Miami Dolphins first-round draft pick Jared Odrick was a defensive tackle in college who will now move to end in the Dolphins’ 3-4 defense, and after a couple weeks to absorb what he’ll be asked to do in the NFL, he says he realizes there are going to be significant changes.
“It’s quite a shift to be honest with you,” Odrick said, per Omar Kelly of the Sun Sentinel. “The defense I played in [at Penn State] was more of an attacking, straight ahead, get into the backfield, get penetration role.”
Odrick will compete for the starting job at right end, but he’ll have to learn some new techniques first.
“Here it’s a little bit more about using your hands, having a strong standpoint to stick your ground, and really reading a whole lot more,” Odrick said.
The Dolphins added five defensive front seven players in the NFL draft -- Odrick, Koa Misi, A.J. Edds, Chris McCoy and Austin Spitler -- and all five of them will be expected to play somewhat different roles in the Dolphins’ defense than they did in college. Still, Odrick doesn’t sound too concerned.
“There’s a transition,” Odrick said, “but football is football.”