By Omar Kelly
The Miami Dolphins aren’t hiding from the issue, or ignoring the main problem starring the team’s decision makers in the face.
Under coach Mike McDaniel the Dolphins have a finesse reputation, a soft perception, and to address it the franchise used its first of 10 draft picks to select one of the biggest, strongest and most athletic players in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Instead of trading down to accumulate more second-day picks, general manager Chris Grier kept the 13th pick in the 2025 Draft and used it to select Michigan’s Kenneth Grant, who is rated the top nose tackle in the draft, and was consistently viewed as a first-round talent.
Notice the term nose tackle — and not defensive tackle — was used because those are two separate positions. And there’s a massive difference.
Behind quarterback, people in the NFL claim nose tackles are the hardest position to find in football because only so many humans are born with that size, athleticism and strength.
Mason Graham, who happens to be Graham’s teammate at Michigan, is the top-rated defensive tackle in the draft. He was selected fifth overall by the Cleveland Browns, but it was Grant’s table Graham was eating off because his job as the nose tackle was to take up two blockers, freeing Graham up to make the impact plays that elevated his draft stock.
That’s what good nose tackles do, they serve as pillars of granite who occupy two blockers — say a guard and a center — without being moved.
They do the dirty work.
“It’s important to have a tonality set for the 2025 Dolphins, adding a real presence up front, a player who is going to attack it and play to the tonality we inspire to [have],” McDaniel said of Grant, who produced 69 tackles (11.5 for loss), 6.5 sacks and recovered three fumbles in the 41 collegiate games he played. “It’s in-step with our vision. He has been on our mind for a long time and we thoroughly vetted.”
By vetting McDaniel’s means the Dolphins did their homework on the 6-foot-3, 345 pounder, who recently turned 21.
Think Vita Vea, who is viewed as today’s best nose tackle, and Vince Wilfork, who anchored the Patriots’ defensive interior during the dynasty era.
And for Miami it has been Raekwon Davis, Jordan Phillips, Paul Solai, Keith Traylor and Tim Bowens.
Hopefully Grant is more Bowens, a quiet workhorse who recently was inducted to the Dolphins Ring of Honor, than he is Phillips, a second-round pick in the 2015 who was released by Miami in the middle of his fourth season because he became notorious for his laziness.
Good nose tackles do the dirty work down in, down out, getting defensive tackles single blocked, and keeping inside linebackers clean.
“Everything starts up front,” Grant said. “If you can’t get [things going] up front it’s going to be a long day.”
That’s going to be Grant’s role in Miami, and the Dolphins passed on selecting the draft’s first cornerback (Michigan’s Will Johnson or Texas’ Jahdae Barron), elite tight end prospect Tyler Warren, who was drafted one spot after Miami’s selection, and North Dakota offensive lineman Grey Zabel to select him.
“The defensive front seven sees themselves as a growing strength on our team and want to lead by production,” McDaniel said.
With Jalen Ramsey on the trading block, Zach Sieler, who has produced two straight 10-sack seasons, is Miami’s top returning defender. And the hope is that his play continues to trend upward.
Having someone like Grant next to him should help.
And the Dolphins are expecting the return of Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips, two top-tier pass rushers who have the potential to become double digit sack producers, back from the season-ending knee injuries they suffered in 2023 and 2024.
Pair those two with Chop Robinson, Miami’s 2024 first-round pick, and the Dolphins should have the potential to replicate the franchise record 56 sacks the defense produced in 2023.
If Miami’s fortunate, it will be Grant who sets the table for the unit.
“I think I fit in great,” said Grant, who contributed 32 tackles, three sacks, and recovered two fumbles in 2024 for the Wolverines. “It’s a similar scheme to my previous school. Some things are a little different. I think I can wreak havoc in the backfield.”
The Dolphins are counting on just that.
This story was originally published April 24, 2025 at 11:33 PM.
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Omar Kelly
Miami Herald
