NFL: 3 Edge Rushers Miami Dolphins could draft
The Miami Dolphins have been no strangers to having elite pass rushers disrupt the rhythm of the opposing quarterback.
Cameron Wake played in Miami from 2009-2018, totalling 98 sacks during his tenure with the Miami Dolphins. More famously, Jason Taylor starred with the Miami Dolphins from 1997-2007 before rejoining the team in 2009 and 2011.
Taylor brought down the quarterback an eye-popping 131 times for the Miami Dolphins. As the 2021 NFL Draft approaches, the Miami Dolphins would keep their fingers crossed about selecting a player who could be even half as good as Taylor or Wake.
In the 2020 season, the Miami Dolphins didn’t have anyone who finished with a double-digit sack total. They instead did an admirable job piecing it together as a team.
Defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah led the Miami Dolphins with nine sacks, followed by linebackers Jerome Baker and Kyle Van Noy with seven and six sacks, respectively.
Three edge rushers the Miami Dolphins could sign in the 2021 NFL Draft:
Head coach Brian Flores and general manager Chris Grier will look to boost the effectiveness of the Miami Dolphins’ pass rush later this month during the draft. On that note, let's have a look at three players the Miami Dolphins might consider selecting on the edge.
#1 Azeez Ojulari
Many draft boards have University of Georgia edge rusher Azeez Ojulari going somewhere in between 18 in the first round and 36 in the second round, but he’s worth consideration for the Miami Dolphins at 18.
Ojulari is still relatively young as a redshirt sophomore, which might scare some teams off. However, head coach Brian Flores has made a habit of getting the best out of his defenders in his two seasons in South Florida, and Ojulari impressed in likely the most difficult conference in college football.
Azeez Ojulari was an absolute force in defense for the Bulldogs last year. He recorded 9.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for losses in ten games. Averaging almost a takedown behind the line of scrimmage per game is a good way to get noticed.
He’s a little bit on the light side at just 240 pounds but has the quickness to be a force at the next level.
#2 Gregory Rousseau
The Miami Dolphins could also opt to look at some local talent in the draft to help improve their pass rush in 2021.
One such player who starred in the same stadium as the NFL team is Gregory Rousseau out of the University of Miami. He had an electric 2019 season for the Hurricanes, posting 54 total tackles and an impressive 15.5 sacks.
However, there are some concerns with the young pass rusher. For one thing, he hasn’t played competitive football since his standout season two years ago.
Rousseau opted out of the 2020 college football season, so he may need a little time to get his conditioning back up to speed. Additionally, he didn’t have the best pro day in the eyes of some, which may negatively affect his stock.
#3 Joe Tryon
Joe Tryon, out of the University of Washington, is in a bit of a similar boat as Rousseau.
Tryon also hasn’t played since the 2019 season, which could leave evaluators wondering where he is in terms of his preparation and readiness for the NFL. When last seen, Joe Tryon was impressive as a pass rusher in the Pac-12, notching up eight sacks.
Joe Tryon definitely looks the part of a menacing NFL defender, with his 6’ 5” and 262-pound frame. According to scout reports, Tryon needs a little more seasoning with his technique, though.
The Dolphins could be the perfect landing spot for him to improve his craft and would likely arrive in the second round for the Miami Dolphins.