Miami Dolphins: 5 Best players under 25 on the roster

2. Raekwon McMillan, LB, Miami Dolphins

Raekwon McMillan‘s career with the Dolphins got off to a rough start as the No. 54 overall pick in 2017 tore his ACL in the preseason as a rookie. When he got on the field the following season, however, he showed that he can be a productive player who can make plays, especially against the run.

In 29 games over the past two seasons, McMillan has 177 total tackles with eight tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. Furthermore, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded him as the 32nd best linebacker in the NFL in the 2019 season. Even better, the Ohio State product was the 11th best player at his position in terms of run defense grade.

While McMillan has still struggled in coverage early in his career, his role as a run-stuffing linebacker is clear and he’s quite good already. That makes him an easy inclusion for this list as he should have a sustained role on defense.

1. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins

For the most part, when looking at a team’s best players under 25 years old, you’re not going to include rookies. After all, we haven’t seen them play a single snap in the NFL. Having said that, you can’t talk about the Dolphins’ young players and the franchise’s future without talking about Tua Tagovailoa.

The No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, it’s not hyperbolic to say that the Miami Dolphins will go as Tagovailoa goes henceforth. And given what he showed when healthy while at Alabama, that’s a good thing. He’s a leader of the highest order while possessing elite pocket presence and accuracy to all levels of the field.

Yes, Tua’s health is a concern as he suffered numerous ankle injuries while with the Crimson Tide and had his college career end prematurely due to a devastating hip injury. Having said that, with his importance to the organization and its future along with the talent he showed in college, I’m comfortable already crowning him as the Dolphins’ best player under 25 years old.