Dolphins Draft Scope: Clive Walford, Beloved by Analytics
Name: Clive Walford
Position: Tight End
School: Miami
Height, Weight: 6-4, 254
Positional Rank: 2
Projected Round: 2
Clive isn't the fastest tight end in the draft. He's not the strongest nor the springiest. His numbers for his senior season at Miami (44 catches, 676 yards, 7 TD) are nice but not spectacular.
And although Clive isn't expected to have his name called in the first round this May, he is still regarded as a consensus top-two tight end prospect by most media outlets and would appear to be a nice fit in Dolphins aqua, aiding Ryan Tannehill in the middle of the field. Walford's 40 time (4.8) may not tickle the average fan's curiosity but the advanced metrics support Clive's cause, as we learned via College Football Focus.
Walford ranked first among all draft-eligible tight ends in Yards Per Route Run (3.26), Yards Per Route Run vs. Power 5 Teams (3.38) and Slot Performance. NFL.com considers him a "very reliable blocker" with "NFL run-after-catch ability." Watching his game footage, the sticky hands and sensational body control stand out and his beard represents a poor man's James Harden.
Will the Dolphins (who have a pick in the first and second round but not the third) keep Clive in South Florida?
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