Miami Dolphins get UDFA steal in Michigan LB Mike McCray

The Miami Dolphins got a steal in former Michigan linebacker Mike McCray, whose physical limitations prevented him from being drafted…

The Miami Dolphins are a team in transition, yet there’s a lot of pressure for Adam Gase to get this team into the playoffs.

It’s not an easy position for a head coach to be in, but the roster was gutted this offseason and many of the team’s recognizable stars are no longer in town.

With that being the case, there will be opportunities for players like undrafted free agent Mike McCray out of Michigan to step up and make the roster.

McCray went undrafted despite being one of the most productive tacklers in the Big Ten over the past two seasons.

McCray is at his best attacking the line of scrimmage, and playing in the mud.

He’s a big inside linebacker at 6-foot-2, 243 pounds, and his physicality and football IQ stand out on tape.

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There are limitations to his game athletically, and playing in coverage, and teams also had concerns about his medical history.

Still, over the past two seasons, McCray played in a total of 26 games and racked up 152 tackles, 29.5 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, and a pair of interceptions.

His production helped Michigan become one of the better defenses in the Big Ten, and he should be able to carve out a role as an early-down run stopper or goal line specialist in the NFL.

McCray’s production at or behind the line of scrimmage is staggering for an off-ball linebacker. You will not find many non-edge playing linebackers who have racked up 30 tackles for loss.

With his size and physicality, he fires through the line of scrimmage with conviction and when he gets his hands on a quarterback or running back, they do not get away.

McCray joins a linebacker group that has plenty of question marks going forward, and I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if he was able to crack the rotation in 2018.

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