Dolphins attend UT Pro Day in force

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier were at the University of Texas Pro Day on Wednesday.

While the main focus around the NFL is still on free agency, including the Miami Dolphins hosting a Thursday visit with wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr., the league is also in preparation mode for the 2024 NFL Draft. With the Scouting Combine behind us, it is on the college pro days, with draft prospects conducting on-campus workouts for any NFL scouts who choose to attend. On Wednesday, the media focus for pro days was at USC, where the presumed number one overall pick, quarterback Caleb Williams, worked out. For the Dolphins, the focus was elsewhere.

The University of Texas held its Pro Day on Wednesday, featuring 13 draft-eligible players. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier were among the 96 scouts, coaches, and executives in attendance. The Dolphins rolled into Austin deep, taking the opportunity to get a closer look at players they could pick in next month’s NFL Draft.

Who could be on Miami’s radar? We take a look at some of the prospects who put on a show in Austin.

Xavier Worthy, wide receiver

The Dolphins offense is built on speed, and no one is faster than Worthy in this year’s draft class – nor is there anyone who has ever run the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine faster. Worthy set the record at the combine with an official 4.21-second 40 time, and that may be enough for McDaniel and Grier to consider him a possible first-round pick.

The Dolphins need a third receiving option behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Adding another speed receiver would not seem to be the priority for the offense, but how do teams matchup with Hill, Waddle, and Worthy? It would simply be too much speed – especially when you add in running backs Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane – for a defense to contain.

Worthy caught 75 passes for 1,014 yards with five touchdowns last year for Texas. He could be a consideration for the Dolphins, who, based on the way McDaniel is looking at Worthy in the picture below, may not be able to help themselves when they come up on the clock with the 21st overall pick.

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Ja’Tavion Sanders, tight end

McDaniel has said the next evolution of his offense is getting the tight end position involved in the passing game. For the first two years of the coach’s tenure with the Dolphins, the tight end has been more of a sixth offensive lineman who happens to catch some passes than a dedicated option for the passing game. Could that change in year three?

Miami’s incumbent starter, Durham Smythe, is a favorite on the team and can serve as a pass catcher but is a blocker first. The team added Jonnu Smith this year in free agency, but if they want to evolve the tight-end role, adding Sanders in the draft could be a step toward that goal.

In 14 games in 2023, Sanders caught 45 passes for 682 yards and two touchdowns, following his 2022 campaign, when he caught 54 passes for 613 yards and five touchdowns. According to SportsSkeeda’s Tony Pauline, McDaniel and Grier were “on hand specifically for Sanders.”

If Miami wants to land Sanders, they likely would need to make him the pick with the 21st selection, though a trade back a few picks could be an option. If they wait until the 55th overall pick, their second-round selection, they may see him come off the board before they have a chance to select him.

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Byron Murphy and T’Vondre Sweat, defensive tackles

Miami has focused a lot of its free agency efforts on rebuilding the defense, where the team lost several key players, including cornerback Xavien Howard, linebacker Jerome Baker, linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, defensive tackle Raekwon Davis, and defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. They have added pieces like linebacker Shaq Barrett, linebacker Jordyn Brooks, defensive tackle Neville Gallimore, cornerback Kendall Fuller, defensive tackle Benito Jones, and linebacker Anthony Walker to begin the rebuild, but getting additional pieces for new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver could be a priority when the draft arrives.

Murphy could go well before the Dolphins are on the clock, but if he is still there for pick 21, the Dolphins may be running to turn in that pick. Murphy played in 14 games last year, recording 39 tackles with five sacks. At the Scouting Combine, he measured 6 foot, 0.5 inches and 297 pounds.

Sweat, who is likely a late-first or early-second-round pick, recorded 45 tackles and two sacks in 14 games played in 2023. He is 6-foot, 4.5 inches according to the measurements from the Combine, weighing in at 366 pounds. Sweat’s performance during the Pro Day highlighted his athleticism, despite his size, and could have, as Saints defensive line coach Todd Grantham told Sweat, “made him some money,” (via 247 Sports’ Hank South).

Murphy would be a closer replacement for Wilkins, while Sweat would likely serve as a nose tackle in the assumed 3-4 front Weaver will run this year. If Miami somehow has a chance to land Murphy late in the first, then pair him with Sweat in the second, it could be a perfect situation for the Dolphins – but a lot of other teams would have to address other needs for that to happen.

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Adonai Mitchell, wide receiver

Mitchell is not as fast as Worthy, but he ran a 4.43 40-yard dash, so he is not a plodding receiver either. According to DallasCowboys.com’s Nick Harris, Mitchell “suffered from the dropsies a bit” during the Pro Day, “as he dropped two well placed-balls on medium-range routes.”

During the 2023 season, Mitchell caught 55 passes for 845 yards with 11 touchdowns in 14 games. Mitchell, despite the drops during the Pro Day, a continuation of an issue that showed some during the Combine, demonstrated his strong route running, which could be a draw for the Dolphins, who stress precise routes and timing.

Mitchell and Worthy could find themselves in a battle for which of the two UT receivers is selected first.

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Other Texas Pro Day participants

Jett Bush, linebacker

Jaylan Ford, linebacker

Keilan Robinson, running back

Ryan Sanborn, punter

Ryan Watts, cornerback

Jordan Whittington, wide receiver