Althon Sports FINAL 4-Round Miami Dolphins Mock Draft

NFL.com Draft Profile

Overview

Nolen has NFL-starting size but won’t blow you away with his physical traits. However, he gains quick advantages with his explosiveness into contact and ability to beat up blockers when singled up. He has the athletic talent to play into gaps but needs to play with better hands to keep himself clean at the point of attack. He wins as a rusher with his athleticism and play strength, and doesn’t need to be schemed for. The pass rush still requires refinement, but he already flashes quick-win moves that foreshadow good pressure and sack production as a pro. Nolen’s blend of explosiveness and playmaking talent create high upside as a three-down interior lineman.

Strengths

• Impressive playmaking production as an interior defender.
• Twitchy off the snap and into blockers with good pop.
• Power to punch and shove defenders aside to take over the gap.
• Can absorb double teams or play across blocker’s face and into backfield.
• Outstanding body control to regain balance and make a play.
• Ability to pressure the pocket creates three-down value.
• Sets up his edge-to-edge rush challenges.
• Able to bend and rip his way under redirect blocks.
• Rush stays alive with active hands and secondary effort.

Weaknesses

• Below-average extension and control at the point.
• Needs to play with consistent inside hands to stay clean.
• Base width can narrow on him in both phases.
• Looks to disengage from blocks too quickly at times.
• Rush needs a more diversified first-phase approach.
• Inconsistent to capture rush edge when it opens.

Round 2, Pick #48: Jonah Savaiinaea, G, Arizona

NFL.com Draft Profile

Overview

Durable three-year starter who is built like a right guard but has valuable protection experience as a collegiate tackle. Savaiinaea doesn’t have the athleticism to stick at right tackle in the NFL, but can play there in a pinch with some help. He’s very wide and can engulf smaller opponents as a base blocker while sealing off double teams and down blocks. His feet often deaden on contact, creating opportunities for defenders to leak through his edges in both the run and pass games. Savaiinaea’s size works to his advantage and he could become a serviceable starting guard in time.

Strengths

• Dense frame with excellent thickness through limbs.
• Patient with hands but fires them with timing and accuracy.
• Uses posture and core to control rushers once he’s locked in.
• Space-eating frame will be tough to beat quickly inside.
• Able to shove angle blocks around with upper-body strength.
• Does a nice job of finding and fitting up second-level targets.

Weaknesses

• Has trouble sitting heavy and anchoring against bull-rushers.
• Below-average recognition and response to twists.
• Doesn’t bend and slide well enough to protect his inside edge.
• Lacks leverage and hand placement as a drive blocker.
• Falls off of base blocks due to inconsistent body control.

Round 3, Pick #98: Andrew Mukuba, S, Texas

NFL.com Draft Profile

Overview

Four-year starter who plays the game with the instincts and awareness of a player who has seen a lot of football. Mukuba has the athleticism to play in the slot but is best when he’s able to read the field as a “robber” and use his instincts, burst and ball skills to make plays. He moves efficiently in coverage, but that efficiency can get away from him in run support, where he races in too hot and misses tackles. Mukuba possesses the character, physicality and playmaking instincts that will draw NFL teams to him as a future starter.

Strengths

• Instinctive eyes and aggressive trigger lead to ball production.
• Good awareness to route development as a high safety.
• Athletic pedal and transition with the route when matched up.
• Plants and drives on throws with no wasted motion.
• Consistently plays the throw and not the pass catcher.
• Times elevation and finds high points like a rebounder.
• Able to adjust angles to stop ball-carriers as an alley-runner.

Weaknesses

• Undersized safety with a disappointing wingspan.
• Loses feel for the route when working from trail position.
• Average speed to phase deep routes and range over the top as a high safety.
• Needs better body control and discipline as a downhill run supporter.
• Short arms create limited room for error as an open-field tackler.

Round 4, Pick #16: Barrett Carter, LB, Clemson

NFL.com Draft Profile

Overview

Prototypical three-down linebacker who added muscle mass in 2024 without losing playmaking quickness. Carter overcomes average instincts and recognition with full-field range and elite body control in pursuit, though there is room for improvement with both his angles and leverage. Carter can play around or off the block and has the agility and reaction quickness for sudden adjustments as an open-field tackler. He’s capable in man coverage and stands out as both a blitzer and a spy for mobile quarterbacks. Carter’s demeanor, versatility and athletic profile give him a good chance of becoming a quality starter as a run-and-chase Will linebacker.

Strengths

• Prototypical range and athleticism to patrol across the field.
• Has skill set to stack up impact plays around and behind the line of scrimmage.
• Good stick-and-move hands and short-area quicks to elude blocks.
• Outstanding pacing and change-of-direction talent when pursuing in space.
• Agile with a twitchy burst to close distance to tackle in short spaces.
• Standout blitzer and an ideal quarterback spy.
• Enough coverage talent to run and carry backs in space.

Weaknesses

• Instincts and diagnosis success are just average.
• Needs to play with more consistent pursuit angles to the ball.
• Impatience leads to overflow and loss of run fits.
• Slows feet into contact instead of running feet through tackles.
• Inconsistent to swoop in and challenge lead blocks with violence.

Round 3, Pick #98: Tez Johnson, WR, Oregon

NFL.com Draft Profile

Overview

Productive, high-volume slot receiver whose evaluation will include balancing the playmaking against his lack of traits. Johnson is thin-limbed with average suddenness and benefited from a scheme allowing him to run free in space. He’s clever and instinctive with his routes, finding ways to uncover over the first two levels. His hands are below average and he struggles when contested, but he’s tough to find and tackle quickly after the catch. Johnson’s lack of size, strength and NFL ball skills mean he’s likely to profile as a good community target rather than succeeding independent of the talent around him.

Strengths

• High-volume target his entire career.
• Ability to play inside a variety of passing concepts.
• Adequate early acceleration to create push.
• Has the agility and balance for complex routes.
• Alters stride length to disguise timing of breaks underneath.
• Opens safeties up downfield with leverage and stem fakes.
• Too slippery to apprehend quickly after catch.

Weaknesses

• Slight frame with skinny limbs.
• Release can be slowed by committed press.
• Average suddenness for a smaller slot target.
• Rounded route turns allow undercutting by defenders.
• Body-catcher with too many bobbles and drops.
• Lacks strength to maintain catch space when contested.