Dolphins select CB Cam Smith with No. 51 pick

The Miami Dolphins selected South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 51st overall.

It's the Dolphins' first pick in this year's draft. Miami forfeited its first-round selection (No. 21) as punishment for multiple violations of the NFL's anti-tampering policy last year.

Bolstering the secondary became a priority for Miami this year after the team allowed a passer rating of 95.3 to opposing quarterbacks in 2022, the sixth-worst mark in the NFL. The Dolphins also traded for All-Pro corner Jalen Ramsey in March.

Smith racked up 91 tackles, 18 pass breakups, and six interceptions across four seasons at South Carolina.

Pre-draft profile

Smith profiles as an off-ball corner that relies on diagnosing plays with his eyes over playing in receivers' pockets at the line of scrimmage. The former Gamecock is able to keep eyes on intended receivers and quarterbacks when playing in zone to break on the ball effectively and has good enough technique and raw speed to play off-man once his hips are aligned with where he's trying to get to. Zone-heavy teams should love Smith's anticipation and tendency to play the ball rather than the man on the perimeter.