Every Draft Haul when Brian Flores was the Head Coach of the Miami Dolphins
Brian Flores commands a pile of respect in Eagan.
In fact, GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and HC Kevin O’Connell have both noted that the DC has been exercising influence on the decisions being made for adding defensive talent. After all, Flores began as a scout before becoming a coach, so the man has a background with player evaluation. Toss in the reality that Flores has a strong vision for what he’s looking to accomplish. The end result has been Minnesota’s concerted effort to overhaul their defense to give the defensive coordinator a greater chance of success in 2024.
The Miami Draft Haul with Brian Flores at Head Coach
Is there any sense that taking a look at the draft classes from Brian Flores’ time in Miami can give us even a general sense for what Minnesota could be looking for in 2024? A brief word before getting ourselves in trouble.
Making the final decision on a draft pick isn’t within the purview of most coaches. Chris Grier has been the GM for a little while in Miami. The profile on the Dolphins’ website offers no shortage of praise for Grier’s draft picks, so it seems safe to assume that he has been entrusted with making the final decisions over draft weekend.
Even still, there’s some value in taking a few minutes to consider the players drafted by Miami from 2019-2021. Flores was hard at work during that stretch trying to bring that team back from recent mediocrity. Presumably, the GM was looking to onboard players who fit well within what Flores wanted to accomplish.
So, take a look at who was drafted when Flores was the top coach.
The Miami Dolphins’ 2019 Draft
| Player & Position | Round & Pick |
| Christian Wilkins, DT | RD1 — 13 |
| Michael Deiter, OG | RD3 — 78 |
| Andrew Van Ginkel, OLB | RD5 — 151 |
| Isaiah Prince, OT | RD6 — 202 |
| Chandler Cox, RB | RD7 — 233 |
| Myles Gaskin, RB | RD7 — 234 |
The Miami Dolphins’ 2020 Draft
| Player & Position | Round & Pick |
| Tua Tagovailoa, QB | RD1 — 5 |
| Austin Jackson, OT | RD1 — 18 |
| Noah Igbinoghene, CB | RD1 — 30 |
| Robert Hunt, OG | RD2 — 39 |
| Raekwon Davis, DT | RD2 — 56 |
| Brandon Jones, S | RD3 — 70 |
| Solomon Kindley, OG | RD4 — 111 |
| Jason Strowbridge, DE | RD5 — 154 |
| Curtis Weaver, DE | RD5 — 164 |
| Blake Ferguson, LS | RD6 — 185 |
| Malcolm Perry, RB | RD7 — 246 |
The Miami Dolphins’ 2021 Draft
| Player & Position | Round & Pick |
| Jaylen Waddle, WR | RD1 — 6 |
| Jaelan Phillips, EDGE | RD1 — 18 |
| Jevon Holland, S | RD2 — 36 |
| Liam Eichenberg, OG/OT | RD2 — 42 |
| Hunter Long, TE | RD3 — 81 |
| Larnel Coleman, OT | RD7 — 231 |
| Gerrid Doaks, RB | RD7 — 244 |
Again, the word of caution: Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will get the final call when it comes time to turn a pick into a player. And when it comes to coaches with influence, O’Connell will have more sway given that he’s the head coach. Plus, the roster contexts are different. What Miami needed in that stretch of time doesn’t necessarily mirror what Minnesota needs currently.
Even still, a few observations.
The opening pair of drafts involved scooping up a top tandem of defensive tackles. Christian Wilkins (6’4″, 310) and Raekwon Davis (6’7″, 325) offer tremendous size, which is something Minnesota is currently lacking. Do the Vikings address the glaring need at DT early in the draft?
Furthermore, there was a pretty concerted effort to bolster the edge. Van Ginkel stands out since he recently was signed by Adofo-Mensah, but he doesn’t stand alone. Strowbridge, Weaver, and Phillips also got picked up. Don’t forget that across a pair of drafts, Adofo-Mensah hasn’t selected an edge rusher.
Maybe the most obvious trend comes on offense, though. The trio of drafts led to four draft picks being used on running backs; in each instance, the pick arrived in RD7 (one of the picks was for Myles Gaskin, a current Viking). Is there any sense that Flores, a defensive mastermind, has a bit of a Mike Zimmer approach? Run the ball well and play top-tier defense.
Further supporting that idea is the effort to beef up the guard spots. Each of the three drafts involved looking to reinforce those spots. Coincidentally, Minnesota is also navigating a need for their iOL. Any chance the DC can persuade O’Connell to run the football? Maybe some added competition at left guard would help.
Flores’ past working as a scout and head coach — which is to say nothing of his current assignment as a defensive coordinator — makes him uniquely-qualified to form strong opinions about incoming talent. Partnering that background with the respect he commands among Minnesota’s main decision makers means Flores may have a central influence on the 2024 Vikings draft.
The event begins on April 25th and will conclude on April 27th.
Recapping a Busy Pre-Draft Monday for the Vikings
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.