The Miami Dolphins, and their fanbase, had to wait through nearly three full rounds of the 2022 NFL draft before they found out who the first member of their rookie class was, and it wound up being Georgia linebacker Channing Tindall.
Tindall, 22, met with the Dolphins prior to the start of the three-day event, and he clearly impressed those that he interacted with. That’s a bonus to some of the plays that he put on tape during his time with the Bulldogs.
It was those plays that showed his ability to be an impact player, and that’s why he was listed as one of the biggest draft steals by Draft Wire, which had him rated as the 60th best prospect in the draft.
In limited opportunities, Tindall recorded 108 total tackles (16 for a loss), 12 sacks and one forced fumble in his four-year collegiate career. Those numbers don’t exactly show the talent that Tindall possesses. He was limited because he was playing behind Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean, who were both projected to be first-round picks entering the draft.
Entering a Dolphins’ linebacker room that boasts Jerome Baker, Elandon Roberts, Duke Riley, Sam Eguavoen, Brennan Scarlett and fellow rookie Cameron Goode, Tindall has competition for reps in the pros just as he did at Georgia. He has an opportunity to prove to every other team that passed on him in the first 2.5 rounds were foolish to do so.