Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images In a first round full of chaos, the Miami Dolphins sat still and waited to make the 21st overall pick. It proved to be a perfect strategy. The annual SB Nation NFL team site 2024 NFL Mock Draft is well underway, with the first 20 picks completed and the Miami Dolphins now on the clock. The first round started exactly where we all expect the actual 2024 NFL Draft to begin, with Windy City Gridiron projecting the Chicago Bears to use the first pick on quarterback Caleb Williams. The chaos of the first round began with the third pick, where Daily Norseman worked out a trade with Revenge of the Birds to have the Minnesota Vikings leap up to the Arizona Cardinals’ fourth-overall pick; Minnesota completed a run of four straight quarterbacks selected to open the selection process. The Cardinals were not content with adding the 11th and 23rd pick in this year’s draft, along with a 2025 first-round pick, instead immediately flipping the 11th overall pick and the 35th pick to the Los Angeles Chargers for the fifth-overall selection; Arizona selected the first non-quarterback in wide receiver Marvin Harrison, Jr. Continuing through the first 20 picks, the Los Angeles Rams traded with the Atlanta Falcons for the eighth pick, and the Las Vegas Raiders moved up to the Chicago Bears’ ninth overall spot. You can check out all the picks made below, leading to the Dolphins coming up on the clock with the 21st pick. Chicago Bears (via CAR) - Caleb Williams, quarterback USC Washington Commanders - Drake Maye, quarterback, North Carolina New England Patriots - Jayden Daniels, quarterback, LSU Minnesota Vikings (projected trade from Arizona Cardinals) - JJ McCarthy, quarterback, Michigan Arizona Cardinals (projected trade from Los Angeles Chargers) - Marvin Harrison, Jr., wide receiver, Ohio State New York Giants - Rome Odunze, wide receiver, Washington Tennessee Titans - Malik Nabers, wide receiver, LSU Los Angeles Rams (projected trade from Atlanta Falcons) - Joe Alt, tackle, Notre Dame Las Vegas Raiders (projected trade from Chicago Bears) - Michael Penix, Jr., quarterback, Washington New York Jets - Taliese Fuaga, tackle, Oregon State Los Angeles Chargers (projected trade from Minnesota Vikings to Arizona Cardinals to Chargers) - J.C. Latham, tackle, Alabama Denver Broncos - Bo Nix, quarterback, Oregon Chicago Bears (projected trade from Las Vegas Raiders) - Dallas Turner, edge, Alabama New Orleans Saints - Troy Fautanu, tackle, Washington Indianapolis Colts - Brock Bowers, tight end, Georgia Seattle Seahawks - Jer’Zhan Newton, defensive tackle, Illinois Jacksonville Jaguars - Terrion Arnold, cornerback, Alabama Cincinnati Bengals - Byron Murphy II, defensive tackle, Texas Atlanta Falcons (projected trade from Los Angeles Rams) - Laiatu Latu, edge, UCLA Pittsburgh Steelers - Olu Fashanu, tackle, Penn State Acting as the Dolphins general manager, I was hoping either Newton or Murphy would fall to me, but both came off the board in the five picks before my clock started. However, I still had several options on the board following the Steelers’ selection of Fashanu, and could have gone multiple ways with the pick. The Dolphins could use offensive line help, with plenty of options still on the board. Tackle Amarius Mims from Georgia, center Jackson Powers-Johnson from Oregon, tackle Tyler Guyton from Oklahoma, and center/guard Graham Barton from Duke all could make sense with this pick for Miami. As could secondary help where cornerbacks Cooper DeJean from Iowa, Quinyon Mitchell from Toledo, Nate Wiggins from Clemson, and Ennis Rakestraw from Missouri are all really strong candidates for the 21st pick. Other considered players include LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas, Texas wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, Texas A&M linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, and Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy. A case could be made for the Dolphins adding any of them and they all could likely contribute immediately. However, one name immediately jumped out as still being available. When your best player available happens to be at a position of need, you run to the stage with the draft card in hand, ready to turn it in immediately. That is exactly what happened in this mock draft. With the 21st overall pick in the SB Nation 2024 Mock Draft, the Miami Dolphins selected Jared Verse, edge rusher, Florida State. Miami enters the preseason training program with question marks at their outside linebacker positions. Starters Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb are both working their way back from major injuries sustained last season. Linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel left in free agency and the team released linebacker Emmanuel Ogbah. Even with the addition of Shaq Barrett in free agency, Miami has to find pass rushers who can start the season if Phillips or Chubb cannot and who can serve as rotational players once both starters are healthy. Verse immediately fills that role. With Chop Robinson, edge rusher from Penn State, still available as well, the Dolphins seem to be in a perfect position to fill a need with a top prospect. In this case, best player available and need matched perfectly and the Dolphins land Verse to create a monster of a defense, especially once Chubb and Phillips are back to full speed. DraftKings Sportsbook’s odds suggest there’s a better chance the Dolphins will snag an offensive lineman in the first round (-175), but edge rusher has the next-best odds (+200). What do you think of my selection? Was Verse the right choice or would you have looked at Robinson - or even another player at this spot? Let us know in the comments.

Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images Welcome to the Splash Zone, the quickest way to get your day started off right. We bring you a rundown of Miami Dolphins news from the last 24 hours. Whether you agree with it or not, the Miami Dolphins have made it clear that they view Tua Tagovailoa as their long term quarterback with an extension on the horizon. Chris Grier made that clear when he said the team wasn’t going to spend a first round pick on a quarterback next week, but didn’t rule out taking one during the rest of the draft. Tua has been a polarizing player since joining the Dolphins. He certainly didn’t look the part his first two seasons in the league but has shined under Mike McDaniel the past two years. While Tua has put up very good numbers with McDaniel, the team has been knocked out of the playoffs in the Wildcard round in back to back postseasons. You can check out that story here, and the rest of the day’s round-up below. Why Signing Tua Tagovailoa to a Long-Term Deal Is the Smart Play for Miami DolphinsSince the success rate of quarterbacks selected in the NFL Draft remains lower than marriages, the Miami Dolphins are wise to extend Tua Tagovailoa. Dolphins Defensive Line Dolphins exploring more front seven options. And Ramsey offers update - Yahoo SportsDolphins spending time with front seven defenders. Dolphins Offseason One notable thing that Chris Grier is doing, in character. And Dolphins draft chatterDolphins’ Grier checking out draft prospects at filled positions. Podcast: Miami Dolphins' Chris Grier Provides Rough Roadmap to 21st PickWith a week left until the 2024 NFL Draft, there's new clarity on the Miami Dolphins' list of targets at 21. These are the eight realistic names to watch. Phinsider News You May Have Missed Dolphins visit with Jalen McMillan - Miami Dolphins News 4/18/24 - The PhinsiderWelcome to the Splash Zone, the quickest way to get your day started off right. We bring you a rundown of Miami Dolphins news from the last 24 hours. Is Tua Tagovailoa a top-5 NFL Quarterback? - The PhinsiderFolks on both sides of the aisle will argue until they’re blue in the face. Let’s use objective facts to pin down a fair and honest ranking for the ascending young signal caller. NFL Mock Draft 2024: Tracking the Miami Dolphins picks from around the web a week before the Draft (Database 4.0) - The PhinsiderThe 2024 NFL Draft is one week away. It is time to take another tour around the web to see which college prospect is being projected to the Miami Dolphins. Your choice for replacement player in the draft! - The PhinsiderDolphins fans sound off on which player still needs to be replaced via the draft.