The Miami Dolphins are among a small group of teams still attempting to identify a top receiver in their corps.
They might have found one just before the start of preseason action. Third-round rookie Caleb Douglas, drafted No. 75 overall, has stood out in Dolphins camp and appears to be separating himself from the undistinguished pack, according to those who have worked closely with him.
Tight end Greg Dulcich called Douglas "a stud," via the Sun Sentinel.
"He's making plays left and right," Dulcich said. "It's awesome. He's showing up all over the field. We're stoked to have him, for sure."
New coach Jeff Hafley made Douglas' ascension official with the release of Miami's first depth chart on Tuesday, listing Douglas as one of the top three receivers alongside Malik Washington and former Dallas Cowboy Jalen Tolbert.
"It's been consistency over time. He's been really consistent," Hafley said, per the Sun Sentinel. "He's made some flash plays and then he's made some plays where he needs to catch the ball, but he's probably been one of our most consistent guys. He showed up every day. So that's where he deserves to be at this point."
Miami's situation is fairly unique when compared to the rest of the NFL. The Dolphins unceremoniously parted with veteran Tyreek Hill in the offseason, then traded away his explosive running mate, Jaylen Waddle, leaving newly signed quarterback Malik Willis with a group that was somewhat unrecognizable. Tolbert and Tutu Atwell are the most recognizable names (along with former Eagles wideout Jalen Reagor), but neither has broken 650 receiving yards in a season in their careers.
Third-round rookie Chris Bell, selected 19 picks after Douglas, hopes to make an impact whenever he can successfully return from a torn ACL suffered during his final season at Louisville. The lack of a defined pecking order, however, meant the Dolphins had plenty to sort out -- and hungry pass-catchers had an opportunity to carve out a role.
It seems Douglas has seized the opportunity, quickly building a rapport with Willis in camp and continuing to thrive during Miami's Wednesday joint practice with the Washington Commanders ahead of Friday's preseason game.
"Just kind of seeing where his steps are going to be, where his looks are, where his reads are, things like that," Douglas said of finding chemistry with Willis. "Really, just seeing the ball, catching the ball. Knowing the game all your life, with the quarterback, it's just catch the ball when it's thrown to you."
The initial depth chart should be digested cautiously. Plenty can change between now and the first week of the season, but in the meantime, it's an encouraging sign for the Day 2 pick. It will mean much more if Willis and Douglas can continue to find success in the weeks ahead.
"It's a start," Hafley said. "And I told the team the same exact thing because I want to be transparent with them. If anybody's going to get worked up about where they are in the depth chart right now, come and talk to me because I could probably explain to you, and let's worry about that three weeks from now."
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