MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Though he lost his job midway through the season, former Dolphins general manager Chris Grier may have done the franchise a solid with its 2025 draft class.
The eight-man class, Miami's largest since 2020, may not be loaded with star power -- although it's too early to say with any certainty -- but it should help the team rebuild its foundational depth.
In an effort to get over the playoff hump after near misses in consecutive years, Grier traded multiple first-round picks, a second-round pick, a third-round pick and multiple fourth-round picks for star players such as wideout Tyreek Hill, linebacker Bradley Chubb and cornerback Jalen Ramsey. The moves helped Miami reach the playoffs in 2022 and 2023, but ate into its salary cap space and hindered its ability to build through the draft.
The Dolphins' 2022 and 2023 draft classes each featured four players; only running back De'Von Achane can be considered an impact player from that group.
But with a full allotment of picks in 2025, Grier made clear what the mission was: functional depth.
"The strength of the draft was a little bit of the reason where we felt OK," he said in April. "Like I said, we're going to need NFL-ready players. There's no like, 'Hey, let's hope this guy is ready.' These guys are going to be forced into play, and that's a good thing. So we just have to be right on the person and the character of the guys that we bring in here, that they're going to do that."
Six of the Dolphins eight draftees played at least 12 games this season, with five of them playing all 17.
Defensive tackle Kenneth Grant (No. 13 overall), guard Jonah Savaiinaea (second round), defensive lineman Jordan Phillips (fifth round)), safety Dante Trader Jr. (fifth round) and running back Ollie Gordon II (sixth round) played every game their rookie season; while their participation was in part due to necessity and injuries to teammates, their coaches admired their ability to fill in.
"It was a credit to the whole process and the focus and really the necessity of having the right type of guys that fit our system and the overall communication of that whole process from the beginning to the end," former coach Mike McDaniel, who was fired last week, said. "You can't just luck into that. That's a calculated measure that I think especially in today's salary cap era where 45 percent of players are new really on every team, it's that much more important guys that you have on a committed four- to five-year contract that they will end up painting the picture of what type of team you are based on their character and how they handle themselves.
"It's a bright spot that I'll surely reflect on after it's reflection time."
Savaiinaea started all 17 games at left guard, although his play came with growing pains.
He allowed a team-high 11 sacks this season and his 87.2% pass block win rate ranked 64th of 65 qualified offensive linemen. Despite his rookie struggles, Savaiinaea said his confidence felt higher than it was at the beginning of the season; he treated his mistakes as lessons.
"I'll tell you what, (my confidence is) 100 percent better and that comes from preparation and more conversations with the guys in the room and more film," he said. "Because sometimes I go back and watch the things that I didn't do well in and just putting myself in the defense's shoes on what they're going to watch when they go against me. I'll be like, 'OK, they're going to do this because I did this.' It's definitely better than the first half of the season."
Maryland products Trader and Phillips were selected 12 picks apart in the fifth round and established themselves as key defensive contributors.
Trader, who primarily played safety this season, also saw reps at nickel cornerback -- flashing versatility similar to teammate Minkah Fitzpatrick, who he said helped him through the process.
"Minkah is definitely another coach out there, especially for me every drive," Trader said. "There's lessons in every game, so every time that something happens good or bad, he always comes up to me and gives his points and thoughts. It allows me to transition in the next couple of games, couple plays and couple years."
While he played the fewest games of any 2025 Dolphins draft pick, seventh round pick Quinn Ewers did start three games at the sport's marquee position to close the season.
Ewers' numbers were modest, completing 66.3% of his passes for 622 yards and three touchdowns against three interceptions. But before he was fired, McDaniel suggested the Texas product could compete for the team's starting job in 2026. Still, he put flashes of brilliance on display for Miami's next head coach.
His first career touchdown pass came on a 63-yard, no-look pass to Theo Wease Jr., during which Ewers looked off Buccaneers safety Tykee Smith and fired a ball to a streaking Wease.
Dolphins coaches agreed the willingness to come out firing isn't always common in rookie quarterbacks.
"I would say that it's not necessarily common, but you have an expectation of certain guys," offensive coordinator Frank Smith said in Week 18. "In the way they're going to play and the way they carry themselves and the way they prepare. So I think it's a real testament to (Ewers) and everything he went about with the scout team in his preparation that he was able to really build upon the two games he's been able to play."
The Dolphins' new general manager, Jon-Eric Sullivan, has eight draft picks this year, five of them in the first three rounds.
As Miami navigates the beginning of its new era, with Sullivan and a new coach, these picks have the power to determine just how long the Dolphins' latest reset lasts.