Dolphin Digest – August 2019

One of the interesting facets of training camp al-

ways is watching undrafted rookie free agents or

under-the-radar veterans trying to impress enough to

earn a roster spot.

The Dolphins roster at the end of the OTA practices

and the veteran minicamp included three players who

arrived as rookie free agents last year — cornerback

Jalen Davis, safety Chris Lammons and defensive

tackle Jamiyus Pittman.

Among the veteran newcomers was a group of play-

ers looking to jump-start their career in Miami.

Here’s a look at some lesser-known players who

will be looking to impress during training camp or

those looking to turn things around:

RB Mark Walton

Walton is getting a second chance at the NFL after

a series of off-the-field incidents led to his release by

the Cincinnati Bengals just one year after they made

him a fourth-round pick in the 2018 draft.

After giving him a chance to try out at the rookie

minicamp, the Dolphins were impressed enough by

what Walton did on and off the field to sign him to a

contract.

With Frank Gore, Brandon Bolden and Senorise

Perry gone from last year’s group of running backs,

Walton has a legitimate chance to make the team with

a strong showing in camp.

He averaged only 2.4 yards per carry in limited duty

with Cincinnati in 2018, but Walton rushed for 1,

yards at the University of Miami as a sophomore and

averaged 7.6 yards per carry during his injury-short-

ened junior season.

WR Preston Williams

In terms of pure ability, Williams was the most in-

triguing rookie free agent the Dolphins signed after the

2019 draft and he made enough catches during the

spring to attract some attention.

It was mostly off-the-field issues that kept Williams

from getting drafted after he caught 96 passes for 1,

yards and 14 touchdowns last year at Colorado State,

where he transferred after beginning his collegiate ca-

reer at Tennessee.

Williams has a great combination of size (6-5, 218)

and playmaking ability, and has a clear chance to land

a roster spot with a strong summer.

G Shaq Calhoun

Let’s begin by pointing out that Calhoun’s first

name actually is Deion, but he goes by Shaq because

of his size and basketball prowess.

Calhoun wasn’t drafted despite participating in the

2019 combine and earning second-team All-SEC hon-

ors from the league coaches.

Calhoun, who graduated in December with a degree

in industrial technology, is a strong run blocker.

DT Joey Mbu

Mbu was among seven players the Dolphins signed

from the Alliance of American Football after the new

league abruptly ceased operations.

Prior to joining the AAF, Mbu appeared in two

games with the Atlanta Falcons in 2015 after joining

the team as a rookie free agent out of the University of

Houston.

At 6-3, 330, Mbu has the kind of bulk that could

help him land a roster spot if the Dolphins find them-

selves short at nose tackle.

LB Sam Eguavoen

He’s another player who came from a different

league, this one the Canadian Football League. The

Dolphins signed Eguavoen in January after he spent

the past three seasons with the Saskatchewan

Roughriders — not to be confused with the Ottawa

Rough Riders.

Eguavoen actually worked a regular job in Dallas in

2015 after going undrafted out of Texas Tech, where

he was a teammate of Jakeem Grant.

At 6 feet, 236, Eguavoen is a bit undersized at line-

backer, but he made several plays in pass coverage

during the Dolphins’ spring practices.

DT Durval Queiroz Nieto

Here’s a prospect with an even more interesting

road to get to the Dolphins, this big Brazilian defen-

sive tackle arriving via the NFL’s International

Player Pathway Program.

Nieto obviously is raw, his only playing experi-

ence coming in Brazil, but he’s a former judo cham-

pion with some natural strength and great size at 6-4,

330.

While he should be considered a long shot to make

the roster, keep an eye on him because the Dolphins

can keep him without him counting on the roster.

CB Jomal Wiltz

With the Dolphins having a lot of young players at

cornerback but no proven commodity beyond Xavien

Howard, there’s an opportunity for guys to quickly

make a jump.

Wiltz is one of those players after he came over in

the offseason after spending most of the past two sea-

sons on the New England Patriots practice squad.

His familiarity with the system gave him a leg up in

his quest to make the roster and he had his share of big

plays in the spring, though now it’s about showing con-

sistency throughout the summer.

DE Jonathan Ledbetter

Like Calhoun, Ledbetter went undrafted despite par-

ticipating in the scouting combine and earning all-con-

ference honors in the prestigious SEC.

Ledbetter, who wore number 13 at the University of

Georgia, has the ideal body type and skill set to line up

at defensive end in either a 3-4 or 4-3 alignment, and

that versatility will help in his quest to make the roster.

LS Wesley Farnsworth

The Dolphins have made it a point to bring in com-

petition for long-time snapper John Denney in recent

years, and there will come a time when they decide to

go with someone younger.

Farnsworth (6-1, 230) was the snapper for the Uni-

versity of Nevada for the past four seasons and also

served as a team captain in 2018 after turning down a

scholarship offer from Ohio State.

AUGUST 6, 2019 Dolphin Digest 13

TRAINING CAMP 2019

Some long shots worth watching

Shaq Calhoun

Digest photo/JOEL AUERBACH