Getty Miami Dolphins against the San Francisco 49ers.
The Miami Dolphins hold the No. 21 pick in the NFL draft, allowing them to find a rookie who could make an impact on the team next season. However, a proposed trade from Niners Nation has the Dolphins trading the pick to the San Francisco 49ers for a haul.
In this deal, the Dolphins would land the No. 31 pick, a fifth-round pick, a seventh-round pick and a third-round pick in 2025. Niners Nation’s Kyle Posey wrote that since the Dolphins have a first and second-round pick but won’t pick again until No. 158, it won’t take much persuading.
“Old friend Mike McDaniel has a pick in the first and second rounds, but after picking No. 55, he won’t pick again until No. 158,” Posey wrote in an April 18 article. “It didn’t take much to get Mike to agree. He responded to our text with a thumbs-up and a ‘cool glasses’ emoji. In the second round, Miami ended up drafting BYU tackle Kingsley Suamataia. You’re welcome, Mike.”
Posey’s reason for trading up with the Dolphins is to land the 49ers a wide receiver, adding a weapon around Brock Purdy.
“Brock Purdy is our guy. This draft is intended to build around our quarterback, and the best way to do that is to ensure he has weapons,” Posey wrote. “Yes, Jauan Jennings and Deebo Samuel are still on the roster, but the odds of both being around after the 2024 season are slim. I’m thinking big picture. Brandon Aiyuk and Adonai Mitchell give Purdy two stud wideouts for the foreseeable future.”
Dolphins’ Top Draft Needs
The Miami Dolphins enter the draft with positions they can improve on both sides of the football. According to Hal Habib of The Palm Beach Post, their biggest need is an offensive lineman.
“RG Rob Hunt is gone. LT Terron Armstead has had injury problems and this could be his final NFL season,” Habib wrote in an April 19 column exploring the Dolphins’ top five draft needs. “Best-case scenario for Miami is if a quality lineman who can play guard or left tackle is there at No. 21, a player such as Alabama offensive lineman JC Latham or Washington’s Troy Fautanu. Or, to approach it another way, if Oregon C Jackson Powers-Johnson is there at 21, take him and move Liam Eichenberg.”
While they added Aaron Brewer and re-signed Robert Jones and Kendall Lamm, the Dolphins used 12 combinations on the offensive line. Drafting a lineman could help them find stability in the unit.
Dolphins General Manager Chris Grier Likes Who’s at No. 21
During the April 16 pre-draft press conference with Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier, he made it known that he believes there will be options who can help them at No. 21.
“I think we definitely feel there will be one or two players that we really like there is where we are right now,” Grier said.
Given he’s “excited” to draft someone at No. 21, a trade with the San Francisco 49ers or any team sounds unlikely heading into the draft.
“We feel that we can get an impact player there that will help our team and roster, and we’d be very excited to add. We’ve gone through it a few times. We’ll keep going through it here. We feel good about who would be there at No. 21 if we were to pick there.”