Time to step up

The Dolphins added playmakers in the 2021 draft, but their contributions likely won’t be as important as those from the Classes of 2019 and 2020

- Alain Poupart

The Dolphins made some nice additions in the offseason, most notably speedy wide receiver Will Fuller V and then four of the top 42 picks in the 2021 NFL draft, but they won’t be the players most important to whatever progress the team can make next season.

Yes, Fuller and top picks Jaylen Waddle, Jaelan Phillips, Jevon Holland and Liam Eichenberg definitely could — and hopefully will — play a big role in trying to help the Dolphins improve from their 10-6 record of a year ago.

After all, that is why the Dolphins brought them to South Florida.

Waddle, in particular, has the kind of skill set that should make it easy — as easy as it can be for any NFL player — to make an immediate impact. And by skill set, we’re obviously talking about his speed.

There’s a reason he’s pretty much universally compared to Tyreek Hill, who the Dolphins saw first-hand last December wreak havoc with his big-play ability.

It’s that speed that made Waddle the choice for the Dolphins over his more heralded Alabama teammate DeVonta Smith, the Heisman winner who almost unanimously is considered the better pure wide receiver prospect.

But Waddle was the perfect fit for the Dolphins because his ability to turn a simple bubble screen, jet sweep, quick slant, you name it, into a long gainer was what this offense needed.

It’s what Tua Tagovailoa needed.

And that made Waddle appealing to the Dolphins because it’s pretty clear that the success (or lack thereof) of the team in 2021 is dependent on Tagovailoa more than any other player.