Dolphins 2022 NFL Mock Draft: Roundup of B/R Staff, Kiper and Expert Picks

The Miami Dolphins will not have much to cheer about during the 2022 NFL draft. 

Miami will not get involved in the selection process until the 102nd overall pick in third round. It has one pick in the fourth round and two in the seventh round. 

That is not an ideal situation for first-year head coach Mike McDaniel as he looks to improve the back end of the roster. 

Miami made most of its roster improvements through free agency and the trade market. It shipped its first-round pick to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Tyreek Hill deal. 

The NFL draft experts believe Miami will target a linebacker or edge-rusher with its first selection next week. 

The Dolphins may go after an offensive lineman as well in the fourth round, or that could be the target if the preferred edge-rushers and linebackers are not available at No. 102. 

Miami will not have its pick of premier prospects at No. 102. 

The best-case scenario for the Dolphins is that a projected second-round pick, or early third-round selection drops for whatever reason. 

Bleacher Report's NFL scouting department mocked LSU linebacker Damone Clark to the Dolphins in its last projection.

Since that mock was released, Clark was ruled out for the season due to spinal fusion surgery. He could still be a draft pick, but the Dolphins may be reluctant to land him because of the missed year ahead. 

ESPN.com's Mel Kiper Jr. projected Penn State linebacker Brandon Smith would land at No. 102 in his latest dual mock draft with Todd McShay. 

Kiper noted that he used the best player available strategy for Miami because that is the franchise's first pick of the draft. 

CBSSports.com's Ryan Wilson had a similar thought process to the other projections in his seven-round mock draft. Wilson had Kentucky edge-rusher Josh Paschal land with Miami.

Miami should use the 102nd pick on a defensive player because it spent so much time improving its offensive depth in the offseason.

The Dolphins need some depth behind Elandon Roberts, Jerome Baker and Andrew Van Ginkel at linebacker. 

They should be in the market for an edge-rusher as well to provide some help alongside Emmanuel Ogbah and Christian Wilkins.

Miami will not get a top-tier prospect in the draft, but if it can find someone that fits its defensive approach in the third round, it will be viewed as a successful pick. 

The consensus surrounding Miami's second pick of the draft is that an offensive lineman should be targeted. 

B/R's NFL scouting department mocked Arizona State's Dohnovan West to the Dolphins at No. 125, while Wilson projected LSU offensive guard Ed Ingram in that spot. 

The goal of Miami's fourth-round selection should be to find a player that fits the offensive scheme and can develop into a solid player. 

Mike McDaniel comes from a run-heavy offense in San Francisco and he could look to install similar principles in Miami.

McDaniel brought in Terron Armstead and Connor Williams in free agency to improve the offensive interior. Chase Edmonds and Raheem Mostert landed one-year deals to bolster the running back depth. 

Not many of the 2021 fourth-round picks made impacts throughout the regular season. The ones that did came from the offensive skill positions, like Detroit wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and New England running back Rhamondre Stevenson. 

Miami could unearth an offensive line gem in the fourth round, but the more likely scenario is that West, Ingram or another player will be asked to develop more in his rookie season. 

Miami's two seventh-round picks will likely not impact the 2022 roster. 

The Dolphins may have to abandon positional needs for the best players available with the 224th and 247th selections. 

Wilson projected Oklahoma State safety Kolby Harvell-Peel and LSU linebacker Damone Clark, whose stock should drop because of his injury, to Miami in his seven-round mock draft.

ESPN.com's Jordan Reid had BYU center James Empey and Kentucky nose tackle Marquan McCall landing with the Dolphins in the seventh round. 

The Dolphins will not find starters in the seventh round, but they could find valuable depth pieces and practice squad players that they could develop during McDaniel's first season. 

An extra offensive lineman or two would not hurt due to the lack of depth at the backup spots on the depth chart. 

Miami could also plan for the future and land a running back that could help replace Edmonds and Mostert if they move on after one year.