The Dolphins’ top talent evaluators and coaches were so sure Liam Eichenberg was the missing piece for Miami’s forever-under-construction offensive line that the franchise traded a valuable 2022 third-round pick to the New York Giants to move up eight spots in the second round of the 2021 draft to select the former Notre Dame standout.
Not Stanford offensive tackle Walker Little, who was selected by Jacksonville at 45, three spots behind Eichenberg. Nor Clemson’s Jackson Carman, who was taken by the Bengals, or fellow Fighting Irish offensive guard Aaron Banks, whom the 49ers drafted with the 48th pick.