Miami Dolphins taking a hard look at cornerback spot. Head Coach Mike McDaniel can’t say enough about putting the young budding superstars up to the challenge. With just under three months remaining before the season, McDaniel has openly challenged his cornerbacks to “help me out” in solidifying the depth chart. The urgency is palpable as the team seeks to identify two starting cornerbacks amid a roster marked by significant turnover.
Fortunately, the present cornerbacks room is filled with dynamic, young, hungry players looking to make their name. Isaiah Johnson is the best of the bunch. A second-year undrafted free agent out of Syracuse, he spent his rookie season on the Dolphins’ practice squad. Johnson has already made an impact during the Organized Team Activities (OTAs), recording an impressive pick that gives a glimpse of his potential.
McDaniel assured that the young corners are coming along well. He does admit, though, that they’ve allowed their fair share of explosive plays. He stated, “Defensive back [play] is about the next play after you get beat. It’s not if, but when.” This philosophy is indicative of his appreciation for the difficulties associated with letting young talent grow in sink-or-swim environments.
On Tuesday, Cam Smith’s performance was a point of focus after he allowed a 96 yard touchdown pass reception from Malik Washington. McDaniel remains unfazed by such setbacks. He has thought a lot about how these moments can be used for growth and reflection. We are producing the worst evaluation stuff that a dude can have a great day two days. To me, that’s a red flag at this point in the process for me to evaluate,” he said. The character test All along, the coach has been looking for resilience and mental fortitude, traits he has always prized above all else in a player.
The Dolphins’ cornerback roster presently includes Kader Kohou, Kendall Sheffield, and Artie Burns as the only players with legitimate starting experience. The downside for both Sheffield and Burns is they have not been full-time starters since 2020 and 2017, respectively. That’s what makes the team releasing Kendall Fuller earlier this offseason all the more confusing. Now, they are publicly looking to deal three-time All-Pro Jalen Ramsey, further muddying the evaluation process.
McDaniel couldn’t agree more about the need for resilience during this review phase and added, “You cannot teach that resilience or that mental fortitude to bounce back. The pressure to perform on the young corners is magnified as they both try to earn a spot on the roster.
Isaiah Johnson talked about the self-motivating force behind his and his teammates’ stellar performances. He stated, “At the end of the day, you got here because of your own motivation, not because of anybody else.” Johnson’s commitment rings clear across the cornerbacks room, cultivating a competitive environment where each player pushes each other and themselves to get better.
Even Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle has remarked at the encouraging growth from the corners. “They look extremely good. I’m not gonna sit here and lie to y’all, they are making it extremely hard on the wideouts,” said Waddle. Those comments are indicative of the positive mood around the squad as they work to polish their craft and execution.
Miami’s rookie cornerbacks — first-round pick Noah Igbinoghene and undrafted free agent Tae Hayes — have made impressive strides throughout camp. Waddle praised their ability to translate individual drills into team drills, saying, “They’re playing true to their technique. I think they’re doing a good job of taking what they do in individual [drills] to when we go into team [drills].” That’s a positive development because the team is coming up on some important decisions about their starting five.
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