Jevon Holland Is A Budding Star For The Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins haven’t delivered as a unit this season, but Jevon Holland is a budding star.
The Miami Dolphins got their first big win of the season, beating an AFC-favorite Baltimore Ravens team in the friendly confines of Miami. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa entered in relief and the defense shut down Lamar Jackson and the Ravens offense with a heavy dose of cover 0. Lost in the dominant performance of the defense (because most everyone played well) is the quick development of safety Jevon Holland into a budding star.
Holland was a second round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and the selection was a little puzzling considering that the Dolphins had a good looking safety room (Bobby McCain, Brandon Jones, Eric Rowe). McCain got cut before the season started, and while the Dolphins brought in Jason McCourty for veteran help, he has since landed on injured reserve.
Considering the draft capital used in picking Holland, it was clear that head coach Brian Flores had a plan for him from the jump. Holland was a versatile safety for the Oregon Ducks, but opted out of the 2020 season. Still, his play from previous seasons warranted the selection, as he a great downhill filler with his reliable tackling and thrived in man coverage when aligned in the slot.
While he could play on the roof of the defense, there were times he bit early and gave up big plays or took some rough angles. Yet, it was clear that he improved on some things with his year off.
Jevon Holland has been nothing short of excellent so far for the Miami Dolphins. He’s still been a force near the line of scrimmage, with the range to limit yardage on outside runs and the processing skills to identify what’s developing quickly. He’s still an incredible tackler that limits big plays in the run game or quick passing game, and has been dynamite when in the slot.
Still, it’s the trust from Flores and his abilities as a deep safety that has been the most impressive part of his game. The Dolphins have rotated Holland into the deep safety spot on numerous occasions this season, and while his range is still there, his recognition skills and patience have gotten better in that time. He made one of the more impressive interceptions of the year against Houston with the ground he covered to make the play, and closed from deep on a couple occasions against the Ravens as well.
That rare versatility is holding strong so far for Holland in the NFL, and on a defense that’s looking for some playmakers outside of a couple guys, his rookie breakout is great to see. The Miami Dolphins are still in some turmoil that needs fixing, but Jevon Holland is developing into a budding start at safety.