The 2023 NFL Draft is officially in the books. After a flurry of selections from Thursday to Saturday, 259 players were selected to join the NFL.
With that, we give you our full recap of the Miami Dolphins‘ draft, with analysis on every selection the team made during the weekend and an in-depth look at their top pick.
For more information on the players your favorite team drafted, it’s not too late to get the 2023 NFL Draft Guide, which includes expanded scouting reports, draft grades, offseason reports, unique advanced data, PFF grades and much more.
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2023 NFL Draft Picks
R2 (51): CB Cam Smith, South Carolina
R3 (84): RB Devon Achane, Texas A&M
R6 (197): TE Elijah Higgins, Stanford
R7 (238): OT Ryan Hayes, Michigan
Day 2: Smith is always around the football, has a propensity for pass breakups and tested faster than he played on tape, which could be a sign of continued growth. No one’s big board ranking dropped more precipitously over the last month of the pre-draft cycle, but he could end up being a value. Smith makes a lot of sense starting in the slot with Jalen Ramsey and Xavien Howard out wide in Vic Fangio’s loaded defense.
Miami gets another legitimate track star for their offense by taking Texas A&M running back Devon Achane at 84th overall. Achane clocked a 4.32-second 40-yard time and was a star member of the Aggies’ track squad. He racked up a whopping 36 breakaway runs of 15-plus yards over the past two seasons.
Higgins is a bit of a tweener between being a bigger wide receiver and move tight end at 6-foot-3 and 239 pounds with 4.54 speed. He was an underneath target at Stanford who turned in PFF receiving grades below 70.0 in each of the past two seasons as a starter. Despite his size, Higgins ranked in just the 26th percentile at the position in contested catch percentage since 2021.
It's not a bad idea for the Dolphins to throw a late-round dart at the offensive line given their struggles up front in recent years. Hayes took a step forward in 2022, grading out above the 50th percentile at the position in pass-blocking grade on true pass sets and as a zone run-blocker.
DRAFT GRADE: B-
Prospect Spotlight: CB Cam Smith, South Carolina
Smith gets his hand on passes more frequently than any other cornerback in this class. Of his 70 targets over the past two seasons, Smith broke up 15 of them and picked off four others. He's an instinctive and versatile player.
Strengths, weaknesses and NFL role
Where he wins: Ball Skills
Smith finds footballs. Twenty-two of his 94 career targets were either picked off or broken up. That's production that you can't fake.
What's his role? Slot corner/safety
Smith's speed will need to be protected on the outside at the next level. That concern can be alleviated in a slot role, where his natural playmaking ability could shine.
What he can improve: Tackling consistency
Many of Smith's shortcomings are physical, but his missed tackles are fixable. He's too quick to leave his feet and dive at ball carriers, leading to a 16.3% career missed tackle rate.
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