MOBILE, Ala. — The Dolphins need guards, and there are plenty of options at the Senior Bowl.
Watching Emery Jones, the hot and cold LSU tackle-guard, the Dolphins are likely tempted to select him on day two (the second or third round) of the three-day NFL draft.
Jones (6 feet 5, 312 pounds) flashes moments of brilliance and great potential such as in his battles against Texas A&M edge rusher Shemar Stewart.
But at other times Jones appears off balance, seems to struggle with his footwork and probably ends up on the ground more often than he’d prefer.
That could make the Dolphins look at other options at the Senior Bowl such as Jalen Rivers of the University of Miami, Purdue’s Marcus Mbow, West Virginia’s Wyatt Milum, North Dakota State’s Grey Zabel, Jacksonville State’s Clay Webb or Arizona’s Jonah Savaiinaea.
Mbow, Rivers and Milum said they spoke to the Dolphins at the Senior Bowl and both said it went well.
Mbow, who also plays tackle and has dabbled at center, and Milum, who usually plays tackle, are both considered first-round possibilities. Both would be new to playing guard.
“I feel like right now I’m best at tackle,” said Mbow, who has displayed good athleticism, a baseline requirement for the Dolphins because of their outside zone blocking scheme.
“I understand it the most. I feel good. I understand what it takes to pick up blitzes and everything. But I’m open to play wherever.”
Milum, who is technically sound and flashes good aggression, is similarly humble.
“I just really just want to show I can play multiple positions on the offense line,” he said. “I played right and left tackle through my college, so I really never showed that I could play inside.”
Rivers, who had a good week, played everything but left tackle for most of his time at the Senior Bowl. He said he feels “great” about playing guard in the NFL.
“People did ask me, I love the versatility that I show. I love left tackle, left guard, but if I had to pick one, because people have asked me if I had to pick one, I’d probably pick guard,” he said. “But I love both and I can add value by showing all I can play, which is all the positions on the line.”
The Dolphins could need two starting guards, considering last year’s starters, Liam Eichenberg and Robert Jones, are both potential free agents. Even if either or both return, they’d probably have a tough time earning back their starting jobs.
The Dolphins could also return Isaiah Wynn, who started at left guard the first seven games of 2023 before being sidelined with a quad ailment that kept him out for most of the 2024 season.
And if you think either Emery Jones, Milum or Mbow might be uncomfortable switching from tackle to guard, consider the Dolphins have made that switch with Eichenberg and former guard Robert Hunt, and Wynn entered the league as a tackle.
On top of everything, the Dolphins aren’t 100 percent secure at either tackle position considering right tackle Austin Jackson has had injury-shortened seasons in two of the last three years, and left tackle Patrick Paul, the starter if 33-year-old veteran Terron Armstead retires, remains unproven. So drafting a guard with tackle experience could be a bonus.
Zabel has played both tackle spots and both guard spots, but his NFL home might be guard or center. He’s been outstanding at the Senior Bowl as a run blocker and pass blocker.
If the Dolphins want to stay with more of a true guard, Webb was a five-star recruit who started his college career at Georgia. He’s not a tackle or a center.
The Dolphins, who will likely look for a guard in the second, third or fourth round, should be able to draft a quality guard considering there are four or five other top prospects that weren’t at the Senior Bowl.
Emery Jones is a prime example of an intriguing prospect. He was up and down during his college career. He gained recognition Wednesday for his three-repetition set of 1-on-1s against Texas edge rusher Barryn Sorrell that featured Sorrell winning, then Jones, and then, basically, a tie on the third rep.
The three-play battle showed scouts exactly what Jones wanted to display, and perhaps what the Dolphins need, which is an edgy attitude and mentality.
“That I’m going to compete at a high level, no matter what coach puts me in at,” said Jones, who played mostly right tackle at LSU.
“He can put me in at guard or tackle, and I’m going to come out and compete. I’m going to come out with that same fire, I’m going to come out fighting.”