 166, not 170.

After the draft, Smith will be tied with Marquise “Hollywood” Brown as the lightest receiver taken in the first round since 1999. Brown also was listed at 166 when Baltimore drafted him 25th overall two years ago.

▪ When the Dolphins traded from third to 12th to sixth, it became clear that they would have been happy with multiple players at No. 6, a point that general manager Chris Grier acknowledged Wednesday.

But ESPN’s Adam Schefter said the Dolphins have exactly three players that they would be happy with at six, which is one reason they traded down from three initially.

Schefter said it’s easy to “surmise” that UF tight end Kyle Pitts and LSU receiver Ja’Marr Chase are two of those three.

Schefter said he isn’t sure who would be the third, though Smith and fellow Alabama receiver Jaylen Waddle are the most obvious options.

So if Pitts and Chase are off the board at No. 6, then Schefter’s report would suggest that Miami would not be inclined to trade down from No. 6 and lose out on the third player it wants unless 1) the trade return is exceptional and 2) Miami is convinced that Detroit at seven or Carolina at eight doesn’t covet the same player that the Dolphins do (likely Smith or Waddle), which might be difficult information to ascertain.

▪ One player who Kiper said would be a good fit for the Dolphins with their third-round pick at 81: Duke edge player Chris Rumph: “Rumph has some versatility — Duke used him all over the field — but he fits as an outside linebacker for the Dolphins, who need more from their pass rush this season.” Rummph had eight sacks in 11 games in 2020, 6.5 sacks in 12 games in 2019...

Pro Football Focus’ mock draft has a justified pick for Miami at No. 6 (Chase) but a stunning one at 18 (Northwestern cornerback Greg Newsome II), a player who isn’t rated a first-rounder by many evaluators.

PFF has Tulsa linebacker Zaven Collins falling to Miami at 50, but it would be surprising if he drops that much. PFF also has the Dolphins selecting Oklahoma tackle Tevin Jenkins at 36 (difficult to justify that if one of the top three running backs are available) and Louisiana Tech defensive tackle Milton Williams at 81.

Here’s my Wednesday Miami Hurricanes 6-pack, with lots of football news.