NFL Preseason Week 3 Roundup: Dolphins’ Coach Says NFL Adjustments ‘Not Too Big’ for Ollie Gordon

With guys dropping like flies around him, Ollie Gordon got his first little taste of what it would be like being RB1 on an NFL team last week.

Gordon carried eight times for 43 yards in the Miami Dolphins’ preseason finale this weekend. He finished his first NFL preseason with 126 rushing yards and a touchdown on 26 carries. That yardage total was good for fifth in the entire NFL this preseason.

“You can tell that he’s doing a very intentional job at bridging the gap from the college position of running back to NFL running back,” said Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel after this weekend’s game. “There’s a lot more responsibilities, both protection and routes, specifically with what we like to do here. It takes an adjustment where you can tell if it’s too big for a guy or not, and it’s definitely not too big for him.

“However, the biggest thing with rookies, and you hear it every year about rookie walls at some point in time, it’s a journey that has to be relentless. That’s the next stage for him in terms of the next couple weeks before we play a game. You can’t take your foot off the gas, or you’re quickly humbled. So, it’ll be important for him to continue his diligence and get comfortable being uncomfortable with studies and his assignments because he has to keep pressing forward to continue to have growth in his game like he is having.”

The Dolphins’ running back room is a bit of a MASH unit right now. Starter De’Von Achane has been dealing with a calf injury but is expected to be back for Week 1. Jaylen Wright missed this weekend’s game with a leg injury and is expected to be held out of Week 1. Then there’s Alexander Mattison, who has been put on injured reserve for the season after suffering a neck injury.

So, at the very least, it seems as if Gordon will be RB2 for Miami’s Week 1 game in Indianapolis (Sept. 7.). That might be a bigger role the Miami had planned for him right off the bat when the Dolphins drafted him in the sixth round.

Of course, Gordon isn’t your typical sixth-round running back. Listed at 6-foot-2, 225 pounds on Miami’s roster, Gordon ran for 2,920 yards and 36 touchdowns in a 39-game college career at Oklahoma State. The highlight of his college career was his 2023 season where he ran for 1,732 yards (most in the country) and 21 touchdowns on his way to winning the Doak Walker and earning consensus All-America honors.

Gordon has a few times this preseason mentioned his want to get downhill and that not every run has to go to the house.

“I would say when I was younger, in high school, it was fun to make people miss,” Gordon said. “I was going for the highlight tape then, but now here, as you progress through each level, it’s about getting downhill and getting the yards you need. Three, four yards is a great run at this level. We can take that and go back to the drawing board and get ready for the next play.”

Here is a look at how all the former Pokes played this weekend. NFL rosters have to be cut to 53 on Tuesday.

Pokes in the Preseason Week 3 Stats

Dalton Cooper (Chiefs) — 13 snaps, 0 pressures allowed

Anthony Goodlow (Cardinals) — 3 total tackles, 0.5 sacks, 2 QB hits

Ollie Gordon (Dolphins) — 8 carries, 43 rushing yards

AJ Green (Rams) — 2 total tackles, 2 pass breakups

Devin Harper (Steelers) — 1 total tackle

Chuba Hubbard (Panthers) — 2 carries, 4 rushing yards

Teven Jenkins (Browns) — 28 snaps, 1 pressure allowed

Nick Martin (49ers) — 8 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 pass breakup

Tay Martin (Commanders) — 1 catch, 6 receiving yards

Joe Michalski (Broncos) — 26 snaps, 1 pressure allowed

Rashod Owens (Bengals) —1 catch, 12 receiving yards

Brennan Presley (Rams) — 3 catches, 51 receiving yards, 3 carries, 23 rushing yards

Mason Rudolph (Steelers) — 6-for-8, 36 passing yards, 1 interception, 1 carry, 3 yards

Josh Sills (Colts) — 49 snaps, 1 pressure allowed

Jaylen Warren (Steelers) — 2 carries, 3 rushing yards, 2 catches, 12 receiving yards