Miami Dolphins need more very large people and Kenneth Grant fits the bill
MIAMI GARDENS — Nick Saban likes to say, "Big people beat up little people."
The Miami Dolphins have needed more big people.
When did Dolphins rookie defensive tackle Kenneth Grant realize he was big?
"Kindergarten," Grant said, after the Dolphins made him the NFL's 13th overall pick.
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This is an oversimplification, of course. You can't just be big and you can't just add a bunch of big people and expect to win a Super Bowl. Or, at least, a first playoff game this century.
Grant is 6-foot-4, 331 pounds, though he's said he played at 345 for Michigan last season.
Grant is an "off the bus guy."
He's the guy you want the other team to see getting off the bus before a game.
The Dolphins have been perceived as too soft, with an emphasis on speed and creativity over sheer force and will and power. The hope for general manager Chris Grier is Grant delivers on all that promise of power.
Big people beat up little people.
Miami Dolphins combat soft label by adding giant Kenneth Grant
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 26: Kenneth Grant #DL12 of Michigan speaks to the media during the 2025 NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center on February 26, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by)
It would have been great if the Dolphins were able to move down five or seven or nine spots and pick up an extra Day 2 pick and still land Grant.
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But moving down, finding love and winning the AFC East is hard to do.
"We were actively trying to do it," Grier said of working the phones to move.
Some draft pundits have given the pick a D or an F, but that is meaningless.
The Dolphins badly wanted to add a toughness gene to their makeup for 2025, and Grant fits the bill.
Grant has studied Buccaneers big man Vita Vea.
"Just a wrecking ball," Grant said. "He causes havoc in the backfield."
The addition of Grant should help free up Zach Sieler to make plays.
Coach Mike McDaniel said Sieler texted him "happy things," after the selection.
Was Grant really, as reported, nearly 300 pounds in middle school?
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"I guess around there,' Grant said, adding, "To be honest, I don't think I was 300 in middle school. That sounds a little off."
A lounge chair off the deck of a ship, as they say? Either way, the Dolphins have added a very, very big anchor in the middle of the defensive front.
Could Grant have a Tim Bowens-type impact? One can hope.
The Dolphins entered the NFL Draft with 15 linebackers and four defensive linemen and so you knew the defensive trenches would be addressed in Rounds 1, 2 or 3.
Was Grant a little bit of a reach at 13? Maybe. Probably.
A small reach for a needed big man.
Doesn't matter what the pundits say anyway.
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All that matters is that Grant plays as well as Grier and McDaniel and defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver need him to – in less than five months.
NFL Draft pick Kenneth Grant fills immediate Dolphins need
Grant may not be fully formed and it will be interesting to see what percentage of snaps he ends up playing, especially what percentage on third downs.
But Grant is a unique athlete. He can move very well for a very big man.
And that is something Miami desperately needs.
The Dolphins also need a butt-kicker, to be juvenile for a moment.
Robert Hunt was a butt-kicker on the offensive line trenches and Miami is still seeking his replacement.
Michigan defensive lineman Kenneth Grant (78) celebrates after Ohio State misses a field goal during the second half at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
To an extent, Grant replaces Christian Wilkins, a year too late, though Grant is bigger and not as explosive. But, still, Grant should replace Wilkins' toughness and grit and impact. They hope.
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Should. There are no guarantees.
We know Grant is big. We know he adds toughness.
Miami Dolphins' Kenneth Grant should help Zach Sieler
"Pocket push," McDaniel said.
The Dolphins entered Day 2 with massive, gaping needs at cornerback and guard, and we'll see if Grier successfully triages the problems.
But the Dolphins have added a very, very big person on Day 1 of the NFL Draft.
And the Dolphins believe he's the right guy to help beat some people up on Sundays.
Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins' Kenneth Grant a small reach for a needed big man
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