Miami Dolphins 2024 NFL Draft EDGE Defender Prospect Rankings

'Touchdown, Miami!' grades 16 of the top EDGE Defender prospects eligible for the 2024 NFL Draft for the Miami Dolphins.

The EDGE position for the Miami Dolphins is undoubtedly a priority, but the severity of this need remains a moving target. This difficulty arises from the recovery timelines of two key players: pass rushers Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb. Miami’s defense showed signs of wear and tear by the end of the season, exacerbated by the absence of Chubb and Phillips during critical moments.

Therefore, Miami's strategy should extend beyond simply finding a replacement for departed player Andrew Van Ginkel, especially considering the addition of Shaquil Barrett to bolster depth.

General Manager Chris Grier's recent comments suggest that the team may consider EDGE talent at any point in the draft. The Dolphins prioritize talent over need, particularly in the early rounds.

“Your board, obviously early in the draft, will always look kind of how you set it in terms of best player. But when you get into Day Three, the board is being picked apart, flying all over the place…I think most teams would be early in the draft, you’re always going to take the best player available for the first couple rounds, because that’s where you probably have the most control of how your board looks in terms of how you spent all the offseason ranking in terms of all your time with the coaching staff and scouts to build it.”

— Miami Dolphins General Manager Chris Grier, 04/16/2024

This perspective is further solidified by my coverage of the 2023 NFL Draft for the Dolphins. Despite conducting deep dives into various positions such as running backs, tight ends, offensive line, defensive tackle, linebacker, and safety? The Dolphins' first actual pick turned out to be a cornerback.

Good. Great. Grand. Wonderful.

I won’t make the same mistake again this time around. My draft preparations for Locked On have involved compiling the consensus top-200 players at EVERY position. Fool me once, shame on you, Chris Grier. Fool me twice, shame on me.

So let’s delve into the EDGE group comprehensively. We'll not only identify the top option for Anthony Weaver’s defensive scheme but also establish the hierarchy of EDGE players within the top-200 or so players in the class.

We've dedicated our Locked On show to discussions centered on the EDGE Defender position today — for more insights, tune in:

But if you’re looking for the actual board, you’ve come to the right place.

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Top Of The EDGE Board

GRADING INDEX:

Navy blue: Top-10 Grade
Blue: 1st Round Grade
Dark Green: Late 1st/Early 2nd Round Grade
Green: 2nd Round Grade
Yellow: 3rd Round Grade
Orange: 4th Round Grade
Red: 5th Round Grade
Dark Red: 6th Round Grade
Gray: 7th Round Grade

For those who have followed this draft process closely, perhaps the most surprising aspect is the positioning of Chop Robinson below Darius Robinson. This decision is based on two key factors:

• First, Darius Robinson's versatility to play multiple positions along the defensive line and his power make him a valuable asset for a front that is likely to deploy a variety of looks.

• Second, Chop Robinson's profile suggests he may initially serve as a pass rush specialist before developing into an every-down player. Given Miami's need for physicality upfront, particularly in the early stages of their careers, I prefer the heavy-handed defender from Missouri.

The emphasis on heavy hands is also evident at the top of these rankings, which is why Florida State’s Jared Verse claims the top spot. His ability to reduce angles as a pass rusher, coupled with his combination of heavy hands and speed to power, sets him apart. Moreover, Verse carries less injury risk than Latu and offers better run defense than Turner. He embodies the complete player profile that would be ideal for the Dolphins if one of the top names were to fall to them at No. 21 overall.

While Latu boasts the best pass rush profile and an impressive array of rush counters, he is by no means a "consolation prize."

However, it's crucial to assess how these prospects stack up against the Dolphins' in-house talent. This aspect adds another dimension to the discussion and underscores the complexity of every draft evaluation.

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Full 2024 EDGE Defender Prospect Rankings (With Dolphins Current Talent Included)

With three bonafide 1st-round talents plus a Late 1st/Early 2nd round prospect, Miami has a strong opportunity to find a talent at EDGE that fits their preferences. Despite recent acquisitions like Bradley Chubb via trade and Chris Grier's announcement of intent to exercise the 5th-year option for Jaelan Phillips, Miami has left clues indicating they may still be interested in drafting this position early.

Assessing player grades in isolation doesn't always provide the full picture, however. Let's examine this draft class from a different perspective:

How does the full class compare to Miami's expected snap-takers on the edge in 2024? Below are my full EDGE rankings for the Miami Dolphins in the 2024 NFL Draft, with Miami’s in-house talent ranked alongside them on the board.:

GRADING INDEX:

Navy blue: Top-10 Grade
Blue: 1st Round Grade
Dark Green: Late 1st/Early 2nd Round Grade
Green: 2nd Round Grade
Yellow: 3rd Round Grade
Orange: 4th Round Grade
Red: 5th Round Grade
Dark Red: 6th Round Grade
Gray: 7th Round Grade

None of the 2024 talent surpasses the upper reaches of a healthy 2:15 combo. There’s no shame in that. But this is where the value of the Dolphins’ addition of Shaquil Barrett shines through brightest to me. Barrett projects as a better option based on his 2023 tape and his career resume than all but the three 1st-round locks at the position in this year’s draft class.

That shouldn’t be a deterrent for drafting one if the board falls that way — there’s no such thing as too much EDGE depth and Miami is going to rotate players to stay fresh here. And that’s before you account for the recovery timelines of both Chubb and Phillips. Miami can collect themselves a meaningful player at a number of stops along the way.

The challenges that lie with Miami’s options beyond the top-5 names is that they don’t have a lot of ammunition until the 5th round. Mo Kamara or Austin Booker would be splendid developmental options who have some immediate appeal as rotational pass rushers. I think they’d be awesome complements to the existing skills in the room and potentially be long-term quality starters if they grow in their skill sets. But Miami is, once again, without the picks needed to secure them at what I would perceive to be an appropriate range.

Of the Day 3 names, I’ll be rooting for Miami to find a way to land Xavier Thomas or Jonah Elliss. Both are modestly undersized talents with explosive first steps and the kind of short area agility that I believe could invoke shakes of Andrew Van Ginkel with time. (WITH TIME is an important note here, for all the metal heads, hair bangers and AVG acolytes reading!)

Two buzzy names that I’m a bit lower on:

• Western Michigan’s Marshawn Kneeland

• Houston Christian’s Jalyx Hunt

Both talents are intriguing but I do see both as long-term project players. Kneeland has a really impressive athletic profile (see below) but his readiness to play either as an early down run defender or a late down pass rush specialist is in question. If I don’t feel good about your ability to fill either role, you will inevitably cascade further down the board.

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Marshawn Kneeland’s Athletic Profile Via Mockdraftable.com

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Incidentally, I think the cutoff for players with 2024 playing time expectations kicks in after the 4th round tier ends. That gives Miami 11 EDGE defenders who I think could bring valuable reps into their rotation in 2024, although none of them trump Phillips & Chubb and only three would be considered the third pass rusher in the rotation ahead of Barrett from day one.