How are Chop Robinson, Patrick Paul, Jaylen Wright and other Dolphins rookies doing during the bye?

For the first time in the Mike McDaniel era, the Miami Dolphins have a legitimate rookie class to judge.

By trading away many of their draft picks, especially the top picks, in 2022 and 2023, any analysis of those two rookie classes was quite limited. You could have essentially noted the De’Von Achane phenom last year, or mentioned how much Kader Kohou played as an undrafted rookie in 2022 and was done with it.

This offseason was the first time the Dolphins had a first-round pick on draft day since acquiring wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and edge defender Jaelan Phillips in 2021. They signed edge rusher Chop Robinson from Penn State.

Next, Miami had the Day 2 selection of second-round offensive tackle Patrick Paul. Day 3 of the draft started with the addition of running back Jaylen Wright and continued with a series of other depth pieces, plus the pickups of a pair of undrafted prospects who made the active 53-man roster, including cornerback Storm Duck.

As the Dolphins reach their early bye week, five weeks into their first NFL regular season, how are all these rookies doing?

Let’s see.

Heel out of pocket, but improve

Robinson’s NFL career has started similarly to his college tenure. He’s winning pass rushes and starting to pressure quarterbacks, but he’s still without his first professional sack.

However, there are signs that this could happen soon. Although Robinson had just one quarterback hit, he ranks favorably in his pass rush winning percentage, and he collected three of his eight pressures of the season last Sunday against the New England Patriots.

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“I feel like I’m definitely getting close,” Robinson told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “I definitely feel the quarterback more and touch the quarterback more. I know it will come eventually. I’m not going after it. I’m not going to worry about it. Because I know it will come when it needs to.”

The rookie pass rusher said he’s talked to veterans Phillips and Bradley Chubb about it, and they’ve said not to emphasize the sack numbers and let them come to him. Perseverance will be key for Robinson.

He will certainly have a bigger role as the season progresses now that Phillips is out. Robinson has yet to record his first start, but he was second among Dolphins defensemen in defensive snaps against New England.

But it’s not just about rushing the passer to Robinson as an outside linebacker. He must prove that he is not a problem in the run defense that determines the lead. He is also making progress there, he thinks.

“I feel like I was really able to show last game that I can get an edge in the run game,” he said. “In the passing game, just getting off the ball, just getting to the quarterback, (but) No. 1 thing for us every week is stopping the run.”

Paul gets to work

The second-round pick isn’t in a position where he needs to be a consistent contributor right away, with the Dolphins starting Terron Armstead at left tackle and Austin Jackson at right tackle. If this is Armstead’s final NFL season, Paul may be needed to be ready to take the five-time Pro Bowl selection’s place in 2025.

Nevertheless, Paul got his first career start on September 30, with Armstead out due to a concussion. The performance, in which he gave up a sack and three pressures, left a lot to be desired for the enthusiastic, ambitious rookie.

“I would definitely say there’s still a lot of room for improvement, but I enjoyed being there,” he told the Sun Sentinel.

What specifically should he improve on his next opportunity?

“Technique, fundamentals,” Paul said. “Everything we do every day. Just consistently put it on the field.”

Jackson was once that bright-eyed rookie as a first-round pick in 2020. He judged Paul’s first start.

“I think he handled it well,” Jackson said. “When you’re young, there’s always a few plays you wish you could take back. But I think it will be great for him in the future. Some good learning lessons, but overall I thought he brought the right mentality into the game and played with aggression throughout. Locked up, focused all the time.”

The two previous times Armstead went out in a match, it was veteran Kendall Lamm who came in ahead of him. Paul said he doesn’t view his freshman season as a redshirt year behind Armstead and Jackson, and that he has kept himself ready every week.

Robinson has often competed with Paul during 1-on-1 drills and team matchups. He said those couples go back and forth.

“When it comes to the games, we know how hard we work in practice,” Robinson said. “We know we are the best out there. No one can mess with us. We just go outside, look at each other. Every time he makes a play, I’m excited. Every time I do a play, he’s excited. It’s just a bond.”

Wright erupts before the bye

The Dolphins’ fourth-round pick and third player drafted in 2024 is perhaps off to the best start, just after his game against the Patriots.

Even with Raheem Mostert back in New England, Miami still needed a running back to step up after Achane went down early with a concussion. Wright passed for a team-leading 86 yards, showing he can be a physical presence between the tackles while also performing in the outside zone scheme.

It all came in a game where the Dolphins rediscovered their run game, something the team may be able to take advantage of when it returns from its bye game.

One thing that impressed veteran fullback Alec Ingold was how Wright didn’t miss a beat when he had a big run called back for holding.

“To see him not blink, to be able to go back later on that same drive and get a first down, that was really cool to see,” Ingold said.

The others

Dolphins fifth-round pick Mohamed Kamara, another outside linebacker like Robinson, has yet to play a game this season, with a healthy scratch each weekend. Even when Phillips went down, veteran edge rusher Tyus Bowser was ahead of him just days after signing with Miami. Kamara must show in practice that he can be trusted in matches.

Miami’s first of two sixth-round selections, wide receiver Malik Washington, had a quadriceps injury that sidelined him for the first three games. While he has played in each of the past two games, he has had an 8-yard catch on his only target so far.

Safety Patrick McMorris and wide receiver Tahj Washington are on injured reserve.

But Duck made the roster as an undrafted rookie and has been called upon for a significant role. He has appeared in every game and even earned his first start against the Titans when Kendall Fuller sat out due to a concussion. He played 60 snaps, made three tackles, one for a loss, and broke up a pass.

Undrafted offensive lineman Andrew Meyer hasn’t seen any game action yet.