The Miami Dolphins, while running Mike McDaniel’s offense, want to get their tight ends involved frequently, and that was evidenced by the quartet of Jonnu Smith, Julian Hill, Durham Smythe and Tanner Conner catching 109 passes for 1,053 yards and eight touchdowns in 2024.
While Miami kept Smith, Hill and Conner around this offseason, they lost Smythe, who had caught 132 passes for 1,228 yards and three touchdowns in his seven years with the team.
Signing Pharaoh Brown in free agency definitely made the room look a bit better, but there’s one tight end in the team’s undrafted free agent class who could make an impact in his rookie season – Jalin Conyers.
Conyers, 23, was a four-star recruit out of Gruver High School in Gruver, Texans, before he began his collegiate career at Oklahoma. However, after not playing in 2020, he transferred to Arizona State and went on to play in 34 games over three seasons and catching 74 passes for 846 yards and six touchdowns.
Last year, Conyers transferred again, this time to Texas Tech, and in 2024, he caught 30 passes for 320 yards and five touchdowns (tying his career high) in 13 games. His performance also earned him Second-team All-Big 12 honors.
Earlier this week, CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso identified Conyers as the fifth-best undrafted free agent signed by any team so far this year.
Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
“The age element is my only guess as to why the former Arizona State-turned-Texas Tech star didn’t hear his name called on draft weekend,” Trapasso wrote. “Typically, combine invites who were noticeably productive in college and tested through the roof get picked.
At a uniquely sized 6-3 1/2″ and 260 pounds, Conyers had a 40-yard dash in the 56th percentile, a vertical in the 77th percentile, broad jump in the 81st percentile and a three-cone in the 86th percentile at the tight end position dating back to 1999.”
Conyers earned a 9.28 Relative Athletic Score out of a possible 10, which was good for fourth in the class behind Nebraska’s Thomas Fidone II, Towson’s Carter Runyon and Oregon’s Terrance Ferguson. It’s also the 97th highest-score of 1,338 tight end prospects since 1987.
The Dolphins undrafted rookie getting an opportunity to learn from Smith, one of the most athletic tight ends in the league, should help him as he adjusts to the speed of the NFL.
It will be tough for the Red Raider alum to earn opportunities as a rookie, but it’s not impossible. He’ll just have to show that he can do more for the offense (and special teams) than some of the other tight ends at the bottom of the depth chart, including Conner and Hayden Rucci.
It’s possible that Conyers eventually carves out a role for himself and turns into a solid weapon for McDaniel and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. He just has to prove that he belongs.
MORE DOLPHINS NEWS
Dolphins could add 5-time Pro Bowl cornerback in significant post-draft signing
Dolphins predicted to add estimated $45 million cornerback as possible Jalen Ramsey replacement
Miami Dolphins credited with one of the biggest seals of the 2025 NFL draft
Bills free agent predicted to betray Buffalo for contract with Dolphins
