INDIANAPOLIS — When draft prospects talk about their formal meetings with the Miami Dolphins, head coach Mike McDaniel’s personality almost invariably always is mentioned.
Typically, the comment is about how fun McDaniel is, and that’s a depiction anybody who follows or covers the team discovered pretty early in his Miami tenure.
North Dakota State offensive lineman Grey Zabel took it a step further Saturday morning.
To say he enjoyed his meeting with McDaniel would be putting it mildly.
Yeah, he’s got a great outlook on life,” Zabel said. “Happy-go-lucky type guy, loved being able to kind of finally meet him, shake his hand, and have a meeting with him. So that was kind of a surreal moment for me.”
Beyond McDaniel, Zabel said he enjoyed his meeting with the Dolphins overall.
“The big thing about that meeting is just the passion,” he said. “They have super high football IQ and that kind of program, or that team, and throughout this process, has been super cool to kind of see every single team and what kind of makes their ball club click.”
If he wasn’t already a top NFL prospect, Zabel moved himself into that range with his impressive performance at the combine.
He’s also unique among offensive lineman because of his ability to play just about anywhere on the line, and that kind of versatility is something all NFL teams covet.
And, make no mistake, Zabel embraces that versatility.
Asked where he’s been told by NFL teams he projects at the next level: “Offensive line.”
Asked what if feels would be his best position in the NFL: “Offensive line.”
When a reporter around his podium threw in the idea of tight end, he joked that maybe he could do it because he’s got good hands.
Oh, and he also maybe could throw passes because once upon a time he used to be a baseball pitcher.
Zabel is ranked as the 38th-best overall prospect by ESPN, which would put him somewhere between the Dolphins’ first pick at 13th overall and their second at 48th.
Obviously things will change between now and the draft and this is one ranking among hundreds of them and not gospel.
If Zabel were to get into the first round, it wouldn’t be a shocker and it’s doubtful he’ll last past the second.
The Dolphins got a close-up look at him in the Senior Bowl when assistant offensive line coach Lemuel Jeanpierre was among the coaches in that game, and now they’ve gotten to interview him at the combine.
That sure would seem to indicate a high level of interest by the Dolphins. And, based on his comments Saturday, it does sound like the feeling is mutual.
