Austin Jackson validates Dolphins’ faith. On five Dolphins who are pleasant surprises

Any list of explanations for this 6-2 Dolphins start — their best in more than two decades — starts with the obvious: Tua Tagovailoa’s superior play, Tyreek Hill’s prodigious production, Raheem Mostert’s exemplary work, De’Von Achane’s eye-popping speed and Mike McDaniel’s creativity.

But look beyond those — and the contributions of frontline players Connor Williams, Robert Hunt, Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips, Jevon Holland, Christian Wilkins and others -- and allow us to acknowledge five Dolphins who are exceeding expectations:

DAVID LONG JR.

The Dolphins believed Long would be a more complete linebacker than Elandon Roberts, who was effective against the run but considered a liability against the pass.

As it turns out, Long has struggled against the pass but has been extraordinary against the run, surpassing Roberts in that regard.

Pro Football Focus rates Long the second-best run-stopping linebacker in the league this season (and 20th overall), while Roberts (for Pittsburgh) is 35th against the run and 34th overall.

PFF has a metric called run stop that uses a complicated formula to determine a negative play for an offense, based on down and distance and yardage gained. In the run game, Long has 16 run stops, which is tied for 13th among inside linebackers.

What impresses his fellow starting linebacker, Jerome Baker, is the ferocity to Long’s game.

“In two yards he can bring all his power into you,” Baker said. “If you see him in a hole, and a lot of people don’t see it, but you can hear it, you can feel it. It can be a quick hole open and a back is about to hit it. He’s not just stuffing [you], he’s ‘Boom!’ He’s an explosive guy.”

Long’s instinct is “he wants to get in on every tackle,” Baker said. “And he just plays hard, bro. Plays how a linebacker should play. It’s definitely fun playing next to him.”

Long’s work against the run has more than compensated for the 136.3 passer rating in his coverage area (17 for 19 for 254 yards and a touchdown).

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said this week of Long: “He’s just doing a better job of being where he’s supposed to be more consistently, and that’s allowing him, as you’ve noticed, to make more plays. He’s done a good job of improving incrementally week by week and hopefully that will continue.”

AUSTIN JACKSON

The 18th overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft is playing the best football of his pro career, so much so that owner Stephen Ross recently approached him.

“Mr. Ross was in the locker room and he complimented me, said ‘you’re playing well,’” Jackson said. “It’s nice. It’s something I’ve been working for. I wanted to be great for this program.”

Pro Football Focus rates him 45th of 75 offensive tackles, but that undervalues his pass blocking. He has permitted only one sack and 10 pressures in 310 pass blocking chances, which is excellent.

No offensive tackle who has played nearly as much as Jackson has allowed fewer sacks this season. Jackson and 12 other tackles with fairly comparable snap counts have permitted one sack apiece.

And his run blocking has helped open holes for a team that leads the league in per-carry average at 5.9.

After he was hired, Mike McDaniel and the front office concluded that Jackson had the athleticism and skill set to be a very effective right tackle in a zone blocking scheme. Even after an ankle injury sidelined him 16 of 18 games last season, Miami remained committed to him as their starter.

“I definitely think I’ve adjusted really well in this offense and this offense helps me showcase what I’m naturally good at,” Jackson said. “I had bad luck last year, really bad luck.”

He credits offensive line coach Butch Barry for extracting more from him.

“Butch definitely has encouraged me to be more confident in my aggression in pass [protection],” Jackson said. “That’s definitely something I’ve added to my tool box in terms of how I play certain situations. That’s been a huge key.

“Butch already has worked with McDaniel. He has a superior understanding, so he’s able to communicate, to us, a lot of what McDaniel wants exactly. He’s really knowledgeable and giving me a lot of technique in terms of aggression.”

Miami declined the $14.2 million fifth-year option for Jackson by the May 1 deadline but very likely will have interest in re-signing him if he continues playing like this.

Is his expiring contract on his mind? “Oh yeah,” Jackson said. “It’s a natural thing [to think] about it. It’s my first contract year. I’m 24 years old.”

But in order to keep him focused on this season, he said he doesn’t expect his agent to tell him if the Dolphins broach an extension, and that’s fine by him.

KENDALL LAMM

The nine-year veteran admits that while relaxing in his home in Charlotte, North Carolina, this past offseason, he “sat and prayed for an opportunity to play and contribute.”

He didn’t want it to happen with an injury to Terron Armstead, but Lamm has been a highly competent fill-in.

PFF rates him 37th of 75 qualifying offensive tackles; he has permitted three sacks and 13 pressures in 263 pass-blocking snaps over eight games and six starts — not sterling but not bad either.

As perspective, former Jets first-rounder Mekhi Becton has allowed five sacks and 22 pressures in only six more pass blocking snaps than Lamm. Former Eagles first-rounder Andre Dillard has relinquished 7 sacks and 27 pressures in 212 pass blocking snaps for the Titans.

DeSHON ELLIOTT

PFF ranks him eight among all safeties this season, six spots behind No. 2 Jevon Holland.

Elliott has been effective against the run (10th among all safeties) and pass (18th).

Last year, as a starter in Detroit, he was rated average by PFF – 44th of 88 safeties.

“This offseason I attacked a little different,” he said. “I attacked coverage more, focused on being able to cover receivers and be more confident in my coverage. That’s helped a lot this year.”

The metrics reflect that. Quarterbacks have completed only four of 10 passes for 52 yards (and one touchdown) when throwing in his coverage area, which is a 90.4 passer rating against.

Last season, Elliott allowed 17 of 21 passes to be caught for 230 yards, a 13.5 average (too high). But he didn’t allow a touchdown and had one interception, which explains why his passer rating against was decent (92.5).

“Playing with Jevon [Holland] makes you feel calm,” Elliott said. “You can go out there and play and do your thing without worrying about whether the other man is going to be on top of his stuff.”

Which of his skills are showcased in this defense? “My communication, getting lined up, whether it’s my aggressiveness, my physicality, my leadership. I’m trying to be the best version of myself.”

JULIAN HILL

The undrafted rookie tight end from Campbell has impressed, particularly as a blocker.

“The physicality” stands out, tight end Durham Smythe said. “He’s one of the more physical players, rookie or not, at this position that I’ve seen on this team in the last six years. He’s extremely physical, and that’s something kind of surprising for a guy that just got here out of college.”

Tight end coach Jon Embree is now convinced that Hill “will be a good player for us.”

We hear Chase Leshin was the Dolphins scout who advocated pursuing him.

Hill said he developed a mentality of being physical because his head coach at Campbell, Mike Minter, was a “hard hitting” NFL safety. “He put that into me,” Hill said.

Hill still can’t believe his first NFL game was part of a 70-point performance against Denver.

“For that to be my first game, you can’t make that up,” he said.

The Dolphins have entrusted him with 31, 14 and 33 offensive snaps over the past five games.