MIAMI -- The 2025 NFL draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin, wrapped up on Saturday. With their first pick, the Miami Dolphins selected Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant No. 13 overall.
Here's a look at Miami's selections:
Analysis of every pick | Updated depth chart
Round 1, No. 13 overall: Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
My take: Miami desperately needed help on its defensive line and Grant should provide immediate support. There were several players on the board who fit the team's needs, but general manager Chris Grier suggested the Dolphins could address some of those needs via free agency; however, the defensive tackle market is currently bare. Miami decided against trading down and picked up a player it hopes could have a Dexter Lawrence II-type impact.
Will he start as a rookie? If he doesn't start, Grant should still play significant snaps -- if for no other reason than the team's lack of depth at the position. Besides Zach Sieler, there are no viable starters on this roster and Grant should get the first opportunity to line up at nose tackle. There won't be much pressure on him as a pass rusher, but he could vault Miami's front seven into the upper echelon if he develops in that area this season.
What we're hearing about Kenneth Grant: "We don't see him as just a run stopper ... the ability to push the pocket up the middle is a huge thing in the NFL, and we believe he has a tremendous work ethic and upside to do that." -- Grier
Round 2, No. 37 overall (from Las Vegas): Jonah Savaiinaea, OG, Arizona
My take: There's a common goal for the Dolphins after their first two picks -- beef up the trenches. Savaiinaea is a versatile lineman who played multiple positions at Arizona, which is a trait the Dolphins value. With the interior offensive line class largely taken, Savaiinaea represented Miami's final opportunity to find a starting caliber guard in the draft, addressing one of its two glaring needs after Day 1. He isn't a perfect prospect, but he gives the Dolphins more upside than any other young guard on their roster.
Will he start as a rookie? He should get every opportunity to win the currently vacant job. Savaiinaea's main competition at left guard is veteran Liam Eichenberg, who is better suited as a priority backup. Miami could add a veteran free agent to compete for the role, but Savaiinaea has a fairly clear path to playing time early in his career.
Round 5, No. 143: Jordan Phillips, DT, Maryland
My take: The Dolphins desperately needed reinforcements to their defensive line and take another tackle with the 6-foot-2, 312-pound Phillips. He's a former high school wrestler and weightlifter who should help anchor Miami's defensive line whenever he gets on the field. He hasn't shown much as a pass rusher, but at just 20 years old, he is an obvious developmental piece for a team that prides itself on coaching up defensive linemen. Rotating with first-round pick Kenneth Grant, Phillips should exhaust opposing offensive lines over the course of a game.
Round 5, No. 150 (from Denver): Jason Marshall Jr., CB, Florida
My take: Grier said this year's cornerbacks class is deep and hinted at being able to find quality players in the later rounds. Marshall is a local product who was a five-star recruit out of Miami Palmetto High School and has good size for the position at 6-foot, 195 pounds. He's another developmental player at this point in the draft -- but who knows with the current state of the Dolphins' cornerbacks room. There are two starting jobs available until proven otherwise.
Round 5, No. 155: Dante Trader Jr., S, Maryland
My take: The Dolphins addressed the safety position with a pair of free agent signings this offseason, but it was still a second-tier need with no obvious starter in place. Trader won't enter camp as the favorite to win a starting job, but he can earn playing time if he continues to do what he did well at Maryland -- tackle and take the ball away. He's not the fastest player on the field but relies on good instincts to put himself in position to make plays. He's most likely to make an impact on special teams early in his career.
Round 6, No. 179: Ollie Gordon II, RB, Oklahoma State
My take: Miami drafts a running back for the third straight year, this time taking the physical, downhill runner Gordon. If Dolphins fans were told during Gordon's electric 2023 season that the team would get him in the sixth round, they probably wouldn't believe it. Gordon led the FBS with 1,732 rushing yards in 2023 and was named the best running back in the country. He fell victim to a poor supporting cast in 2024 and his production took a hit, but he's a tough runner that Miami currently lacks. Gordon could earn an immediate short-yardage role as a rookie, and allow the Dolphins to be creative with De'Von Achane's touches in 2025.
Round 7, No. 231: Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas
My take: The Dolphins were expected to add to their quarterbacks room this offseason and have done so by signing veteran Zach Wilson and drafting the former five-star recruit Ewers. He will not challenge Tua Tagovailoa for a starting job and likely won't displace Wilson as the primary backup (at least not this season), but he should eventually develop into Miami's backup quarterback. Tagovailoa has missed multiple games in all but one of his five NFL seasons, so the Dolphins' backup job is of critical importance. Ewers, ESPN's seventh-ranked quarterback in this draft class, is a strong value pick in the seventh round.
Round 7: No. 253: Zeek Biggers, DT, Georgia Tech
My take: There should be no doubt about the Dolphins' intentions this draft after adding three defensive tackles with their eight selections. Biggers lives up to his name at 6-6, 320 pounds and used that size to be a disruption at the line of scrimmage: He blocked four kicks during his college career. He will have to compete with fellow 2025 draft picks Kenneth Grant and Jordan Phillips for snaps, but Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver likes to cycle his defensive linemen, and there should be opportunities for Biggers to see the field as a rookie.