The godfather of mock drafts believes the Miami Dolphins will prioritize defense early in the 2025 NFL draft.
In a mock published Tuesday, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. predicted the Dolphins will take Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron with the No. 13 overall selection. However, he noted that an offensive lineman could be a tempting possibility for Miami. Via Kiper:
“Terron Armstead’s retirement makes this interesting. The Dolphins ranked 28th in pass block win rate last season (55.7%), and protecting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is paramount. Texas’ Kelvin Banks Jr. could fit. But Miami also drafted Patrick Paul late in the second round last April, and he has spent a year learning behind Armstead. The Dolphins could start Paul and use this pick to clean up the CB2 spot opposite Jalen Ramsey, where either Storm Duck, Cam Smith, or Ethan Bonner is currently slated to start.”
But after raising the possibility of an offensive tackle for the Dolphins’ first draft pick, Kiper decided that the team’s brutally thin defensive line was a more pressing concern in the second round. With the No. 48 pick, Kiper projects Miami will take Toledo defensive lineman Darius Alexander.
“Miami still needs pass protection, and Tyler Booker would have been a perfect fit had he fallen one more spot. Rather than reach, the Dolphins could take care of another big need. Alexander can play pretty much anywhere on the defensive line, bringing quickness and physicality. He had 101 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, 27 run stops, 50 pressures and 7.5 sacks over the past two seasons. That production would be welcomed in the middle of the Miami defensive front.”
The Dolphins need more offensive line help even if Patrick Paul adequately takes over at left tackle and free agent acquisition James Daniels takes over a starting role at guard. But defensive line may be the bigger concern following the departures of Calais Campbell and Da’Shawn Hand.
This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: 2025 NFL draft: Mel Kiper predicts Dolphins address defense early