One of the four teams holding a rookie minicamp this weekend has finished two more contracts with draft choices.
The Dolphins signed Liberty cornerback Walt Aikens (fourth round) and Marist defensive end Terrence Fede (seventh round) on Friday. The Dolphins announced the pact with Fede, while Aikens announced his deal on Twitter.
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Aikens played his final three seasons at Liberty (2011-2013) after being dismissed from Illinois in connection with an allegation that he possessed stolen property. He notched 162 tackles and intercepted seven passes for the Flames.
Dolphins G.M. Dennis Hickey noted the club had a pre-draft visit with Aikens and asked him about the off-field incident at Illinois.
“Again, it’s important for us to bring high-character people into our organization,” Hickey said after the draft, according to the club. “Guys make mistakes when they’re 18, 19 years old, but we wanted to get more detail and we felt comfortable after getting him into our building and talking further with him.”
From a playing standpoint, Hickey described Aikens as “a tall, physical corner that has ball skills and is really productive. We really envision him as a special teams contributor. We really liked what he brought in that aspect.”
The first Marist player drafted by an NFL club in school history, Fede (6-4, 267) recorded a combined 30.5 sacks in his last three collegiate seasons.
“We liked his skillset. We like his potential and a lot of the talent he brings,” Hickey said after the club picked Fede, according to a transcript from the Dolphins.
Miami has now signed five of its eight draft choices, with tight end Arthur Lynch (fifth round), linebacker Jordan Tripp (fifth round) and wide receiver Matt Hazel (sixth round) also reaching deals. The Dolphins’ top three picks — offensive tackle Ja’Wuan James (first round), wide receiver Jarvis Landry (second round) and offensive tackle Billy Turner (third round) — are unsigned.