Christian Wilkins always seems to find a way to stand out during practice for the Miami Dolphins.
The young defensive tackle has been shining on the field this summer and causing chanting from the crowd when off.
Wilkins looks poised to break out in 2022 and build a career-best 2021 season. He had career highs in tackles (89), sacks (4.5), tackles for loss (10) and quarterback hits (13) last season.
But Wilkins is looking to evolve his game beyond a strong run defense and become a more productive pass rusher. He hopes to make it happen by sticking to his role in the Miami plan.
“I just play really within the scheme and play when they come to me,” Wilkins said. Do it within the bounds, do it within the realm of things.”
High hopes for Wilkins
Among those who have impressed Wilkins is his new teammate, veteran tackle Terron Armstead.
When asked about the Dolphins’ defensive line, Armstead said, “Man, it’s a really active group.” A really active group. I think he’s a great player and has been for a long time, a guy like Christian Wilkins who is productive but not as prominent in terms of popularity…I think he’s I predict he’s going to have an even more outstanding year in the stats line than ever before.
Wilkins leads the league in defensive tackles with 89 tackles in 2021, but he’s always looking for more.
Wilkins is doing his best to correct his mistakes during training camp in order to move on to the next developmental stage.
Wilkins sometimes stays after practice to work with fellow defensive tackle Zach Sheeler. When they notice a mistake during practice, they always fix it before leaving.
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“Zack has been a huge part of my career,” said Wilkins. “That’s my guy. That’s my best friend on the team. He’s a smart player. We really see things the same way. Anything he might miss, I pick up for him.” He has been great for my growth as a player.We bounce things off of each other and talk plans.We are at a point where we know if we have failed It’s not like we come in and say, “What was this?” What? ‘ We were able to set ourselves right and we are proud of it. ”
Wilkins’ different approach
While Wilkins’ on-field play has improved season after season, he has found that his mindset has also improved. He expects it to shine when the Dolphins attend joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week.
Wilkins is thrilled about the opportunity to face a team with talented offensive linemen.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Wilkins said. “Obviously, you know what kind of team Tampa has been in the past and what type of players they have had. It’s a little different mindset when you go into practice, and as a young man you’re kind of still trying to figure it out.
It took some time for Wilkins’ skill set to translate into the NFL, but his personality did so quickly.
Fan favorite Wilkins
Anyone who watches Dolphins football knows Wilkins’ love of celebrating touchdowns, whether they’re on the field or not. When he gets the bag, he strikes a pose made famous by the TV show Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
Wilkins is a living being, to say the least.
This, and his dance moves (he’s better known for doing “Worms”) clearly earn him a lot of brownie points from the Dolphins fan base. He also likes to play to the crowd, like when they were chanting his name at practice on Saturday.
“It’s all love,” Wilkins said of chanting.
Wilkins understands that he and the defense still have room to improve, but if his performance in training camp and what his teammates say is any indication, he’s poised to pose for the Power Rangers this season. will be able to hit more.
“It’s really a day-to-day thing,” said Wilkins. “It’s never going to be like a completely finished product. You always have to take it with you every day, and that’s how we think. Leaders lead, everyone else follows.” There’s always something to wrinkle and adjust.Really, it starts with the leader and brings it up and has the mindset that as a defense it’s never perfect.You always improve I am trying.”
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