DAVIE, Fla. – There will be no time for rookie learning curves with Miami Dolphins second-round pick Xavien Howard. If things go according to plan, Howard will be the Week 1 starter at cornerback opposite veteran Byron Maxwell when the Dolphins travel to play the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 11.

The Dolphins entered the draft with a well-defined need at cornerback. Many expected Miami to address this position in the first round. But when top-rated offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil surprisingly was available at No. 13 due to off-the-field concerns, the team didn’t pass it up.

The Dolphins then traded up in the second round to land Howard. They knew it was a pressing need and moved up to No. 38 overall to land the big, physical cornerback from Baylor.

“This was a prototype player,” Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said. “We spent a lot of time with him. It’s a core position – premium need for us. This guy checks all the boxes in terms of height, weight, speed, competitiveness, toughness. This was a player that was a target player for us, and when the opportunity arrived for us to make a play to get him, we jumped at it. We’re ecstatic to have him on our roster.”

New Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is implementing a 4-3 scheme that requires their cornerbacks to often press at the line of scrimmage. Miami’s cornerbacks must be big and physical, which is one reason they acquired Maxwell in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Howard, who is 6-foot and 200 pounds, also fits that description and aims to be disruptive.

“I looked at Patrick Peterson and Darrelle Revis [as comparisons],” Howard said. “I love to press.”

The Dolphins eliminated a big part of Howard’s competition by trading former second-round pick Jamar Taylor to the Cleveland Browns over the weekend. Howard will compete with 2015 late-round picks Tony Lippett and Bobby McCain for a starting role.