Miami Dolphins 7-round 2020 NFL mock draft: Building a strong base

The Miami Dolphins also hold the 18th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft due to the Minkah Fitzpatrick trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers. I could see Miami finding some help for Tua right away with this pick, but in this 2020 NFL mock draft, the top receivers (Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb and Henry Ruggs III) and offensive linemen (Jedrick Wills Jr., Andrew Thomas, Tristan Wirfs and Mekhi Becton) were already off of the board. Instead, they attack a major defensive need.

A.J. Epenesa is not a bendy speed rusher on the edge, but he is a fantastic football player who fits the Miami Dolphins defense well. If head coach Brian Flores is going to continue to build a defense like he had with the New England Patriots, he could undoubtedly use a big, powerful guy like Epenesa on the edge.

Epenesa is an absolute wrecking ball on the defensive line. He explodes out of his stance quickly and pops the offensive lineman back with consistently strong hands. Epenesa moves well for a man of his size (6-foot-6, 280 pounds), but it is his raw power that will make him an asset at the next level.

Epenesa is an incredibly strong and disciplined player who can create pressure as a pass rusher and consistently defend against the run. He shows a good ability to develop a pass-rush plan and consistently sets the edge at an extremely high level.

Late in his final college season, Iowa started kicking Epenesa inside on obvious passing downs. On the interior, his combination of explosive quickness and power was simply too much for interior offensive linemen to handle. For the Miami Dolphins, Epenesa could play defensive end on early downs and kick inside to overwhelm guards on obvious passing downs. He is the kind of versatile defensive lineman who can shine under the direction of Flores.