One of the Miami Dolphins’ top needs in both the NFL Draft and free agency is a defensive line. In his most recent mock draft, Luke Easterling of Athlon Sports predicts that Miami will benefit from defensive line assistance when the Dolphins choose Oregon’s Derrick Harmon with the No. 13 pick. Prior to going to Oregon for his final season, Harmon attended Michigan State for his first three seasons of college. In 2024, he was a game-changer for the Ducks, recording five total tackles, five sacks, two forced fumbles, and two recovered fumbles. During his time in college, he recorded 8.5 total sacks. NFL.com and Next Gen Stats report that Harmon’s output score at the NFL Combine was 78 also the fourth best among defensive linemen.
According to the combine grading scale, Harmon would “eventually be plus starter,” as shown by his prospect grade of 6.38. Although he had trouble getting to the quarterback, he would join a Dolphins squad that was strong in run defense in 2024, giving up only 103.9 running yards per game, which was tenth best among all teams. The Dolphins’ defense only managed 35 sacks, which was 27th in the whole football league. The only teams with less team sacks were the New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers, Tennessee Titans, and Atlanta Falcons. A Miami defense hoping to get back to its best in 2025 would benefit greatly from a game-destroying player like Harmon.
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