The page on the calendar has once again flipped, and now we suddenly find ourselves in the month of April — otherwise known as the official month of the 2025 NFL Draft. We are creeping ever closer to the start of the NFL Draft, and with recent disappointing news overtaking the Miami Dolphins fanbase, all of us could really use a killer draft from Chris Grier and company to lift our dampened spirits.
As it stands right now, the Dolphins have painted themselves into a corner regarding the defensive tackle position — especially when you take into account the departure of impactful veteran Calais Campbell who signed a one-year deal to return to the Arizona Cardinals this week. Zach Sieler is a tremendous player who has amassed 10 sacks in each of the past two seasons, but as an athlete who has entered the over 30-years-old club, he can’t carry the load by himself. Benito Jones is a fine depth piece, but you can’t count on him to take a huge chunk of defensive snaps. Today’s mock will reflect those concerns.
Oh, and you guys can settle down. I didn’t take a quarterback in round one…
As a reminder, once a week, every week until the 2025 NFL Draft, I’ll be doing a full 7-round mock, and then giving you a chance to grade my results. Each draft will look slightly different, because, let’s be honest, the Dolphins have a ton of needs and can go in a million different directions come late April when the actual NFL Draft kicks off.
This exercise will allow us to examine different pathways to success for our beloved South Florida franchise, while hopefully having some fun in the process!
So, without further adieu, let’s unwrap my latest mock draft!
ROUND 1 – Pick #13
Kenneth Grant — DT — Michigan
What the experts are saying:
Michigan Wolverines defensive tackle Kenneth Grant is a tight-quarters mauler who has the potential to serve a dominant role in the heart of an NFL defense. Grant has a compact, powerful frame and offers explosive hands to jolt and reset the point of attack.
He’s generally regarded as the “other” Michigan defensive tackle opposite Mason Graham — but this is a standalone talent in his own right. Grant has brilliant flashes of versatility and quickness as a pass rusher to bolster his upside. He can develop into a frequent splash player with the right coaching and supplementary players around him.
The floor is a key cog in base defenses, but Grant has shown growth across all phases of his game at Michigan, including in the volume of snaps he’s capable of taking. This trend should offer him early consideration thanks to his rare traits. (Kyle Crabbs, The 33rd Team)
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ROUND 2 – Pick #48
Mason Taylor — TE — LSU
What the experts are saying:
LSU Tigers tight end Mason Taylor projects as an impactful receiving threat at the NFL level. Taylor offers fluidity at plus size and sure hands, which should allow him to be an authentic matchup problem for the blend of linebackers and safeties he will catch in coverage while running routes.
Taylor plays at nearly a 50/50 split of in-line and slot assignments — a testament to his versatility at one of the more challenging positions to be diverse. Taylor offers effective run-after-catch and contested-catch ability for receiving in space and traffic, respectively, and his growth as a downfield receiver this season bodes well for his impact potential as a long-term developmental starter. (Kyle Crabbs, The 33rd Team)
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ROUND 3 – Pick #98
Ozzy Trapilo — OT — Boston College
What the experts are saying:
Boston College Eagles offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo projects as an NFL starter at right tackle. Trapilo’s smooth feet and massive gravitational pull in pass protection make him a challenging blocker to disrupt and work around with pure rushes off the edge.
Trapilo played in a gap-heavy run scheme at Boston College but has the makings of a zone-blocking scheme monster with his size, power, athleticism, and displacement ability. Many of his successful run reps are on account of a second gear with leg drive once engaged, but if he can manufacture more urgency through contact, he could be a nightmare while exploding off the line of scrimmage.
This is a three-year starter who has logged snaps on either side of the line of scrimmage, but his play at right tackle has yielded his best work, and his combination of displacement ability/potential and refined pass sets make him a high-floor, high-ceiling proposition in this year’s class. (Kyle Crabbs, The 33rd Team)
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ROUND 4 – Pick #116
CJ West — DT — Indiana
What the experts are saying:
Fifth-year senior with three seasons as a full-time starter at Kent State and one at Indiana. West benefited from an extremely active, gaming front that created playmaking opportunities, but he also did the dirty work inside that scheme. He plays with adequate hand and foot quickness and is quick to diagnose the play. A lack of length and leverage at the point of attack might tie him to a one-gapping scheme as a pro. The sack totals are light, but he has enough athletic ability to compete as a rusher on single blocks. West has Day 3 value as a likely three-technique backup. (Lance Zierlein, NFL.com)
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ROUND 4 – Pick #135
Jacob Parrish — CB — Kansas State
What the experts are saying:
Kansas State Wildcats cornerback Jacob Parrish projects as a starting cornerback with some scheme versatility at the NFL level. He’s a highly proficient man corner with an effective punch and transitional quickness to play in press.
He’s built compact but still offers passable length to play on the perimeter as a hands-on cornerback. Yet, his frame offers a center of gravity that allows for sudden deceleration and transitions when playing isolated in space or overtop of routes. Parrish plays the game with an edge and physicality that you’d typically expect from a bigger corner and boasts an effective appetite for supporting the run, as well. (Kyle Crabbs, The 33rd Team)
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ROUND 5 – Pick #150
Devin Neal — RB — Kansas
What the experts are saying:
Workload runner with NFL size and four years of steady production to help elevate the program. Neal runs with a nice blend of patience and decisiveness to choose the right lanes and maximize each carry. He lacks top-end burst and speed, which will shrink the field for him, but he’s a fall-forward runner with good contact balance and a nose for short-yardage conversions. He has good instincts and soft hands in space and can help as a leak-out or swing-pass option. His blue-collar approach isn’t exciting but it is effective and Neal has the ability to develop into a backup three-down back. (Lance Zierlein, NFL.com)
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ROUND 5 – Pick #155
J.J. Pegues — DT — Ole Miss
What the experts are saying:
Ole Miss Rebels defensive tackle JJ Pegues is a gifted athletic talent on the defensive line. After starting his college career at tight end, Pegues is understandably still a bit underdeveloped with his technique, but the flashes of athleticism he provides at his stature are enough to perk up any defensive coach and generate buy-in as a developmental prospect.
Moonlighting as a short-yardage back, Pegues is a rare blend of gifts and traits — although it is difficult to see him often commanding touches of the football at the NFL level. Instead, he’ll be better served working on the consistency of his hand usage to properly control blocks and further develop his pass-rush capabilities. (Kyle Crabbs, The 33rd Team)
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ROUND 7 – Pick #224
Max Brosmer — QB — Minnesota
What the experts are saying:
Minnesota Golden Gophers quarterback Max Brosmer is a traditional pocket passer who does well with leverage anticipation and coverage confirmation as a processor from the pocket. Brosmer is at his best when throwing in rhythm at the top of the drop.
He’s accurate and precise in the short and intermediate areas of the field and can be quick to move on from progression opportunities that are bested by defensive coverage throughout this drop. Brosmer is a former FCS product from New Hampshire. Unfortunately, it does show some limitations in his arm strength and mobility at times. But he clearly has an NFL-capable mind and should be considered a Day 3 backup type of investment. (Kyle Crabbs, The 33rd Team)
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ROUND 7 – Pick #231
Willie Lampkin — OG/C/FB — North Carolina
What the experts are saying:
When it comes to the three phases of a run block (positioning/sustain/finish), Lampkin has the best tape I’ve studied of any prospect in the 2025 draft. He’s tremendously quick and athletic to beat defenders to the spot laterally or to climb and connect in space. He plays with excellent hand placement, leverage and footwork to sustain blocks. He uses that stickiness to finish blocks, too. He’s sound in pass protection but will give way to size and length from time to time. Unfortunately, he falls far below NFL size standards, but he’s too good a football player to ignore. Smart teams should consider using Lampkin as a fullback who can get into space and stick to his block while offering position flexibility as an emergency backup at center. Whether he’s drafted or not, Lampkin has NFL-caliber talent. (Lance Zierlein, NFL.com)
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ROUND 7 – Pick #253
Caleb Rogers — OL — Texas Tech
What the experts are saying:
Texas Tech Red Raiders offensive lineman Caleb Rogers is an athletic, physical blocker who offers effective gap-controlling blocks in the run game. A highly experienced starter, Rogers has played a lot of football and proven himself a durable, steady player.
He’s not perfect and offers some length limitations that should push him inside to guard in the NFL. However, Rogers wins on drive and combination blocks to create running lanes inside and shows stickiness in his blocks to sustain angles. As a pass protector, he has a good punch and will be better protected from long-armed rushers and speed-to-power conversions inside. (Kyle Crabbs, The 33rd Team)
