Miami Dolphins: What type of year-one impact can Jaylen Waddle make?

Miami Dolphins fans have high hopes for Jaylen Waddle, but what type of year-one impact with the speedy receiver really have?

The Miami Dolphins missed the playoffs in 2020, and their lack of explosive playmakers on offense was one of the main culprits. Against some of the better AFC offenses, the Dolphins came up short time and time again. The Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs both bested Miami using some high-octane attacks that the Dolphins could not match up with successfully.

The Dolphins took significant steps towards rectifying their offensive struggles with the free-agent signing of Will Fuller and the selection of Alabama wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. The former Crimson Tide playmaker became the sixth overall pick of the Dolphins after missing all but six games this past season. Below, I take a look at the impact that Miami’s first-rounder can have in 2021.

Is Waddle the REAL “Next Tyreek Hill”?

Since being drafted in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft, Tyreek Hill has been one of the most consistent big-play threats and prolific touchdown scorers in the NFL. Because of that tremendous success, teams have been on the lookout for a similar type of versatile “chunk” player annually in the NFL Draft. And while there have been a lot of explosive young wide receivers to enter the league, teams have been unsuccessful in finding the “next Tyreek Hill” thus far.

However, Miami may have found that man in the top-10 of the 2021 NFL Draft. Waddle is a former top-40 prospect in the 2018 recruiting cycle that chose Alabama over the likes of Miami, Florida, and Florida State. He made an instant impact with seven receiving touchdowns and another kick return score in his true freshman campaign. He shined brightly in a receiving corps that also included fellow first-rounders Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III, and 2020 Heisman winner, DeVonta Smith.

Following the departure of Ruggs III and Jeudy before the 2020 season, Waddle was expected to take over a prominent role as a starter in the Alabama offense. He started the 2020 campaign with three straight 120+ yard games and three touchdowns before injuring his ankle in a win against Tennessee. That injury forced Waddle to miss the remainder of the regular season. Despite the injury, Miami remains hopeful that Waddle can be the Tyreek Hill and help morph their offense into one of the conference’s elite.

How will the Miami Dolphins use Waddle in Year One?

Like Hill, Waddle is a versatile receiver with elite short-area quickness and burst. Those attributes make him a nightmare in space that the Dolphins can use in a multitude of ways during his rookie season. Waddle’s most significant contributions may come via the return game in 2021. He was an elite college returner due to his speed and agility. He is a legitimate threat to score any time the ball is placed in his hands.

In addition to the potential starting kick and punt returner, Waddle could also start outside or in the slot as a rookie. He’s a tremendous compliment to the bigger-bodied, jump ball specialists DeVante Parker, Preston Williams, and Mike Gesicki. With the return of Albert Wilson and Allen Hurns along with the emergence of 2020 rookie third-rounder Lynn Bowden Jr., the Dolphins have a very formidable wide receiver group for Tagovailoa in his second season behind center.

Following Waddle’s selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Sun-Sentinel’s Safid Dean quoted Waddle as saying “We’re going to do our best to try to make plays and we’ll make it happen. Hopefully, we’ll be part of something special.” One of the great side benefits to drafting Waddle is the built-in rapport with Tagovailoa, which should fast-track success for Waddle and help Miami’s young quarterback take the next step in his second year as a pro. He’s an early Rookie of the Year candidate that should help push the Dolphins into the playoffs in 2021.