Dolphins select running back Ollie Gordon II with 179th pick. Reaction from analysts

Miami Herald

26-04-2025

The Dolphins snagged a highly productive running back with their one sixth-round pick on Saturday, drafting Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II, who visited the Dolphins before the draft.
Gordon ran for 880 yards last season (4.6 per carry) and scored 13 touchdowns this past season, one year after he led FBS with 21 rushing touchdowns and averaged 6.1 per carry.
His workload and production dropped last season. After rushing for 1732 yards on 285 carries in 14 games in 2023, he ran for 880 yards on 190 carries in 12 games last season. The 1732 carries led the Big 12.
He averaged a robust 5.4 yards per carry in three college seasons. His one blemish was an August 2024 arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.
The 179th pick, used on Gordon was acquired from Houston, along with a 2026 third-round pick, in exchange for Miami's picks at 116 and Miami's first of three seventh rounders.
Some reaction on the Gordon selection:
▪ ESPN's Matt Miller: 'He was a hard guy for me to evaluate because what am I getting? Am I getting 2023 when he was aggressive and violent and making plays downhill? He was a Heisman candidate in 2023. In 2024, he didn't look the same. I didn't see the same urgency from him. Didn't see the same ability to finish some of those inside runs or run away from tacklers. Can they get him locked in and get him back to 2023 because he can be a really physical, punishing, downhill back?'
▪ESPN's Mel Kiper attributed his drop in production last season to the Cowboys' poor offensive line: 'There was no running room at all. He was hitting a wall. You would have needed Barry Sanders back there. Ollie Gordon is not that elusive but the offensive line did nothing to help him.'
▪ ESPN's Louis Riddick: 'We did a game against Kansas State where he really started getting going early, and they went away from the run game. You could tell by his body language on the sideline, he was like 'what is going on here?' He's a rhythm runner, a high volume runner. Once he gets rolling, watch out.'
▪ NFL.com's Lance Zierlein calls him 'a big-workload back with a skill set that requires a physical, downhill run scheme. Gordon is tight-hipped and forced to run linear tracks. He plays with adequate decisiveness and interior vision but lacks the agility to cut sharply or slip tackles in tight quarters.
'When he gets going downhill he becomes a battering ram, slamming through tackles and adding tough yards after contact. He's good in the screen game and could improve his protection in time. His 2024 production fell off through no fault of his own. Gordon is big and physical and could attract Day 2 attention from teams looking to add a bruiser to a two-back system.'
▪ NFL Net's Brian Baldinger: 'They want to get physical. Downhill runner. He's huge. Two years ago, he won Doak Walker award' for the best running back.'
▪ ESPN's Field Yates, on the Dolphins' offseason: 'One of themes was let's self-scout this offseason. What do we know Miami was predicated upon on offense? [They had] a lot of speed. Now it's more toughness.'
Gordon ran for 880 yards last season (4.6 per carry) and scored 13