Dolphins Rookies Who Will Make Instant Impact in 2023 Season
The Miami Dolphins made it clear at the start of the Mike McDaniel era that they will rely on veteran players more than rookies to improve their roster.
They have had a single pick before the third round in the last two NFL drafts, and they received minimal output from their four selections in 2022.
Skylar Thompson was not expected to be an important roster piece, but injuries at quarterback forced the seventh-round selection into action.
The hope for the Dolphins' 2023 draft class is that an injury to a starter is not the only path to consistent snaps.
Second-round pick Cam Smith can be an asset to the secondary, and the offensive depth could receive a boost from third-round running back Devon Achane and sixth-round pick Elijah Higgins.
Cam Smith
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Cam Smith does not have a clear path to a starting spot in the Miami defense because Xavien Howard and Jalen Ramsey are on the team.
However, the 22-year-old could make an impact in the nickel role or at times when the two starters are off the field.
Smith had 18 passes defended and six interceptions in his time at South Carolina. The best numbers came in his junior campaign, when he had 11 passes defended and three picks.
His totals dropped off in his senior season, which probably led to him falling into the middle of the second round.
If the 2021 version of Smith shows up in south Florida, the Dolphins could have three formidable cornerbacks in coverage, which could be a difference-maker in the AFC East title race.
Smith should receive a few chances to make an impact early on in the season since the Dolphins face the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 1 and Buffalo Bills in Week 4. Both teams have deep wide receiver corps and could try to capitalize on the rookie's inexperience.
Devon Achane
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Devon Achane could be a fascinating piece for the Dolphins offense.
The third-round pick caught 65 passes at Texas A&M and set a single-season best of 36 catches in 2022.
Achane could be the perfect change-of-pace pass-catcher out of the backfield who takes pressure off Jeff Wilson Jr. and Raheem Mostert.
Of course, most of the targets from Tua Tagovailoa will go to Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but the Dolphins can mix in some variety with Achane.
The 21-year-old will not get close to his 1,100-yard production on the ground from 2022, but he could gain some valuable yards if he enters the field in third-and-short situations.
His primary role, at least from the start, should be as a pass-catcher out of the backfield, and he could give the Dolphins another dimension to challenge defenses with.
Elijah Higgins
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Elijah Higgins is worth watching in training camp because of his position. The sixth-round pick was a wide receiver in the Pac-12, but the Dolphins list him as a tight end.
Miami lost Mike Gesicki in the offseason, and it currently has Durham Smythe, Tyler Kroft and Eric Saubert on the tight end depth chart.
Smythe, Kroft and Saubert have had decent NFL careers, but none of them are known as elite pass-catchers. They are important to the Miami offense because of their run-blocking abilities.
Higgins could jump over the trio in certain packages if he shows off his pass-catching skills this summer.
The Stanford product had 104 of his 119 collegiate receptions in the last two seasons, and he averaged over 11 yards per catch as a junior and senior.
Higgins could be used to stretch the field in certain situations or as a red-zone target if he shines in those packages in training camp.
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