With The First Pick
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Jay Ajayi to be the Miami Dolphins’ Bell-Cow

By Carl Cockerham

Jan 3, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins running back Jay Ajayi (23) is tackled by New England Patriots outside linebacker Jamie Collins (91) during the second half at Sun Life Stadium. The Dolphins won 20-10. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 3, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins running back Jay Ajayi (23) is tackled by New England Patriots outside linebacker Jamie Collins (91) during the second half at Sun Life Stadium. The Dolphins won 20-10. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Miami Dolphins finished the 2015 season last in the NFL in rushing attempts. That’s a big part of why talented running back Lamar Miller took the first thing smoking out of town to Houston. Despite that loss, the Dolphins want to run the ball much more in 2016.

In the Dolphins offense, the running back has to be able do that as well as catch the ball and block. He has to be a true bell-cow back and those types of running backs are hard to come by. It appears new head coach Adam Gase believes 2015 5th-round pick Jay Ajayi is that guy.

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk quoted Gase Monday saying, “Any time you’re playing that spot in this offense, you have to be able to do it al. It’s not a one-trick pony type of offense. You have to be able to protect. You have to be able to run the ball.

“You have to be able to catch. So we really don’t believe in, ‘Hey, you’re just a 1st- and-2nd-down back.’ I don’t know what that means. We look for guys that can stay on the field all three downs because we’re not looking to ‘sub’ personnel.

“We want guys that can be in great shape, stay out there and then, if we need to switch somebody out because we’re having a long drive, then so be it. But really, whoever the guy is that we’re starting with in the series, that’s the guy I want to finish.”

Ajayi was looked at as such a back coming out ofcollege and he would have been picked higher if not for injury concerns. Those concerns made NFL executives reluctant to take him high. But despite his fall in the draft and lack of opportunities as a rookie Ajayi believes he can be great.

He told ESPN a few days ago, “Everyone else has opinions on what I can do and if I’m worthy enough, and I know how good I am. I know how great I can be. That’s my mentality coming in, day in and day out—to work, so that when I step out on that field, I can produce the way I know that I can and be the great back that I know I can be.”

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