Dolphins rookies are reporting for training camp. What to know about the newcomers

Tuesday is report day for Dolphins rookies, who along with players from seven other teams are reporting to facilities ahead of the start of training camp.

About two dozen first-year Dolphins will be arriving at the Baptist Health Training Complex, headlined by the team’s four-player draft class.

Training camp won’t officially start until veterans report next Tuesday, and then the Dolphins hold their first team practice but this marks the next gradual step in the return to football.

Here is what you need to know about the Dolphins’ rookies as they arrive at the Baptist Health Training Complex.

Who are the members of the Dolphins’ 2023 draft class?

▪ Cornerback Cam Smith: The Dolphins used their top pick on Smith, selecting him in the second round with the No. 51 overall pick. An All-SEC player at South Carolina, Smith is an athletic and physical defensive back. One college coach described him as a “football junkie.” Smith, 6-1 and 180 pounds, has the versatility to line up in multiple spots on defense but he is expected to start his career as an outside corner.

▪ Running back De’Von Achane: The Dolphins selected Achane, an all-Southeastern Conference back at Texas A&M, in the third round at No. 84 overall. At 5-9 and 188 pounds, Achane is one of the smallest players to enter the league, but he shined at the NFL Scouting Combine with a 4.32-second 40-yard dash, the fastest time for running backs this year. Achane was the only Power 5 player to score as a rusher, receiver and kick returner in 2022 and earned first-team All-SEC honors as a running back and all-purpose back.

▪ Tight end Elijah Higgins: The Dolphins used a sixth-round pick (No. 197 overall) on Higgins, who will transition to tight end in the NFL after a productive career as a wide receiver at Stanford. At 6-3 and 235 pounds, Higgins has the speed to be a receiving option in time if the learning curve isn’t too steep for him.

▪ Offensive lineman Ryan Hayes: The Dolphins used their final pick on Hayes, selecting him in the seventh round with the No. 238 overall pick. Hayes, 6-7 and 305 pounds, arrived at Ann Arbor, Michigan, without any experience playing offensive line — he was a standout basketball player and played tight end in high school — but finished his college career with 30 starts at offensive tackle and was twice named second-team All-Big Ten. Hayes could move inside to guard in the NFL.

Who is most likely to make a big contribution in Year 1?

The Dolphins have high hopes for this draft class, but expectations should be tempered. Last season, Miami had a league-low four draft picks and didn’t get many contributions from the group, aside from quarterback Skylar Thompson, who was forced to play because of injuries and struggled as a seventh-round rookie. With a talented roster, it will be an uphill battle for the group to unseat established veterans, too.

But out of this group, Smith and Achane have the greatest chance to make an impact in 2023. Smith has a pair of veterans above him solidified as starters in Jalen Ramsey and Xavien Howard. And Kader Kohou, who started 13 games as an undrafted rookie, is expected to be a big part of new coordinator Vic Fangio’s defense. But Fangio loves to disguise looks and versatile players, and Smith could work his way into the defense in various packages. There will be a lot of competition, though, will players such as Nik Needham and Noah Igbinoghene also vying for roster spots.

Achane also joins a veteran position group, as the Dolphins re-signed Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson Jr., Salvon Ahmed and Myles Gaskin. The possibility of adding Dalvin Cook remains a possibility, which would further crowd the running back room. But Achane was a player head coach Mike McDaniel highly coveted in the draft process, and Achane was impressive in organized team activities. Even if he can’t find a consistent role early on offense, Miami could use his speed to boost a return game that has ranked among the league’s worst the past two seasons.

Who are the Dolphins’ undrafted rookies?

The Dolphins will enter training camp with 18 undrafted rookies the team agreed to deals with shortly after the 2023 Draft.

▪ Linebacker Mitchell Agude

▪ Quarterback James Blackman

▪Cornerback Ethan Bonner

▪Running back Chris Brooks

▪Defensive end Randy Charlton

▪Wide receiver Chris Coleman

▪Wide receiver Daewood Davis

▪Tight end Julian Hill

▪Linebacker Aubrey Miller

▪Defensive tackle Anthony Montalvo

▪Linebacker Garrett Nelson

▪Defensive tackle Brandon Pili

▪Safety Keidron Smith

▪Offensive tackle James Tunstall

▪Punter Michael Turk

▪Offensive lineman Alama Uluave

▪Linebacker Zeke Vandenburgh

▪Safety Bennett Williams

Which undrafted rookie has the best chance to make the 53-man roster?

In the early years of the Dolphins’ rebuild, Miami has found space for undrafted rookies. Kohou, Trill Williams and Robert Jones are the most recent. But with a veteran team, roster spots will be tight for anyone on the proverbial “bubble.”

Guaranteed money is usually a sign of a player the team especially coveted and the three players who received the most from the Dolphins were Keidron Smith ($135,000), Miller ($110,000) and Pili ($100,000). Agude and Nelson had a good stretch of practices in OTAs but are competing for roster spots at a stacked position group. Like many of the end-of-roster candidates, their prospects could ultimately come down to their contributions on special teams.