The dynamics of the first selection of the Miami Dolphins in the NFL 2021 draft is well debated. We know what is at stake for a Dolphins team that is lining up to provide the best possible cast for their sophomore defender Tua Tagovailoa. Whether Miami opts for an offensive weapon (Kyle Pitts), a wide receiver or a top attack – the expectations are that we will see the Dolphins take an offensive perspective with their first choice.
But the 18th-place selection as a whole is starting to generate its own debate. For some time, the consensus among Dolphins fans was that the team had to use the selection to repeat Najee Harris from Alabama, along with Tagovailoa as defender. But the positional value of a back that feels early could be something that flies in the face of the Miami team building approach with this current regime.
And if the selection is not used for Harris, in what direction can we see the Dolphins going?
A new competitor that is fast becoming a persistent option in fake sketches is USC offensive officer Alijah Vera-Tucker. There are a number of dynamics that would make the addition of Vera-Tucker interesting to the Dolphins – starting primarily with his history with the Dolphins left on Austin Jackson. Miami, ironically, recruited Jackson in exactly the same position in last year’s draft – and Jackson played in the previous season of college with Vera-Tucker playing the guard to his right as the left guard of the Trojans. So you know there’s some chemistry in there. And with Jackson gone to the professional level in 2020, Vera-Tucker made the transition out and played alone last season.
This level of positional versatility will certainly attract the attention of the Dolphins, who have given priority to positional flexibility at numerous stops along the way during this 2-year reconstruction. Vera-Tucker’s experience in both attack and guard means that the team would have plenty of options to mix and match before settling on the best combination of five players up front; and if someone goes down, the line can be shuffled accordingly.
The big question with Vera-Tucker: Does the Dolphins’ previously measured standards match a front-line offensive? The team has a fairly consistent “type” that they look for in offensive lines: the team likes the lower body size and explosiveness of the front blockers.
Vera-Tucker appeared on Pro Day at 6-pic-4.5 and 308 pounds.
Alijah Vera-Tucker 6044 308 32 1/8 arm
– Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) March 24, 2021
This makes it a little easier than what the Dolphins trend suggested they would covet – as Ereck Flowers and Solomon Kindley have an average of £ 341 as projected starting goalkeepers. Austin Jackson and Robert Hunt, the project initiators, have an average of 324 pounds. This does not mean that Vera-Tucker cannot grow and add mass, but this would threaten some of what made him great as a prospect in 2020 at USC.
Will the Dolphins want to take on this challenge? Or will the team look for someone who fits their mold more clearly? You won’t find Vera-Tucker against the Dolphins in any fake sketch from now until the end of the month, but the NFL Draft is unpredictable and you can never tell!