Miami Dolphins: 2018 NFL Draft targets to speed up rebuild

Mike Gesicki, TE, Penn State

The Dolphins obviously didn’t see Jarvis Landry’s value, despite leading the league in catches and being tied for second in touchdowns. It appears that DeVante Parker and Kenny Stills will pick up the slack and the Fins did trade up in the 2016 draft to pick Leonte Carroo our of Rutgers, but even he was benched for Rashawn Scott. So what’s next? The best way to get some of that production back is to get a tight end who can be utilized in Gase’s offense.

Gase and company tried to rejuvenate the career of Julius Thomas, but it failed epically. If they can’t land a perfect fit in free agency, then they must draft a guy early. There are a couple of guys that the Fins can go after, and one of them is Penn State tight end Mike Gesicki.

The 6-5, nearly 250-pound tight end is a specimen. He ran a 4.51-second 40, has a 41.5-inch vertical, measured with 34-inch arms, and hit 22 reps on the bench press. On tape, all his measurables show in spades as he plays above the rim. Gesicki is not a blocker, but he makes up for it big time. He understands how to use his boys and length to make catches and separate and he hasn’t had a drop in years, according to Lance Zierlein of NFL.com.

Another smart option would be for the Fins to pair Baker Mayfield with his favorite target, Mark Andrews, in the third round. The 6-5, 256-pound big bodied tight end who has an excellent catch radius and is ready to come in early and contribute in year one. Parking Mayfield with Andrews would make the transition to the NFL simpler for the rookie quarterback who’ll need a safety net.