The Miami Dolphins are hoping their recent draft investments will pay off with something that hasn't happened in more than 25 years
This new regime in charge of the Miami Dolphins has been serious about trying to find a long-term solution for the offensive line.
The proof comes in the fact that since Chris Grier and Brian Flores has served as GM/coach combo in 2019, the Dolphins have spent seven draft picks on offensive linemen, including four in the first three rounds.
And a few weeks ahead of the start of training camp, we're looking at the possibility of the Dolphins doing something they haven't done in more than a quarter of a century: start an offensive line made up entirely of their draft picks.
There will be battles in training camp for starting jobs along that Dolphins offensive line, but it's certainly not out of the realm of possibility that Miami could go into its opener at New England on Sept. 12 with a starting line of Austin Jackson and rookie Liam Eichenberg at tackle, Solomon Kindley and Robert Hunt at guard, and Michael Deiter at center.
All of them were drafted by the Dolphins, all of them over the past three drafts.
Deiter was a third-round pick in 2019; Jackson, Hunt and Kindley were taken in Rounds 1, 2 and 4 in 2020; and Eichenberg was a second-round selection a little less than two months ago.
Besides them, the Dolphins also drafted tackle Isaiah Prince in Round 6 in 2019 and tackle Larnel Coleman in Round 7 this year.
Having nothing but your own draft picks on an offensive line is rare indeed. The Dolphins last played a game like that in 1995 with a line consisting of Richmond Webb, Keith Sims, Tim Ruddy, Andrew Greene and Billy Milner.
The Dolphins' best offensive line over the past 20 years undoubtedly was that of 2016 that features Branden Albert, Laremy Tunsil, Mike Pouncey, Jermon Bushrod and Ja'Wuan James. Tunsil, Pouncey and James were Dolphins draft picks, but Albert and Bushrod were veterans who had been brought from Kansas City and New Orleans, respectively.
That line, while very long, wasn't build to last.
That's the hope now with all the recent draft picks, whether or not they all end up in the starting lineup.
www.si.com
This new regime in charge of the Miami Dolphins has been serious about trying to find a long-term solution for the offensive line.
The proof comes in the fact that since Chris Grier and Brian Flores has served as GM/coach combo in 2019, the Dolphins have spent seven draft picks on offensive linemen, including four in the first three rounds.
And a few weeks ahead of the start of training camp, we're looking at the possibility of the Dolphins doing something they haven't done in more than a quarter of a century: start an offensive line made up entirely of their draft picks.
There will be battles in training camp for starting jobs along that Dolphins offensive line, but it's certainly not out of the realm of possibility that Miami could go into its opener at New England on Sept. 12 with a starting line of Austin Jackson and rookie Liam Eichenberg at tackle, Solomon Kindley and Robert Hunt at guard, and Michael Deiter at center.
All of them were drafted by the Dolphins, all of them over the past three drafts.
Deiter was a third-round pick in 2019; Jackson, Hunt and Kindley were taken in Rounds 1, 2 and 4 in 2020; and Eichenberg was a second-round selection a little less than two months ago.
Besides them, the Dolphins also drafted tackle Isaiah Prince in Round 6 in 2019 and tackle Larnel Coleman in Round 7 this year.
Having nothing but your own draft picks on an offensive line is rare indeed. The Dolphins last played a game like that in 1995 with a line consisting of Richmond Webb, Keith Sims, Tim Ruddy, Andrew Greene and Billy Milner.
The Dolphins' best offensive line over the past 20 years undoubtedly was that of 2016 that features Branden Albert, Laremy Tunsil, Mike Pouncey, Jermon Bushrod and Ja'Wuan James. Tunsil, Pouncey and James were Dolphins draft picks, but Albert and Bushrod were veterans who had been brought from Kansas City and New Orleans, respectively.
That line, while very long, wasn't build to last.
That's the hope now with all the recent draft picks, whether or not they all end up in the starting lineup.
Homegrown O-Line on the Horizon?
The Miami Dolphins are hoping their recent draft investments will pay off with something that hasn't happened in more than 25 years
www.si.com
