The Miami Dolphins are seemingly on an upwards trajectory again. What with the hiring of new head coach Jeff Hafley along with new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, both from the Packers organization, the franchise now believes it has the infrastructure to be competitive again.
Now, attentio can turn ot the draft, where at No. 11, the Dolphins have a lot of choices to make. However, according to Mel Kiper, there is one that could really give new defensive minded head coach Jeff Hafley a huge building block: Auburn defensive end Keldric Faulk. He writes on Faulk: “We don’t know if Tua Tagovailoa will still be Miami’s quarterback next season, but either way, it’s probably too early for Alabama’s Ty Simpson. We do know the defense could use some work, though, and new coach Jeff Hafley’s background is on that side of the ball. I thought about cornerback here, and Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy might make sense, but I just wasn’t ready to pull the first CB off the board. Miami could use this pick to reload on the edge. The Dolphins traded Jaelan Phillips at the deadline, and Bradley Chubb could be a cap-saving release this offseason, since he has no guaranteed money left on his deal. Mixing Chop Robinson’s burst with Faulk’s power could be a long-term solution”.
Why Jeff Hafley’s Defensive Vision Makes Faulk a Natural Fit
Kiper’s acknowledgment of the QB situation at the very least lends more intrigue to the pick, but for the Dolphins, it certainly feels as if with Hafley, they are setting the foundation to become a more physical team that can weather anything. Faulk is the perfect fit.
When socuts talk about Faulk, they see a player who has a violent play style, who is willing to align anywhere in the front and make a play. Especially against the run, Faulk has a unique blend of size and power to seal the edge. As someone who has pretty much learned every position along the line, the Dolphins would be comfortable no matter where they put Faulk.
When aligned in the interior, Faulk shows a quickness in his first step that allows him to shoot gaps. He also can use his elite power to bull rush opposing linemen and settle the point of attack. On the edge, he can use his hands to set the edge to force runners to come inside on outside runs to bottle them up in their tracks.
A Versatile, Physical Lineman Built for the Modern NFL Trenches
While there are concerns for Faulk at the NFL level, such as his athleticism and how it will translate, considering the losses for the Dolphins along the D-line, specifically along the edge, Faulk could be a unique pick up. With the Dolphins also wishing to invest more in young talent, Faulk could immediately become a building block player for the future molded in both Hafley and Sullivan’s image.
The Dolphins may not be well equipped to win now, but by drafting a player such as Faulk, it will alert the NFL to the Dolphins plans on how they will build for the long run.
Latest Kiper Mock Draft Has Auburn DE Landing with Dolphins