Omar Kelly: Five prospects Dolphins shouldn't pass on in first round

MIAMI — Very few talents in the 2025 NFL draft can single-handedly change the trajectory of the Miami Dolphins, turning last year’s 8-9 team into a double-digit winner, but Ashton Jeanty is on that short list.

The Dolphins don’t even need a running back. De’Von Achane owns the NFL record for yards per carry (7.8) in a season based on what he accomplished as a rookie, and the 23-year old had a productive second season, accounting for 1,531 all-purpose yards and scoring 12 touchdowns.

Miami also has Jaylen Wright, a 2024 fourth-round pick, whom the team put on ice late last season after he experienced some midseason struggles.

But Jeanty, who averaged 6.4 yards per carry and scored 56 touchdowns in his three seasons at Boise State, might be the most talented player in this draft class.

So if he slides to pick No. 13 - which is unlikely considering the Las Vegas Raiders (pick No. 6), Chicago Bears (pick No. 10) and Dallas Cowboys (pick No. 12) will likely target Jeanty as their team’s version of Saquon Barkley, if not jockey by trading up to get him - the Dolphins better not hesitate with the selection.

While tailback isn’t a need, only foolish franchises pass up the opportunity to add generational talents like Jeanty.

Other tailbacks in this draft — Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton, Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson, just to name a few — might have a pro career that’s just as productive as Jeanty.

But do they have the kind of talent that transforms an offense, and potentially a team?

The only reason Jeanty might slide is because he plays a position that has become devalued, especially on draft day. But Jeanty, who enters the NFL with 830 collegiate touches, would be a difference maker for Miami, which is looking to resurrect the team’s run game.

Here’s a list of four other top shelf talents Miami should be salivating for if they are still on the board when the Dolphins are on the clock.

Michigan cornerback Will Johnson

Johnson looks like Jalen Ramsey in appearance, physique, and style of play. He’s big (6-foot-2, 194 pounds), smooth, and has the ability to excel in zone and man coverage. That makes Johnson the ideal cornerback to use an early first-round pick on to, adding someone to play opposite Ramsey. However, a turf toe injury limited him to six games last season, and a hamstring injury has prevented teams from getting the metric numbers they need to compare him to the rest of the cornerback class. He has a workout day scheduled for April 14, and the most realistic chance of him falling to 13 would be if he runs slowly, or there’s a medical red flag that impacts his draft stock. But the expectation is that he’ll be the second cornerback selected, going behind Colorado’s Travis Hunter.

LSU offensive lineman Will Campbell

Campbell, a 20-year-old who is viewed as the top offensive linemen in the 2025 draft, recently gave the world the verbal middle finger because draft analysts and the analytics world says his 32 5/8 inch arm length hints he’ll struggle at offensive tackle. That’s why many are projecting he’ll move inside to guard and have a Zack Martin-like career. But Campbell’s adamant he’s a tackle. His balance and agility makes him an asset in the run game, but his technique is wildly inconsistent, and teams that need tackles who possess 35-inch arm length might go elsewhere. Campbell would fit perfectly on Miami’s offensive line playing next to Patrick Paul. With Terron Armstead expected to retire, Campbell would be a great insurance policy if Paul struggles at left tackle.

Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham

If the Dolphins were looking for a carbon copy of defensive lineman Zach Sieler then Graham, who produced 108 tackles (17 for loss) nine sacks and forced a fumble in his three collegiate seasons, is their guy. He has a powerful presence, and an endless motor. He’s quick to diagnose plays, and is stout against the run. But Graham might slide because some critics feel he feasted on the table fellow defensive linemen Kenneth Grant, who is also projected as a top-50 pick, set. Some critics claim he has a high floor, but a low ceiling. Graham would learn a ton from Sieler, who excels with a defensive lineman who twists and stunts well, like Graham. This is a stocked defensive tackle draft, but Graham’s a close to a sure thing as it gets.

Missouri offensive lineman Armand Membou

Most of his collegiate experience has been at right tackle, but Membou projects much better at the next level as a guard, and one who is tailor-made for the outside zone scheme the Dolphins run because of his eye-opening athleticism. He ran a 4.91 40-time and bench pressed 225 pounds 31 times at the NFL Combine, and his tape reveals he possesses an impressive blend of strength and agility. He needs to prove he can handle speed-to-power rushers in the NFL. He could probably begin his career at right guard and would eventually replace Austin Jackson, who is due $11.5 million in 2026, but is out of guaranteed money after the 2025 season. The Dolphins have a history of drafting tackles and converting them to offensive guards, so picking Membou fits their draft philosophy. However, the chances he’ll still be there at 13 are extremely slim and Miami might be forced to pick the draft’s third, fourth, or fifth best offensive linemen.

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