Today, our training camp preview series gives us a closer look at the offensive line. To reserve your spot at Miami Dolphins training camp, click the photo below.
Our 11-part training camp preview series will give you an inside look into the Dolphins 90-man roster with stats, facts and insight into the group and individuals.
Training Camp 2021 Preview Schedule:
Tues. July 13 – Quarterbacks
Weds. July 14 – Running Backs
Thurs. July 15 – Wide Receivers
Fri. July 16 – Tight Ends
Mon. July 19 – Offensive Line
Tues. July 20 – Interior Defensive Line
Weds. July 21 – Edge/On-Ball Linebackers
Thurs. July 22 – Off-Ball Linebackers
Fri. July 23 – Cornerbacks
Mon. July 26 – Safeties
Tues. July 27 – Specialist
Personnel Changes
| Additions | Departures |
|---|---|
| Matt Skura (BAL) | Ted Karras (NE) |
| D.J. Fluker (BAL) | Ereck Flowers (WSH) |
| Jermaine Eluemunor (NE) | Julien Davenport (IND) |
| Liam Eichenberg (2021 NFL Draft) | |
| Larnel Coleman (2021 NFL Draft) | |
| Robert Jones (2021 UDFA) | |
| Cameron Tom (NO) |
Coaching Staff
Lemuel Jeanpierre is another member of Brian Flores' staff to earn a promotion from positional assistant to his own room – the offensive line. "Lem," as he's known around Dolphins H.Q., enjoyed a six-year playing career with the Seahawks before trading in his helmet for a headset – also with Seattle. Jeanpierre followed Tom Cable to Oakland where he served as an offensive line assistant before taking the same title with Miami in 2020.
As he enters his first season at the helm, Jeanpierre has both a collection of young, hungry players eager to make their mark on the league, plus a crop of proven veterans.
Group at a Glance
As Head Coach Brian Flores and General Manager Chris Grier work to shape the roster to the collective organizational vision heading into Year 3, arguably no position has seen a comparable investment like the one made up front on the line.
Miami spent three draft picks inside the top 111 selections of 2020 on Austin Jackson (18th), Robert Hunt (39th) and Solomon Kindley (111th) with the rookie triumvirate combining for 2,314 snaps. All three will have a chance to earn a starting role as Miami looks to identify the best five at training camp.
Another pair of rookies were added by way of Liam Eichenberg in the second round (pick 42) and Larnel Coleman with the 231st pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Robert Jones and Jonathan Hubbard were added to the roster as undrafted free agents in 2021 and 2020 respectively, giving Miami seven first- or second-year players on the line with an average age of 22.9.
The veteran group features incumbents Jesse Davis, Michael Deiter, Adam Pankey, and Durval Queiroz-Neto. With the additions of in new acquisitions Jermaine Eluemunor, D.J. Fluker, Matt Skura and Camron Tom, Miami has 231 games of collective starting experience among the vets.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the group is that just about every player has experience playing both sides and multiple positions, whether that's as a pro or in college. The combinations possibilities are endless.
The Cast
Ravens Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman praised Skura's communication in the middle of the Baltimore offensive line stating his "understanding of the game made his communication utterly seamless at times."
Directing the protection calls, slides and checks are an important part of the position, but Skura has also excelled post-snap. In four years as a pro, Skura's played 1,824 reps in pass protection with just five total sacks and nine quarterback hits allowed, per Pro Football Focus. Discipline is also a staple of his game; he's been penalized just 11 times in 3,374 career rep (one every 306.7 snaps).
Nobody from the offensive line factory that is the Wisconsin Badgers made more starts in Madison than Michael Deiter's 54 (consecutive from freshman-senior season). The streak kept rolling as a pro, as Deiter started 15 games as a rookie with 996 reps played. He's played tackle, guard and center going back to his time as a collegian. He played 23 snaps in 2020, but Head Coach Brian Flores recognized an urgency to Deiter's approach in 2021.
"I think when you get into Year 2, Year 3, there's a sense of urgency – which he has, you can see that – to earn a role or a bigger role," Flores said. "He's definitely working towards that; but he knows there will be competition there and the best man will win."
Signing with the Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2017, Tom's career has taken him from the practice squad to the active roster a handful of times with one year on injured reserve (2018). At 6-foot-4, 300 pounds Tom has 181 reps of professional experience with four pressures allowed (no QB hits per PFF) on 76 pass blocking reps. He played both guard positions and center with New Orleans.
Jones – a 6-foot-4, 322-pound offensive lineman – played tackle at Middle Tennessee State after transferring as one of the nation's top JUCO guards, demonstrating his positional versatility. He only started playing football his junior season of high school and, just five years later, received an invite to the Reese's Senior Bowl.
A fourth-round pick in 2020, Kindley opened his rookie training camp with the first team line and held that spot through Week 12. Injuries cost Kindley time late in the season, but the 335-pound people-mover was charged with just 17 pressures allowed on 448 pass blocking reps (PFF). He played both guard positions and developed a reputation as a nasty finisher who plays through the whistle. In 11 of his 15 games, Kindley allowed one or fewer QB pressures.
Hunt played a key role as a rookie in 2020 and showed growth throughout the season. From Week 11 on, Hunt was PFF's No. 6 overall ranked tackle in run blocking just behind All-Pro Terron Armstead of New Orleans. His 14 pressures-allowed and consequent 97.3 pass blocking efficiency metric also checked in just behind Armstead (97.4) over the final seven games of the season.
On the season, Hunt was Miami's highest-graded run blocker (PFF) and posted a cumulative pass blocking efficiency rate of 96.9.
Entering his third year with Miami by way of Brazil, Queiroz-Neto is a former Judo champion who can land a standing backflip. He's athletic, powerful and has been refining his game the last two seasons as a member of the Dolphins practice squad.
At 6-foot-5, 310 pounds, Hubbard has packed on 18 pounds since measuring 292 lbs. at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine. Pro Football Focus charted 156 pass blocking snaps at Northwestern State, where Hubbard posted a goose egg in the sacks-allowed column. Hubbard was on the Miami practice squad in 2020.
Born in Chalk Farm, England, Eluemunor took an interest in American football when he saw the inaugural London game between the Dolphins and Giants in 2007. Coming to the States at 14, Eluemunor has enjoyed playing for some of the football institutions across America attending Texas A&M and spending two years a piece with the Ravens and Patriots.
At 345 pounds, Eluemunor fits right in with Miami's massive offensive line. He's started 11 career games, appearing in 39, playing 790 snaps with just 22 pressures allowed in 395 pass blocking reps.
The third-youngest player in the NFL last season, Jackson flashed the ability that made him the 18th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Per PFF, Jackson posted five games with two or fewer pressures allowed. During testing at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine, Jackson ran a 5.07 40-yard dash with a 31-inch vertical and 9'7" broad jump. His cumulative athletic score checked in at 9.47 (out of a possible 10) with the tape to confirm the explosiveness. Jackson features a quick first step and the athleticism to redirect and stay on balance against all the high-level pass rushers the NFL has to offer.
Eichenberg was a stalwart on a Notre Dame offensive line that churns out productive pros every year. Starting 38-straight games for the Irish, the last time Eichenberg was charged with a sack allowed (PFF) was his freshman season; a streak that spans 33 games. In 1,283 career pass blocking snaps, Eichenberg allowed just four QB hits and 32 total pressures, good for one hit every 320.8 snaps and one hurry every 40.1 snaps.
The rookie tested in the 95th percentile on the bench press (33 reps), 82nd percentile in the shuttle (4.58s) and 78th percentile in the 3-cone (7.53s), showcasing the change-of-direction ability paired with the sheer strength.
As a free agent acquisition, Fluker brings versatility and size to the Miami offensive line. Fluker's played nearly double the football of the next most-experienced member of the line (Jesse Davis) with 6,737 career reps. He played tackle exclusively for the Ravens last year while surrendering just five QB hits on 293 pass blocking reps. The two years prior in Seattle, Fluker played 1,645 snaps with all but one snap coming at right guard.
The captain of the line last year, Davis defines lunch pail offensive linemen. The only trait of Davis' more valuable than his versatility is his availability. In addition to playing snaps at four of the five positions since joining Miami in 2017 (and cross training at center last summer), Davis has logged 3,698 snaps in his four years with the Dolphins.
In 2020, Davis was charged with just one sack allowed while playing significant time at three different positions (186 at left tackle, 509 at right guard and 354 at right tackle).
Appearing in six games over the last two years with Miami, the Dolphins re-signed Pankey this offseason after his contract expired. Most of his work came as an extra offensive lineman in the heavy package (33 run blocking snaps to eight in pass pro). He played one snap at left tackle and one at right guard last season filling in for injured players.
A two-sport star in high school, Larnel Coleman eventually hung up the sneakers to pursue football full time, but he says his time on the hardwood helped teach him the finer points of offensive line basics.
"I think defensive basketball is the same thing as playing offensive line or at least playing tackle," Coleman said. "I feel like a lot of that athleticism is definitely going to translate to the field, and it has been I think, as you can see on my film."
With 35.5-inch arms, Coleman's 84 7/8" wingspan is already one of the largest in the NFL. He also ran a 5.10 forty-yard dash and leapt 113 inches on the broad jump. He was tabbed with just one sack allowed and three total QB pressures on 126 pass blocking snaps in 2020 (PFF).
The Dolphins announced Monday the signing of offensive tackle Timon Parris. Parris entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Stony Brook in 2018 with the Washington Football Team. He's played a handful of special teams snaps but has yet to take any reps as a pro on offense. His jersey number is not available at this time.
