Dolphins Draft Talk with Dan Brugler of The Athletic

We're talking all things from the Senior Bowl and draft with the athletics Dane Brugler as well as Miami Dolphins Draft. We'll get into the Dolphins presence in mobile coaching, the practices in the game, Danes first mock of the year fits for the Dolphins, breaking down this year's receiver's class in comparison to last year's wide receiver class, and we'll hear Dane's rookie, your evaluation on the Dolphins draft class. All of that and more on this loaded Friday, February

the five edition of the Drivetime Podcast. So the Super Bowls coming up on deck. It'll be the Chiefs and the Bucks Sunday from Tampa Bay. Can't wait to watch that game, the final football game of the season always a better sweet moment, but that also means we get to turn ahead to the see time of season where people that like to play the fake GM role like myself, really enjoy the off season, free agency coming up, the Combine before that, and then ultimately the Draft at the

end of April. And that's kind of our focus on this edition of Drive Time. The Dolphins were in Mobile to coach the Senior Bowl last week. We got Dane Brugler from The Athletic here talk to us about that, about this year's draft class, about last year's Dolphins draft class. Plenty of good stuff here on this edition of Drive Time that's not waste any more of your time, and get to Dane Bruegler from The Athletic and writing Shotgun Now on the Drivetime podcast is the Athletics NFL draft analyst.

He's the co host of the Prospect to Pros podcast. Dave Brugler, Dane, Welcome in man, Hey, Dravits, appreciate having me on. Yeah, we're excited to have you in here because we tried to get you on during Senior Bowl week, but we understand that's a very busy time on the calendar for draft folks, and you did just finish up the Senior Bowl. Week up next would be the Scouting Combine. But I have to imagine as that changes in the NFL,

it changes for you a little bit too. Yeah, oh yeah, it's it's going to be a very different draft process. And you know that's one of the reasons why the Senior Bowl is so important. Um, you know, we don't have a combine this year. We don't know what the pro day circuit is going to look like exactly. Um, you know, we we don't know, you know, we we know there's gonna be plenty of virtual interviews and things like that, but it's it's it's tough when you go

back to the fall Scouts. Area scouts usually are on the road visiting campuses during the week, going to practice and you know, really laying the groundwork for the prospects in this class. But they weren't able to do that last fall. It's a lot of virtual things and you know, leaning on relationships at different college programs to find out all that information fill in the gaps. So it is

a very very different year. But that's why the Senior Bowl was so important because teams actually got some face time with these players, none more than the Dolphins and Panthers who were able to coach those teams. So a really awesome opportunity for those two organizations. Yeah, I'm glad you mentioned. Let's go ahead and peel the onion back on that just a little bit more here, because you know, we talked a little bit off air about some draft

analysts around around the country. We talked about you doing your podcast with landser Line, who I've referenced on Miami Dolphins dot com on the podcast here several times on

Drive Time. So you're in good company, Dane. But all all, you know, I listened to Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks and they talk a lot about the process of you know, when you go scout a game live in the fall, you kind of watch the way a guy interacts with his teammates, the way he is on the sideline, maybe the way he has those conversations with coaches when they come over to coach him up or whatever it might be.

Did you get a sense of that and mobile with the Dolphins coaching staff and and how valuable is that that one on one time with his kids on the practice field. Oh, it's everything, because you know, even if you're not going to draft the player, you know, who knows, maybe in in four years you'll be looking at him as a possible free agent addition, Um, you know, there's just so many connections. You know, he might be facing these guys in week two, and you know you need

a game plan for him. Um. And you know that you could use it as as simple as you know, eliminating guys. You know it just okay, it wouldn't be a culture fit, wouldn't be a scheme fit. Um. But what being at these events live is a big deal, uh for evaluators. And you know, I've been going to the Senior Bowl for ten years now and it's you know, I learned early on from my scouting mentors that you know what, you can learn a lot by just being observant and just keeping your eyes open and watching to

see how guys interact. And you know a great example of that was Dalen Hayes Notre Dame pass rusher who was on the national squad UH coached by the Dolphins, and every time he would come off the field from a rep from off the practice field, he would go directly over to one of the assistant coaches and start breaking down technique and talking about what he's trying to do there and what he needs and that this is a guy that understands the value of the Senior Bowl

and you know, getting that NFL coaching. So it's it's a great, great opportunity for those players that were able

to go to Mobile. There's about a hundred and forty of them that participated, and then just a great, great opportunity for the Dolphins to uh, you know, get a better sense of who these guys are and they probably have a little bit of a head start as we really dive into draft season, and that would likely be Dolphins outside linebackers coach Austin Clark, who really did wonders this year with some players like Andrew Van Giggle bringing their pass rush game along in his second year this season,

plenty of good teaching going on in the field. We saw the all the ESPN You and NFL Network clips with Joe Alexander, Anthony Camp and Nellie Lemuel John Pierre. It was fun, you know, as someone that knows these coaches and talks these coaches to to see them on the field in their natural habitat as it were, and it made me wonder Dame, because you're out through every day.

You know, we watched Dolphins practice down and Davey, we see Danny Crossman, Dolphins special teams coordinator, getting after one of the best Dolphins are one of the best special teams units in the NFL. Did you get a chance to hear him yelling on the field out there at all? Oh? Yeah, you can't. You can't miss it. I mean if you uh, if you're out there, if you're at the stadium, you're

going to hear it, so you know. And then there was I thought the Dolphins and nothing against you know, coach Rule and the Panthers, but I thought the Dolphins ran their practices much smoother. Um, you know, they just just from evaluation standpoint, it was everything was very quick and clean, and uh really really enjoyed Coach Flores and his staff and the way they did things. So uh now it was a a great first practice uh each day and it really really helped evaluators. Three these guys out.

You're a natural podcast for day because you just led me into my next question talking about what those practices look like. And you know, because Flow always talks about taking the lessons you get from the classroom, putting him into the individual drills, and then carry it over to the team periods of practice. And his biggest thing has

always been an improvement. And he talked about being better than you were in September by the time December rolls around, I was curious to get your take on how the national team progressed throughout the course of the week from Tuesday to Thursday. They say it's all about improvement in this week of Senior Bowl practices. Did you see that from the Dolphin side? Yeah, that that's that's exactly it.

You it's tough when you're thrown into a game like this because you're working with coaches you never worked with, uh teammates you never played with, and you know you're thrown into this fish bowl and asked to perform at your best, and so it could be tough. And usually, you know, we try not to beat up on these guys too much, especially on that Tuesday practice. But what you do want to see is the show improvement throughout

the week. Um as they gain that chemistry, as they start to really digest the playbook, you know, the abbreviated playbook, they book they put together and take the coaching that they're that's given to them by the staff. And so uh, several of these guys I thought throughout the week got better, uh Tuesday to Wednesday to Thursday on that Dolphin squad.

I mean you could look at a guy like the Metric Felton from U c l A, who was a wide receiver in high school but they moved to running back at U c l A. He was their starter, but he was able to play more of a wide receiver role, uh down in mobile and I tell you, just getting some instruction from the staff in terms of, you know, the pacing the steps of his routes because obviously he's he's very unpolished in an area because he

wasn't asked to run the downfield routes very often. But by the end of the week, he was looking a lot more comfortable, a lot more confident, catching the ball very well away from his body. So I thought the Metric Felton was, uh, you know, a great, great example of that who took the coaching and then got better and better each week. Trey Brown, the corner from Oklahoma, another one under size, so easy to overlook him, but

the tenacity that he plays with the competitiveness. Um, you know he he was a little two hands on earlier in the week, and then as the week went on, started to show a little more, a little more savvy with the way that he would disrupt routes and you know, his presence and coverage. So, uh, you know, two examples there for guys that I got better and better as the week went on. That's great stuff. And you mentioned

Trey Brown. How many times that guy intercepted pass and one on one drills like that doesn't happen very often, and he was doing it regularly. It seems like out there on the practice field. This is going a little bit off script D and so just hearing me here for a second, But you mentioned Metric Felton. You know, it reminds me of last year Antonio Gibson really kind of jumped into the to the spotlight in the Senior Bowl.

Could you get the same stance in terms of that receiver running back type of convert, Like, how does the Metric Felton compared to Antonio Gibson. Yeah, Felton's making the opposite transition where yeah, Gibson was a wide receiver in college. But you know the Senior Bowl thought, okay, this is an opportunity for scouts to evaluate him and running back and Felton it was the obvious or the opposite. Uh,

and so it'll be interesting to see. This is a very loaded slot wide receiver group UM this year and this year's class, and so he's kind of jumbled together with UH. You know there's Elijah More, Rondale More or Shy Smith, Key Johnson two to at well, UH, Dwayne Eskridge, who was another wide receiver who was outstanding throughout the

week of practice at the Senior Bowl. So there's just a loaded group of wider stivers, especially in the slot, those inside guys that are going to go somewhere between the second and fourth rounds UM. And so I thought he helped himself in terms of just putting himself in

that mix and really showing what he could do. UH. And that's and it's an example of you know, if he doesn't get to go to the Senior Bowl, you know he's if Antonio Gibson doesn't play at the Senior Bowl, he's probably drafted him with a six round as a wide receiver. And you know, teams aren't quite short to do with him. Dmitri Felton, same thing. If he does not able to go to the Senior Bowl, he's probably a late rounder, you know, and you're kind of a

gadget guy, not sure what to do with him. Now he what he showed at the Senior Bowl that he can be more of a downfield threat as a receiver all of a sudden instead of a late rounder. He's probably gonna go so more in that third fourth range. It's awesome to get to get a chance to watch these guys go up against their peers that way, because you know, maybe competition in college levels not always on

par with what you might see in the NFL. So seeing these guys against fellow NFL players, it's an awesome opportunity. It's and I think it's definitely a tip of the hat to Jim Naggie for what he's made the Senior Bowl and just his short time there. He did the podcast a couple of weeks ago, and man, he's getting like even just getting nausey. Harris and Landon Dickerson, Mac Jones, DeVante Smith, all those Alabama guys down there after the National Championship, What a what a feather in his cap

that was you mentioned the receiver's day. I want to circle back to that here in just one second, but I want to come back to an article you posted after the Senior Bowl practices had wrapped. Maybe he was after the game. I forget who were your big winners of the Senior Bowl, just in general thirty two team perspective, not an individual club. Who are your big winners of the Senior Bowl. Well, it has to start with Quinn

Miners from Wisconsin Whitewater. Uh. He coming into the week he was viewed, the highest grade I heard on him was a six round pick. That was the highest grade, just pulling different teams, and now he's probably the top one hundred conversation. He's probably a Day two pick with the week that he had. And he didn't play this year. Division three did not have a season. And you go back to his two as nineteen stuff and it was good,

but it wasn't dominant. It wasn't amazing, um you know the way you wouldmit necessarily think at the Division three level. But the last year he was able to rework his body and really work on some of the finer points the position. He goes to UH two mobile and just was dominant from from day one. And not only that, but he was a left guard in college and he had never snapped before. And he goes to center and he's playing center during practice like he's done in his

entire life. So Quinn Miners, Uh, just one of the biggest risers this year. Um, he's going to you know, make a big jump off up draft boards. Could be one of the first you know, three interior alignment or three centers I should say three centers drafted with Creed Humphrey and Josh Meyers. So it's just a really big jump for him. I thought Richie Grant, the safety from UCF, was outstanding. He had a third round grade on him coming into the week. He jumped up a full round.

He's in the second round mix now. Could go easily in the top fifty range ball skills former wide receiver, so he does wide receiver like things at the catch point, which is what you want to see. He can run the alleys downhill and blow up, run support, blow upuys and run support. So there's just a lot of things you can do with the Richie Grant. He can play different positions on the field, and that versatility really is key, And you know, I think I mentioned D. S. Gridge earlier.

I liked him coming in. I had I think when I my talk one hundred board he was seventies six overall, I believe. So I had a mid third round grade on D. S. Cridge coming into the week, but no one could cover throughout the week. And he's small, uh

five nine. But when you have that gear changing acceleration where you just can keep defenders off balance and create your own separation like that and also be very strong at the catch point with your hands, uh, you know there there's going to be a place for you in the NFL. And I think that's going to translate. So I think D. S. Cridge he was already in that third round mix, and he even helped himself more with

this week a Senior Bowl. So you made a couple of comments there that have have me going off script once again. Day. I want to pick your brain here, man, because this is great stuff you mentioned. You know D. S. Gridge might be a little bit undersized Dwayne Eskridge out of Western Michigan. That seems to be the case with a lot of receivers in this group. You mentioned too to at well earlier, people talk about Davonte Smith's slender frame, the slim reaper, Like how important is size in today's

NFL at that position? Maybe in general? Like is it as big of a deal as it used to be. There's different philosophies from team to team. You know, the Ravens drafted Marquise Hollywood Brown in the in the first round, where a lot of teams would not have done that. Meanwhile, I DK Metcalf in the same draft because the full round later. You know, I just there's different philosophies with different teams. And I think more than anything, more than size,

more than it's just it's about speed. Can you can you create separation before and after the catch? You know, when I was, you know, learning how to scout and all that things, you know, I was taught when it comes when you're scouting receivers, comes down just two things, you know, just keep it simple. Can you get open? Can you catch the football? And you know that was that was a while ago, But now these days, I think there's a third element to that. Can you get open?

Can you catch a football? And then can you create after the catch? That is becoming more and more just such an important part of today's NFL. UM and you know, you you're looking for those explosive plays, and defenses are trying to stop those explosive plays. So if you can find guys that can, you know, help create those those chunk plays, those home run plays, then you're you're in

good shape. And that's why Davante Smith, even at a hundred seventy five pounds, is still going to be somewhere in you know, the top ten, top twelve mix because he's just he's proven himself as that big play guy. Um, and you know the guy like to to out well who I think it's very similar to a Hollywood Brown where he's five nine seventy pounds, just you know, a very skinny, slender frame. But when you watch his tape, he just looks like he's moving at a different speed

than everybody else. He can fly consistently win over the top. So um, you know, run l Moore's in this mix, Elijah Moore a Maori Rodgers, who's another uh standout at the Senior Bowl. Uh. He's another guy in that day two mix who is a little bit undersized, but again he is play strength is a big part of what he does. So he might be short, but he's not small. He's he's pretty well put together. It's you know, size is something that you know, each each receiver brings something

different to the table. But more importantly, it's about speed and create. You create this your own separation and create those big plays. Yeah, you mentioned create separation, catch the football, create big plays after you catch the football. I mean that reminds me of what to a tongue of Byloah had in spades at Alabama that really helped that offense explode. And isn't that kind of what you can capitalize on?

The accuracy and the timing and the quick release and the kind of shark between the ears processing the two a tongue of Baloa has, Like, isn't that a great fit for him to have those guys that can create that separation because of that pinpoint accuracy that helps to create the act. Yeah, no question. Yeah you wanna you want to put these guys in position so they can catch the ball and stride and with if they only have a step of separation, that's all you need and

just let them do something after the catch. And I think, yeah, with two uh, that's exactly what he can do. With he's got all that twitch in his in his arm where he can fire off those quick throws. Uh. And the way he sees the field, the way he can process before the snap, he understands where that vulnerable matchup is going to be. And so as he develops chemistry with his receivers, uh, you know, we'll see if they maybe add another receiver in the draft for this offseason.

And as he gets you know, more comfortable at those guys and understands exactly where they're going to be. Uh. You know, I think there's a big jump coming for two uh. Uh you know, between his his first year and a second year. It's it's tough to play the quarterback position at the NFL and when everything is it's all predicated on timing, and I mean you have to be able to uh, you know, hit your receivers on time or you're just it's it's not going to end well.

And so with the guy like to uh, I think, you know, he was so used to guys being a little bit more wide open um at the college level at Alabama, and he just has to adjust to the differences between college open and NFL Open. And in the NFL Open, those those those the windows are just a little bit smaller, and so I think you'll adjust. I think you'll get there. It's just, you know, it's it's tough, and you know, I think he's in for a big

jump as a sophomore in his NFL career. Not to mention the NFL basically having no offseason and what he did have of an office, and he was rehabbing the hip that was injured just last November. So I mean, it wasn't that long ago that he was coming back off of a very serious injury. We're happy to see him healthy, moving around and feeling good down here. I can't wait to see what he does. Like you mentioned in year two, go ahead and turn this thing back

towards the general draft. Outside the Senior Bowl, we've got Dane Brugler here of the athletic How much time, Dane, do you spend focusing on like scheme fits and team needs for particular clubs or for you since you kind of are, you know, a GM of all thirty two teams so to speak, is it more about just trying to stack your board from the best on down. How much does like team fit and scheme fit come into play? For you. Well, yeah, I think from a general perspective,

because that's how I attack this draft. I'm not scouting with a specific scheme in mind, or you know, culture in mind, things like that. I'm I'm scouting these guys and trying to best understand where they would fit at the next level. And so, you know, when I do my write ups, I do my reports, um, you know, I'll mention in there he's you know best as a SAM and a three four scheme, or you know best as a sub package rusher or you know, whatever it may be. Uh, you know, try to identify, uh, the

key traits and then how that's going to translate. Some of these guys are very scheme versatile, you know, you think they could fit in wherever they're whatever offense that they're they're in, and where other guys are a little more scheme specific and they need a certain role to win at the next level. So, um, you know that's that's that's part of my job. It's kind of a

a general evaluator of these guys. And that can make it tough when you're trying to stack these players, you know, because I could have you know, there are there are times where you know, I'll have a certain wide receiver over another. But once uh, you know, a certain player goes to a certain team on draft day, I you know, look at it and say like, oh, well, he's gonna outplay right draft him because he just went to the perfect spot. That's that's they're going to be used in

the right way and things like that. So it's it's a little tough doing it from a very general perspective without a certain scheme in mind. But you know, I find that very I find a challenging but also a lot of fun because I get to kind of, you know, keep my mind open about, Okay, where would this guy best fit, how could we best use him, and then just kind of keeping an open mind about it. It's

definitely different. I think it's like you mentioned, challenging is definitely the word I would use, because when you look at a certain team and you have the knowledge of of the background of that team, it definitely helps when it comes to picking out certain players for that specific team. And with that in mind. Since we are on Drivetime here part of the Miami Dolphins podcast network, we gotta jump into your last mock draft. I think it was

one point, oh right back in January. I think it's two point Yeah, I think I've done two at this point so far. That's my bad. I apologize, Dane, but you did go with The Dolphins have four picks in the top fifty. Here pick number three. Davonte Smith out of Alabama, the receiver, Quitty Pay the defensive end out of Michigan, Travis et N the running back from Clemson, and Josh Meyers the center out of Ohio State. Can you walk us through that mock draft and how those

guys fit here? Yeah? So, you know, starting with Davante Smith, you know, I don't it taking a receiver a seventy five pounds and number three overall seems like a little bit of a reach just on paper. But I mean, anybody that watched Davante Smith this year, you know, how could you not be impressed with his ability to get open and then just be be a dynamic playmaker. Um, he's just you do worry about the frail build a

little bit. Um. You know, he's not a burner. He's not gonna run a four three, but he's so natural and everything that he does he finds space to work. He finished it, finishes catches, and he doesn't go down easy. He's a lot tougher than he looks. He's he's a lot more he's a lot more competitive than some two five pound receiver is out there. Uh. He's used across the formation, so he's not a you know, you have to play him at that that the Z, or you have to play him the slot whatever. He can play

across the formation. Uh. And he's just he's got that explosive athleticism. He's an instinctive route runner and very natural hands. You're not gonna find many drops on his tape. So, uh, you reunited. Part of the mocking him to the Dolphins at three is reuniting him with two and talking Vola. And you know, you want to help your your young quarterback as much as you can. What better way to help him with a dynamic weapon that he's already comfortable with.

So I think that'd be uh, you know, a great fit, a great pairing that you know, on paper, again that seems like maybe a little rich, but when you're talking about what he offers and how he can help specifically that Dolphins offense, I think it makes a lot of sense. Um. So going to the second first round pick I could he pay who is I think this is a This is a player that I think coach Floors is really going to appreciate because he can play, he can out,

he's outstanding versus run, can shut down the edges. But he also can give you some twitch as a pass rusher and threaten the backfield and really forced them to get off rhythm. Uh, you can move up and down the line of scrimmage. He can slither around blockers. He also have some power in his hands. He's got that locked in attitude that you know, I'm not gonna let anybody out work me, out compete me. Uh, you know,

out effort me type of type of attitude. And I think that's something that shows on film, shows on the stat sheet, and and something that coaches will certainly appreciate. Um. And then second round, what do we have In the second round? We went with Travis e t N. Then Josh Myers. That's right. Yeah, if you don't know, you don't mind. If you don't mind, because you just talk about E t N and the entire Wrinning back class kind of as it pertains that top a couple of

rounds projections. Yeah, this running back class, I think that. You know, there's a couple of guys at the top that are clearly the top guys. And you know it's not as strong as last year's running back class where we had you know, five or six in the top fifty picks. UM, but you know there's a few guys at the top that are really intriguing, starting with Naja

Harris and Travisy E t n Um. You know, Naja Harris is a great example of a player that got better and better and better UH as a senior, which we don't really see a lot of running backs come back for their senior year, but it worked out for Naja Harris, who is a much more complete player and has a chance to go in the first round. But Travis E. T n you know, he's also in that mix. He came back for a senior year to get better and you know he had more opportunities as a downfield

pass catcher this year. UH got a little bit better in pass protection, so you know, he helped himself. He's now as a possible first round pick, which he probably wasn't a year ago. I think that's a possible marriage, UH that could work. And you know, you got Javonte Williams from North Carolina, Michael Carter, North Carolina. I think both those guys are Day two picks. Uh, Kenneth gain Well from Memphis as well. So it's a it's a

solid running back group. Um. You know there's some you know, really intriguing mid round guys like Leo Herbert from Virginia Tech and Larry Roundtree Missouri. So a really interesting group running backs. But if they have a chance to get a playmaker like E. T N it'd be pretty tough to say no because he can impact the game in

so many different ways. You can leave him home in the block, but he can also go out and pass, catch, and you think he's gonna get better and better in those areas with the more experience and the more reps that he has. And he just he has that starts starts, stop suddenness that you know, he can make full, full speed cuts without gearing down. It just makes it really tough on the defense. And so to add a weapon

like that would certainly help the offense. And then Josh Meyers at the center, just a plug and play guy six five fifteen pounds. UM, I don't know that he's necessarily elite as you know, a mover or talking about from a power perspective. But he's just very well rounded. Um. You know, he's a guy that finishes the mission, gets it, gets the job done. He could play center or guard. He's got that experience at both. Um just a really

quality plug and play type of interior alignment. I want to go back real quick to the Travis E. T N running back mentioned that you had there has I'm curious when it comes to Nausea and Travis, which you know, seemed to be the one two running backs on most boards ahead of you know, the North Carolina kids and

then whatever comes after that. But I'm curious what difference does that do for your offense when you have a Nausea Harris compared to a Travis E. T M. Like, are those two things you're gonna have to prepare for differently? Are they just versta enough for it all kind of works out? Like, what's the difference between those two backs in a given offense? Well, obviously, uh, you know E t N. I'll use a baseball reference to kind of you know, make my point. I think E. T N

has he's got more home run power. You know, you have to really uh you know, back up to the warning track, when Travis e t N gets the football, where Nausea Harris he's more of a doubles uh. You know, he's got doubles power. And you know, so you're talking about two different uh types of types of runners who could be equally productive, just in different ways. E t N has got that. He's got more juice, He's got

more has his feet are a little more electric. Um, he's that that deadly start stop suddenness that I mentioned is that forces miss tackles. Where Naja Harris has a little more power. He doesn't think it. Only has one UM play of fifty yards or more uh in his career, which you know obviously is not many, where eat N I thinks twelve. So that's where I'm talking about the home runs versus doubles. Uh. You know, I think Naja

Harris probably the better, more reliable pass catcher. Uh. He's gonna give you more as a between the tackles runner as an inside guy. But eat N can give you a little more juice on the outside. He can make you know, those chunk plays that we're talking about. So I think from a defensive perspective. Yeah, you're you're preparing for these guys in different ways, but both can be

equally productive with the different strengths that they have. And from that running back position back out to the receiver group. And you know, I think I talked about Daniel Jeremiah earlier. I think he said that last year's receivers class was the best he had done since he had ever since he came into the industry back in two thousand three. And then this year's class danger seems like it might

be picking up right with that one left off. I'm curious how you stack the top of both those classes, like maybe your top five or X guys, how does it rank out from class and class with Jerry Judy, Henry Ruggs, uh Ceedee Lamb, Jamaar, Chase Davante Smith, Like, how did those guys stack up for you? Yeah, it's

it's really fascinating exercise to do it. Um And Yeah, last year we had twelve receivers drafted in the top two round, which is an NFL record, And you know this year in my top one hundred, UM I had had seventeen receivers. So it's just, yeah, it's another loaded class. And you could argue that it's even more top heavy than it was a year ago when we didn't have a receiver taken in the top ten. This year, we could have two receivers take in top ten, maybe three

in the top twelve. You know, we'll see how it shakes out. Jamar Chase. It's interesting because you know, we have an oct out. You know we did. This is something we really haven't had to deal with before from an evaluation standpoint, guys choosing not to play, Um, you know, with everything going on with the pandemic, and you know, you have to evaluate each one of these guys individually. And you know, but Jamar Chase did last year as

a sophomore and that l s U offense. I don't know that he necessarily had to play another year to show us anything. I think we know what he is. Uh. He's a guy that has that gear changing acceleration. Uh, he's got that my ball attitude down the field where he's gonna come down with it. Just a really uh, you know, dynamic player with what he can do at all levels of the defense. And so, um, Jamar Chase

to me is the top receiver this year. I think, you know, there's there's some maybe a little bit of recency bias out there, you know, with Davante Smith what he's done. But to me, Jamar Chase, he's the top guy at six ft two or ten pounds. Uh. He's got speed, he's got ball skills, he's got power, just that not many weaknesses in his game. I think he's maybe a smaller version of like a Larry Fitzgerald, that style of pass catchers. So I think there's a lot

going on going for him at the next level. Davante Smith, you know we talked about he's he's also you can make an argument better than any of the receivers that went last year with Rugs and Judy and lamb Um and then even Jalen wat I mean, ja Litt Waddle is another guy that maybe isn't as if he had a chance to play the entire year. Maybe we're talking

about Jalen Waddle a little bit more. Uh, but he you know, fractured his ankle and the fourth game or something like that, and so but he he's got that speed. He was a much better route unner this year. Uh, natural catching the football. Uh, He's he's a little further along than Henry Ruggs was at this point of their careers. So the top three are really impressive. And then after that Kadarius Tony from Florida, who is just it's watching him at the Senior Bowl. It just moves differently than

everybody else. Um, you know, he's got that. I don't care what position you're playing, you know, if you're scouting edge, rusher or receiver, whatever you want, guys at that one step burst and that's what can Darius Tony has. He's got that one step burst that really uh forces coverage defenders to be in conflict. And so he's a weapon that could easily see him go in the first round. And then after that it's just a really loaded rounds two through four. There's a lot of slot sctions in there.

There's some bigger guys like a terrorist Marshall uh Deanmomy Brown, a monrow st Brown. So there's a lot of different options, a lot of different types of receivers in this class. And you know, it's it's very comparable to last year, if not better. So it's just that maybe and that's where you get down to draft philosophy and if you're looking at it and say Okay, Well, there's a lot

of different options in this class. Is it worth us passing on receiver in the top ten and maybe going in a different direction offensive tackle or or whatever, an edge rusher? Is it better going with another position and waiting to get our receiver? Or you know, is Jamaar Chase or Davante Smith or Jayala Waddle? Are they just that good where it's worth taking the receiver this early and then you know, just seeing how the rest of the positions play out. To me, that's why you do

mock drafts. You find out where the cluster bussers are, where you can find different groupings of positions, and where guys might shake out later in the draft. Great stuff there from you, Dame Bruegler. I want to finish up with this question real quick because we talked about one draft class. Offense obviously well positioned with the third pick, with four picks in the top fifty, what about some

stuff you'd like from the Dolphins rookie class. He talked about two a tongue bywa earlier, Austin Jackson, Noah Egnogny, Ray Kwon, Davis, Robert Hunt, Brandon Jones. List goes on what did you like out of that class this season. Yeah, you know, they had a lot of draft capital, and I think they really capitalized on on what they had. Um, you know, with with two. Like I said, I think

he's in for a big jump as a sophomore. I think he's in for a nice little bump a year two as he continues to grow and develop at the position, gets it, gets healthy. Um. And then after that, you know, Austin Jackson I thought, and you know, he outplayed where he was drafted and and uh for several points of the season. I think, you know, you can look at him as you're the future left tackle and feel good

about that. Uh. And then the same thing Robert Hunt on the other side, I think I really like Robert Hunt. He was my top guard coming out, but he played right tackle. UM and you know that's how the Dolphins were using him, and he did a nice job. But I think he gives you that versatility. If the Dolphins want to get an ad another tackle in this draft, they can move Robert Hunt inside. And so I think that versatility that he offers is something that's really valuable.

He is a starter in the league, and it's just all about Okay, well where where's our Where do you want to put him to get our best five on the football field? Um, you know, really like what they did on day two with Rakewon Davis. I wasn't the biggest rackuon Davis, uh fan, we were talking about him as a top ten, top fifteen pick, but at pick fifty six, Yeah, I mean that's you do that all day.

I mean what he can give you as a run defender, uh, in terms of uh, you know, blowing up gaps and uh, you know, understanding what the offense is trying to do and staying ahead of the play. He really did a nice job of that. Got better as a season went on. And then I was always a Brain and Jones fan watching him at Texas, whether you're playing him at nickel, whether he's trying to be more of a free safety,

whatever you were doing with him. I thought that he had that versatility to you know, play in different areas. Very I love his competitive toughness. He plays through injurer injuries instantly and you know you you wouldn't know what He's not gonna sit there and complain is play doesn't necessarily suffer. UM plays with an excellent play speed, excellent toughness, and you can use those guys um at any point.

And then you know, on day three when you can find a Solomon Kindley, uh, you know, a guy that obviously saw a lot of action as a rookie and you know, gave you a lot of positive reps and reason to believe that he's got a future in the starting lineup. You know, you have to take that as a win. So I think the Dolphins, you know, they had a lot of picks to work with, but you know, it's that it's one thing to have the picks, it's another to hit on them and you know, feel confident

about what you did. But I definitely think the Dolphins can be optimistic about that class moving forward. Awesome stuff there from the Athletic the Prospects to Prose podcast with landser Line and you can find him at DP Brugler on Twitter. Dane, thank you so much for your time today. Man. I'm sure the fans are gonna love this podcast. We'll have to get you back on here again soon any time. I appreciate it, Thanks, Travis, and so there you have it. There,

he goes, that was fantastic. Plenty of good information there are plenty of good scouting. Know it's from Dane as well as getting some insight there from the Senior Bowl

in the Dolphins practices. You know, I talked about this back in twenty nineteen when I covered the Dolphins training camp practices as part of Locked On, and I was so impressed by the pacing of the Dolphins running those practices under Brian Flores for the first time I've seen, you know, college practices, NFL practices around the landscape, you know,

over here in the Pacific Northwest. And I always thought, you know, looking back on those twenty nineteen practices, how impressed I was with the pace and how quickly they were able to get things done. It sounds like Dane saw the same thing down there in Mobile at the Senior Bowl and talking about the two rookie offensive lineman Ray Kwon Davis Brandon Jones to a tongue of Bloa,

all the draft picks we have coming this year. It's good to hear a draft expert really kind of love what the Dolphins are putting together down here in Miami, and just a really good podcast guest here. In general, We're gonna have to get Dane back on here in the very near future, very very soon, but away he goes Super Bowl on Sunday. Who you guys got I'm gonna go with the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes. I just

he's too good. To me, he's too good. I think that offense is too explosive, even for Tom Terrific and his tenth Super Bowl, which is just absurd to say. I think this the Chief's offense has too much firepower to handle, along with enough takeaways and big plays on defense from guys like Tyron Matthew and Chris Jones and Frank Clark on that Kansas City defense. So give me the Chiefs for their second consecutive Super Bowl victory, the first time a team will have repeated since the Patriots

did back in oh three and oh four. That's my pick for the Super Bowl. Welcome back with you guys next week here on Drivetime and get back into the Dolphins off season ahead. Talk about more more about the season as well. Plenty of content here on the Drivetime podcast. As for today's time, that's gonna be my time you all. Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcast. Leave us a rating, leave us a review, Give me a follow on Twitter It's at Wingfield, NFL. Follow the

team at Miami Dolphins. Check out the fish Tank podcast. They just published their next animation, The Jim Carey Story with Ralph Stringer. Do not do not miss that. Check that out, also the Audible with Kim and John, and of course Miami Dolphins dot com. Until next time finds up