Miami Dolphins ‘would be thrilled’ to have Taylor Lewan
Michigan Wolverines offensive lineman Taylor Lewan (77) during the first half against the Kansas State Wildcats during the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The Miami Dolphins came into the offeseason with massive holes at every single position on the offensive line besides center, and they could still use a high-impact offensive tackle or guard to help Ryan Tannehill stay on his feet and Lamar Miller (and now Knowshon Moreno) find legitimate running lanes. I mean, Miller would have actually produced very good numbers last season behind adequate run blocking, as the Dolphins run blocking was even worse than the Baltimore Ravens lack of push.
A team official told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald that the Dolphins “would be thrilled” if Michigan Wolverines star left tackle Taylor Lewan were available for them with the 19th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. Lewan is clearly the third-best offensive tackle in the class behind Greg Robinson and Jake Matthews, and he’s one of the ten most talented draft prospects as well. However, he also has major character concerns, and those concerns are the only reason why we are even discussing the possibility of Lewan falling past the top half of the draft.
Lewan is still expected to be taken before the 19th pick despite these concerns, but his issues make him an interesting case for the Dolphins with the Richie Incognito saga still fresh in people’s minds (some have even compared Lewan’s character concerns to Incognito’s).
I’m not an insider so I can’t tell you much about his issues, but I can tell you that Lewan is an exceptional prospect who should be a great offensive tackle at the next level. If he were available with the 19th pick, then he would likely be the pick for the Dolphins regardless of his concerns. I mean, he is an elite run blocker and pass blocker due to his mean streak, strength, lateral agility, solid technique, and excellent athleticism. Lewan has the full package, and he isn’t far off from Robinson and Matthews as a prospect. He’s the No. 3 tackle in the class, but he’s a top-notch No. 3 and would form a fantastic bookend with big offseason acquisition Branden Albert.
If Zack Martin is available for the Dolphins in the first round, then they should also be thrilled with the tackle-needy Baltimore Ravens picking at No. 17. Martin has no character concerns whatsoever, and he’s a solid prospect who can dominate as either a guard or tackle. He isn’t an athletic freak like Lewan or Robinson, but he has the best technique of any offensive lineman in this year’s class.