Christian Wilkins bringing energy and hard work to Dolphins locker room
By Bryan Perez
Christian Wilkins was one of the most fun players to scout in the 2019 NFL Draft. From his size (6-3, 315 pounds) to his better-than-expected movement skills, his dancing bear style of play ultimately resulted in his selection at No. 14 overall to the Miami Dolphins.
First-year coach Brian Flores has been pleased with the early returns of his first-rounder.
“Christian brings a lot of energy into the building. He’s a fun-loving guy,” Flores said via ESPN.com. “For me, someone who is straight-edged, he brings good energy in a good way. That’s something that I like; but at the same time, he works extremely hard.”
Wilkins’ hard work was evident during his career at Clemson. Despite his physical profile, Wilkins was a strong penetrator who finished 2018 with 14 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. He finished his four-year career as a Tiger with 40.5 tackles for loss and 16 sacks.
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His production on the college level is indicative of the kind of force he can be in the NFL. His game projects favorably to a player like Akiem Hicks, who’s quickly become one of the league’s top defensive linemen through his combination of physical power at the point of attack and deceptive speed and quickness as a pass rusher.
Wilkins is expected to open the season as a starter at defensive tackle on a defensive line that could use all the help it can get from a disruption standpoint. And with the way the NFL’s passing offenses are evolving, pass rush that comes from the interior of the defensive line is just as (if not more) important as elite edge rushers. See: Aaron Donald.
No, Wilkins won’t be as productive as Donald. But he’s already one of Miami’s most talented defensive starters and has as much upside as any young player on the roster.
The Dolphins got themselves a stud, on and off the field, in Wilkins. And for a young coach like Flores who will be searching for cornerstone building blocks in 2019, it’s Wilkins who will likely emerge as one of his favorites.