GARDENS IN MIAMI Following his game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday night, Ollie Gordon II discovered a lot of things during his first NFL preseason. The rookie for the Miami Dolphins had spent weeks assimilating what rookies had to do each year, including the increased toughness and quicker tempo of the game.
According to the sixth-round running back, he was picking up blitzers.
In Miami’s final preseason game, he stepped up well to block Jacksonville blitzers twice and let quarterback Tua Tagovailoa complete passes.
“I concentrated on that,” he replied.
As he understood after leaving the field and traveling down the Hard Rock Stadium tunnel with teammates to celebrate the night’s victory, however, a rookie’s learning never ends. He went down a hallway to the left and
A couple of my teammates called.
Gordon pivoted.
The guys pointed to another hallway and said, “We go this way.”
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For these novices, everything is new. That’s the yearly component. This August is also a hopeful month for a rookie class that is largely relied upon.
In the yearly declaration of their time and location, the class gathered behind a concrete pillar hidden in the rear corner of the Dolphins locker room on Saturday night, two to a locker. They didn’t give a damn.
Zeek Biggers, a seventh-round rookie defensive tackle, stated that he was simply glad to be here.
With so many unanswered uncertainties surrounding this season, if you’re a Dolphins fan in dire need of some encouraging news, here it is:
They’re taking the kids along.
As the summer went on, that became clear. Depending on final choices, up to four rookies could start in the first game. Due to their summer development or the desperation of this roster, seven will be expected to contribute meaningful positions on opening day. Perhaps both.
Dolphins Deep Dive: Examining Miami’s triumph in the last preseason match
At least they aren’t dead-end old when you look down this rookie’s row, even though they might be mediocre again this season. From Day One, the position was given to second-round guard Jonah Savaiinaea and first-round defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, who was sidelined Saturday night due to a day-to-day ailment.
Due to injuries and the ongoing mystery surrounding veteran Mike Hilton’s lack of playing and practice, fifth-round pick Jason Marshall Jr. appears to be the starting slot cornerback. Bring up the topic of on-the-job training. Marshall did not play the position while attending Florida for college.
Marshall declared, “I’ll play wherever they want me to.”
Due in part to the injuries of Jaylen Wright and De Von Achane, Gordon worked with the first team on Saturday night. With 26 carries for 126 yards this preseason, Gordon appears to be earning his share by outperforming Wright.
Quinn Ewers, a seventh-round quarterback, has piqued interest, which is always the goal for a draft pick in the lower rounds. By joining at defensive tackle, Biggers has followed suit.
Biggers remarked, “I have to keep moving forward and keep learning.”
Let’s call it Dolphins 101. For these newbies, class is always in session. On the eve of the regular season, what have they discovered?
“With this heat, I’ve learned to stack good days on top of each other and figure out what shape I want to be in,” Savaiinaea said. Although I weighed 325 pounds, I feel better at 320. I’m going to play that way.
What have they discovered?
How to be an expert, lineman on defense Miami’s sixth-round pick, Jordan Phillips, stated. You learn how to work and take care of your body by listening to your teammates, such as Bradley Chubb, Jordyn Brooks, and Zach Sieler. like tubs that are hot and chilly.
In college, we had them. However, tubs are treated much more seriously here in the league. We constantly utilize them following training, games, and recuperation days. It all comes down to taking care of your body.
What have they discovered?
According to Biggers, technique was important to him. What will keep you playing live is getting your hands and feet right. square base. That’s the role. As you did in college, you cannot get away with using poor technique.
What have they discovered?
Gordon added, “You’d better bring it, because every play is physical.” Playing against our linebackers in practice taught me that. You must be a reprimander.
This is the largest contributing class in recent memory. The 2022 and 2023 draft pick trades for veterans Tyreek Hill, Chubb, and Jalen Ramsey were partially to blame for the prior vacancy.
Tankgate caused them to forfeit draft picks in 2023 and 2024, which contributed to some of it. Some of it was simply unsuccessful draft selections.
Will they all be successful? The odds are against it. But a season needing some hope and a team needing some good news is looking at this class to provide some this year.
