Dolphins reach agreements with undrafted rookies after draft, including prospect who never played a college snap
Miami's brass got to work following the draft Saturday night to agree to terms on a number of undrafted free agents.
After the Miami Dolphins completed their seven-player draft class with five picks Saturday, the team’s brass got to work on bringing in their top remaining prospects as undrafted free agents.
One target they reached an agreement with is one of the more intriguing players in the 2024 class, Bayron Matos, a USF basketball player from the Dominican Republic who walked on to the football team but never played in any games.
Along with Matos, the Dolphins are signing, according to a league source: FAU wide receiver Je’Quan Burton, Louisville cornerback Storm Duck, Syracuse defensive back Isaiah Johnson, Ohio State offensive lineman Matthew Jones, UCLA defensive lineman Grayson Murphy, TCU safety Mark Perry, Texas-El Paso quarterback Gavin Hardison and his center at UTEP, Andrew Meyer. Colorado defensive lineman Leonard Payne has also signed with Miami, the school’s football team announced.
Matos is an offensive line prospect for the NFL with his 6-foot-7, 313-pound build. His body type, athleticism and long arms make him an interesting option that can compete throughout the offseason and into training camp.
Matos is also part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program, which gives opportunities to foreign players. Some believed he could drafted Saturday.
“The back end of the draft, it is the scouts’ Super Bowl,” Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said as Miami wrapped up its draft Saturday evening.
“Working with that and the coaches, that’s where the coaches and scouts take pride in the work on the back end of trying to figure out the players who aren’t fortunate enough to get drafted, figuring out how they fit onto your roster and needs.”
Duck is a defensive back with strong man-coverage skills. Transferring to Louisville last year after first, he had three interceptions with the Tar Heels last season.
Burton had 24 receptions for 277 yards last season for the Owls.
Hardison missed time with UTEP last year, but in five seasons with the Miners, he threw for 7,963 yards, 40 touchdowns and 33 interceptions.
Could his addition mean the dream of having Dolphins starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa paired with his brother, Taulia, out of Maryland, on the roster be over? Grier did say earlier Saturday Miami had him on their draft board.
Johnson had 188 tackles, 2 1/2 sacks, 14 pass breakups and three interceptions in his collegiate career, split between Syracuse and Dartmouth.
Jones trained for the draft locally in South Florida at Bommarito Performance Systems.
The undrafted signings were added onto the Dolphins’ seven-pick rookie draft class: Penn State edge rusher Chop Robinson (first round), Houston tackle Patrick Paul (second), Tennessee running back Jaylen Wright (fourth), Colorado State edge defender Mohamed Kamara (fifth), Virginia wide receiver Malik Washington (sixth), California safety Patrick McMorris (sixth) and USC wide receiver Tahj Washington (seventh).
This story will be updated.