Grading the draft class for each AFC East team after 2024 NFL Draft
The 2024 NFL Draft has concluded, and we now know all the players who have been drafted. Some fans are excited, some are disappointed. With all the mock drafts that we as fans have all done, there are some prospects that fans have married themselves to, thus leading to either excitement, disappointment, or somewhere in the middle.
Not only did the Bills have players they drafted that can positively impact the team, but so did their AFC East rivals. For the purpose of this article, Bills fans need to look at their rivals and see how well they did in the draft and see how well they can have an impact on their respective teams. Not only that, but to also see if these teams are better or worse on paper, and to see if they are threatening the reigning AFC East champions, the Buffalo Bills.
Miami Dolphins
Round 1, Pick 21- Chop Robinson, Edge, Penn State,
Round 2, Pick 55-Patrick Paul, Offensive Tackle, Houston,
Round 4, Pick 120-Jaylen Wright, Running Back, Tennessee,
Round 5, Pick 158-Mohamed Kamara, Defensive Lineman, Colorado State,
Round 6, Pick 184-Malik Washington, Wide Receiver, Virginia,
Round 6, Pick 198-Patrick McMorris, Safety, California,
Round 7, Pick 241-Tahj Washington, Wide Receiver, USC
This draft by the Dolphins confused me some. The Dolphins did need some help at edge rusher with Robinson but felt the need for offensive line help was a more glaring need with the departure of Robert Hunt and the unknown of Terron Armstead as a quality starter (not so much the talent, but the availability of Armstead later in the season due to his injury history).
They did happen to snag Patrick Paul in the second round, but felt they could have gone interior offensive line over offensive tackle. They did happen to pick up a quality running back in the fourth round with Jaylen Wright.
With the age of Raheem Mostert, they did need to shore up the running back room. With the breakout of Devon Achane last year as a rookie, Wright and Achane could be a dynamic duo for years to come. The better picks from the Dolphins came in the later rounds with Mohamed Kamara, and both the wide receivers in Malik and Tahj Washington.
Kamara seems to be a developmental prospect, but with a potential high ceiling if he attains it. With this Mike McDaniel system in place, both of these wide receivers could thrive well. This also helps in the future with the age and seeming retirement of Tyreek Hill in the next couple of seasons. Overall, the Dolphins did walk out with some late-round pieces that could branch out and develop well, but the first two rounds seem to be reaches. They also did not address the interior offensive line, which is a bigger need than edge rusher in the first round.