Miami Dolphins rookie Jason Marshall Jr. is making good first impressions in the early stages of organized team activities (OTAs).
The four-year starter with the Florida Gators was a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft after routinely facing some of the best wide receivers in college football. He finished his collegiate career with 25 passes defended, but suffered a shoulder injury during his senior year, which helps explain his draft slide.
“He’s a big corner. He moves really well, and he’s a super-efficient and productive mover,” Dolphins cornerbacks coach Mathieu Araujo said last week. “So as a big corner being able to get your hands on and still keep your feet under you that allows you to cover a big variety of receivers.
“What he’s doing a great job of in this offseason is the things that we pinpointed throughout his college career that we want to improve on, and we can make adjustments to get them to be super productive. That’s what we’re working on right now.”
Marshall has also caught the eye of cornerback room veteran and leader, slot specialist Kader Kohou.
“Man, he’s a baller,” Kohou said of Marshall. “He’s quiet. He comes every day ready to work. He’s like a sponge, he’s always taking notes and stuff like that. He’s big, athletic — he has a chance to be a really good player.”
The 6’0, 194-pound corner has the ability to play physical in press coverage at the line of scrimmage. That could make him a sleeper contender to be one of Miami’s top two boundary cornerbacks.
His main competition is 2023 second-round pick Cam Smith, who has struggled early in his NFL career and hasn’t had the best start to OTAs. Also very much in the mix are undrafted signees from the past two seasons, Storm Duck and Ethan Bonner.
With Jalen Ramsey’s Miami exit potentially just days away, Marshall has as good an opportunity as any to take the reigns and claim a starting spot on the outside of the secondary.