Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver met with the media on Wednesday and was asked various questions about the beginning of OTAs and this upcoming season. One of the biggest topics is what he thinks about the incoming rookies and what they will bring to the team. The Dolphins used five of their eight draft picks on defensive players, including first-round pick Kenneth Grant.
One of the first questions he was asked was what does he feel like the team accomplished in the draft process. His response showed the excitement that the Dolphins have about their incoming rookies, especially the defensive lineman.
Weaver said, "Really excited about Kenneth Grant and what he brings to the middle of that defense, and him just being in here having the opportunity to work with Benito and Zach Sieler, and obviously coach Clark. Whatever he is supposed to be at the end of the day, I promise you he will reach every bit of god given potential..."
When a franchise and the coaches have so much faith in a guy and are doing whatever it takes to get him to reach his highest potential its hard to imagine that guy failing. It is also a good sign that Grant has already started to work with some of the veteran guys, and that they have taken him under their wing. They have big hopes for Grant, and their also excited about another guy they got in the fifth round.
The Dolphins drafted Jordan Phillips out of Maryland in the fifth round, making two of their first three selections defensive tackles. Philips is a 6-1 312-pound beast that the Dolphins are hoping to get meaningful snaps from.
After talking about Grant, Weaver went on to comment, "... Really happy about Jordan Phillips, guy was kind of under the radar a bit, but the way he plays on film and just the person that he is, it's the same thing. He's going to reach that ceiling, and I actually have really high hopes for both those kids."
Phillips is slated to be the third-string defensive tackle, but he will definitely be rotated in a see some playing time this season. Grant was a first-round pick but is still only a rookie, and Benito Jones was seen to struggle a little bit last season, so Phillips will have the chance to make some plays. The fact that Weaver and the rest of the staff are so high on him should excite Dolphins fans that they may have found a mid-round gem. They feel the same way about a guy that got picked at the end of the draft as well.
The Dolphins seventh round pick Zeek Biggers may not be a house hold name just yet but the Dolphins seem to think that they got a steal in the seventh round. After talking about Grant and Phillips, Weaver goes on to say, "... I still don't know how we got Zeek Biggers in the seventh, a guy with that size, that length, that mass to play as hard as he plays, he could end up being a steal for us to..."
Biggers is a 6'5 321-pound hardworking defensive tackle from Georgia Tech. He is a smart defender that can get off the block and has good size, but lacks some athleticism and pass-rushing abilities. He is more of a project, but the Dolphins feel like, with some coaching and practice, that he can eventually be a really solid player for them.
The Dolphins went into the draft needing to improve their defense, and that is exactly what they did. They bulked up the interior defensive line while also getting some help in the secondary. Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver seems to be really amped up about these guys, and it will be exciting to see what they can do once the season starts.
