When the Miami Dolphins selected South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith with pick No. 51, there were many who were confused by the decision, but it wasn’t because of Smith’s ability.
In fact, Smith has been projected by some to go in the first round, but slipping to the middle of the second was value that general manager Chris Grier felt he couldn’t pass up.
The confusion stemmed from Miami’s roster construction.
Heading into draft weekend, the Dolphins already had Jalen Ramsey and Xavien Howard, two of the league’s best, holding down the top two spots on the depth chart. Behind them would be 2022 undrafted free agent signing Kader Kohou, who proved to be a steal throughout his rookie season.
Nik Needham and Trill Williams were also two cornerbacks that were returning from injury who could provide depth and play valuable snaps when healthy. Then, there’s Noah Igbinoghene, a former first-round pick, and special teams aces Keion Crossen and Justin Bethel.
The room was loaded.
However, Miami saw an opportunity to add a talented player at a premium position, and they jumped at it.
During the pre-draft process, Smith was receiving some interesting NFL comparisons, including former Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback A.J. Bouye by NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein.
Bouye was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Houston Texans back in 2013. By the end of his rookie contract, he was working his way into a starting role.
He signed with Jacksonville in 2017 and immediately rewarded them with a Pro Bowl season.
In total, Bouye played nine seasons in the NFL, 2021 being his last, recording 366 tackles, 75 passes defended, 14 interceptions, two forced fumbles and a sack.
If the Dolphins were to Bouye’s career out of Smith, they’d probably be pretty happy with that. Especially, if the former Gamecock can reach the Pro-Bowl peaks that Bouye did.
With coaching from defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, cornerbacks coach Sam Madison and veterans like Ramsey and Howard, that outcome is achievable for Smith.
