Miami Dolphins full 2021 NFL mock draft
By Nick Villano
Round 3
DT. Florida. 59. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Tedarrell Slaton. 81. player
The Dolphins look like they could be losing Davon Godchaux at defensive tackle, and that would immediately become a need for them. Behind him, the Dolphins have Raekwon Davis and Benito Jones. Christian Wilkins usually lines up as a defensive end. He could theoretically move over, but in a 3-4 scheme, it makes more sense to target someone in the draft.
This is a little bit of a reach for Tedarrell Slaton, but he’s a perfect fit for the Dolphins defensive scheme. The front office brass and the coaching staff won’t want to chance losing him. Since the Dolphins will have four picks in the top 50, they can take a chance with this pick.
Slaton is massive, and he’s great at taking up space in a 3-4 scheme. He’s 343 pounds. He’ll almost always require a double team because if he’s set free he’s going to flatten a quarterback. Teams are going to be at a mismatch on every snap. Sure, he’s a two-down player right now, but most defensive tackles are.
His best ability is staying low on offensive linemen. He’s able to drive them back, which is basically the best-case scenario in the Dolphins defense. If he can get a little push back, the rest of the Dolphins pass rush can get through. Running backs will have to alter their directions, which will lead to more negative runs. This is a reach, but one that makes all the sense in the world.