{"id":857394,"date":"2026-04-06T19:06:24","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T19:06:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/857394\/"},"modified":"2026-04-06T19:06:24","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T19:06:24","slug":"gordon-malik-mauigoa-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/857394\/","title":{"rendered":"Gordon, Malik, Mauigoa, and More"},"content":{"rendered":"<p id=\"inline-text-0\" class=\"mt-[18px] md:mt-0 mb-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6g\">Third and final part of a pre-offseason program Miami Dolphins On SI mailbag:<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-1\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6j\">From Olive Grove Jon:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.minutemediacdn.com\/platform\/google_discover_icon.svg\" class=\"shrink-0\"\/>Add us as a preferred source on Google<a aria-label=\"Follow si.com on Google News\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=si.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"flex h-[30px] w-[30px] shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full bg-primary font-group-large text-sm font-medium text-white transition-colors hover:bg-secondary focus:bg-secondary md:w-auto md:gap-2.5 md:px-4 md:py-[5px]\">Follow<\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-2\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6p\">Hi Alain, do you think Ollie Gordon will feature more in this new offense? He seemed to be overlooked during the last days of McDaniel. Might we see more of a 1-2 punch with Achane or do you see the Fins drafting yet another RB?<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-3\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6s\">Hey OGJ, after drafting Achane, Wright and Gordon the past three years, it sure would be a bit of overkill to go with yet another running back, but we also can\u2019t rule it out. As for Gordon, he would have to demonstrate a massive \u2014\u00a0and I mean massive \u2014\u00a0jump in his ability to come close to having a 1-2 setup because De\u2019Von Achane is by far the best offensive player on the team.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-4\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6v\">From Lee Michael Morrison:<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-5\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6y\">Have the Dolphins reporters been told, on the down low or even blatantly, by the organization to not criticize\/ask questions about the 2012 Dolphins rebrand, especially the logo?<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-6\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"71\">Hey Lee, I can\u2019t speak for anybody else, but I haven\u2019t been asked anything of the sort and I would be very, very surprised if anybody else had.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-7\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"74\">From Juan M Saborio:<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-8\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"77\">Hello Alain, as I wait for the draft, I wonder what position Phins should prioritize the with 1st pick? I know they should go BPA, but what if they get two top guys like Delane and Mauigoa??<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-9\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7a\">Hey Juan, I wrote about that very topic Friday, and on one hand you always want to go bigger if prospects are equal, though a cornerback is more valuable in my eyes than a guard. Therefore, if you project Mauigoa as a tackle in the NFL, he\u2019s the choice. If you see Mauigoa as a guard, you go with Delane. That\u2019s assuming you have an even grade on both prospects.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-10\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7d\">From Phin Phan:<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-11\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7g\">Any chance we can bring back Christian Wilkins on the cheap? Would massively bolster our D-line and would make Sieler awesome again. And he&#8217;s probably looking to get back into the league.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-12\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7j\">Wilkins\u2019 agent said recently that Wilkins was close to being ready to return and already had teams reaching out. If we\u2019re being honest, he doesn\u2019t make a lot of sense for a rebuilding team and, besides, why would he choose the Dolphins if he indeed has other offers.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-13\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7m\">From Gabriel:<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-14\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7p\">How do you feel about the ceiling for Willis? Is it high enough for Patrick Mahomes to walk in and not bump his head?<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-15\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7s\">Hey Gabriel, that\u2019s the $64,000 quedtion, isn\u2019t it? Yes, I do think the ceiling is pretty high with Willis based on his physical traits. The question is whether he can reach it.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-16\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7v\">From Joe Barrett:<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-17\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7y\">I\u2019m excited about the addition of Malik Willis!! The first time he takes off running the ball gains 20 yards, I\u2019ll be in heaven after watching Tua slide, short of the first down marker. Do you have any predictions for his first season as a Miami Dolphins starting quarterback?<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-18\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"81\">Hey Joe, would you be disappointed if I told you that, no, I do not have any predictions. This is pretty unchartered territory because of the limited body of work, but I have allowed myself to be optimistic he\u2019ll be a good quarterback for the Dolphins. And I most definitely am anxious to find out and love that the Dolphins took the chance that he could be special.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-19\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"84\">From Mmmm:<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-20\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"87\">What\u2019s one WR name we should be thinking about for Miami? (first three rounds of course).<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-21\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"8a\">Beyond the obvious names, I would mention Chris Brazzell from Tennessee, a guy who has been compared to Packers wide receiver Christian Watson. I wouldn\u2019t mind him as a second-round pick, even better as a third-round choice if somehow he were available there. And then I\u2019ll throw a late-round flier on Chris Bell from Louisville with an eye toward the future since he\u2019s coming off an ACL.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-22\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"8d\">From Bryan Watson:<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-23\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"8g\">Who is your favorite player in the draft for Fins, and why?<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-24\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"8j\">Hey Bryan, I\u2019m going to preface my answer by saying I\u2019m not totally jacked on the group of 2026 prospects as it pertains to the Dolphins. That out of the way, if you were to ask me for a favorite, guess I\u2019d go with one of the Ohio State linebackers, Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles, because they\u2019re freakish athletes with the ability to help a defense in multiple ways and the Dolphins haven\u2019t had that kind of player in a while.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-25\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"8m\">From Dolfan:<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-26\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"8p\">Is CB or O-line the priority Rd 1?<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-27\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"8s\">The priority in Round 1 is getting a prospect who will be a difference-maker for years to come. If we\u2019re zeroing in on positions, I\u2019d rank them as CB, pass rusher, tackle, and go from there. So if the question is cornerback or offensive line, I\u2019d say cornerback or tackle (if that makes sense).<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-28\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"8v\">From Bladeaux:<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-29\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"8y\">Do we have any clue going into the draft what each side of the ball will look for in players schematically eg 4-3\/3-4, man v zone, power v zone running, west coast vs vertical or play action passing?<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-30\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"91\">The defense, as we hear all the time, will be multiple, so the Dolphins will be looking for prospects with multiple skills, though ideally they\u2019ll look for cornerbacks who are in good in press coverage and bigger defensive ends. Offensively, what stands out is that mobility will be a factor for linemen since the new scheme will resemble the old scheme.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-31\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"94\">From BryanHolliday:<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-32\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"97\">If Mauigoa and Tate are available at 11, who do you take?<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-33\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"9a\">Hey Bryan, if those are the options, it\u2019s Mauigoa without a millisecond of hesitation. In addition to the idea he\u2019s a cleaner prospect, if he ends up at tackle, there\u2019s much better positional value. So it\u2019s a no-brainer from where I sit.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-34\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"9d\">From Brett Michaud:<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-35\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"9g\">Jon-Eric Sullivan said he was going to build from the inside out, yet many mock drafts predict us taking a wide receiver and\/or CB with picks 11 and 30. Which direction do you think is best and who should we target?<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-36\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"9j\">Hey Brett, we shouldn\u2019t hold Sullivan to that statement in every single draft because picks are made dependent on who\u2019s available at the time. As for what direction I think is best, for me it has to be cornerback or tackle at 11 unless there\u2019s a linebacker or safety who can be impactful enough to overcome the positional value issue. So my list of targets at 11 would be Francis Mauigoa, Mansoor Delane, Sonny Styles or Caleb Downs.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-37\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"9m\">From Mark Malbeck:<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-38\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"9p\">Looking at current roster, I think we focus the draft on defensive side. I get we need a guard or two. But I think our defense besides linebacker is weak. If a WR that\u2019s a steal drops, then, fine, but don\u2019t reach. A good defense can cover a lot of weaknesses. Your thoughts?<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-39\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"9s\">Hey Mark, absolutely agree with you, but I\u2019d add there\u2019s no wide receiver I\u2019d take at 11. None. But, yes, I think the Dolphins right now need more help on defense than on offense. Overall, though, the Dolphins just need to stockpile good players regardless of position.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-40\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"9v\">From Jordan Paxton:<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-41\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"9y\">Why does no one ever mention Ewers?<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-42\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"a1\">Hey Jordan, this is simple, it\u2019s because the kind of commitment the Dolphins have made to Malik Willis suggests \u2014 actually screams \u2014 that he\u2019ll be the starter in 2026 and most likely again in 2027. That relegates Ewers to the role of backup, and backup quarterbacks don\u2019t generate a lot of attention usually.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Third and final part of a pre-offseason program Miami Dolphins On SI mailbag: From Olive Grove Jon: Add&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":857395,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[2049],"tags":[217,7,216,251,2087,6],"class_list":{"0":"post-857394","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-miami-dolphins","8":"tag-dolphins","9":"tag-football","10":"tag-miami","11":"tag-miami-dolphins","12":"tag-miamidolphins","13":"tag-nfl"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116359332129224544","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/857394","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=857394"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/857394\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/857395"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=857394"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=857394"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=857394"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}