Miami Dolphins' rookie offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea is already impressing his coach and teammates with his work ethic in his first Dolphins offseason.
Dolphins Rookie Jonah Savaiinaea Impressing Veterans Early originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Miami Dolphins traded up in the 2025 NFL Draft to pick offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea. The rookie offensive lineman has high expectations for himself, but so do the Dolphins.
The Dolphins' offensive line will look a lot different in 2025, with three of the five projected starters being new. One of those should be Savaiinaea. The hope is the rookie will slide in as the starting guard in 2025.
With that comes a lot of pressure and expectation, but Savaiinaea seems to be handling it just fine. Dolphins' head coach Mike McDaniel met with the media Friday morning and praised the rookie guard's ability to gain the respect of his veteran teammates already.
“Jonah Savaiinaea moved Zach Sieler off the ball maybe more than I've seen anybody ever accomplish in a camp practice” ( Per @WingfieldNFL )
— SleeperDolphins (@SleeperMiami) July 24, 2025
Big praise for the rookie lineman 👀🔥#Phinsuppic.twitter.com/VieNa9GxnH
"When veterans can see that he's made of the right stuff, that's the best news I could get," McDaniel said (h/t The Palm Beach Post). "You can tell the veterans believe in him, and so he's doing a great job ... fired up, because you have to earn that in a real way, veteran trust."
From the moment Savaiinaea was drafted, he's just been thankful for the opportunity and excited to get to work. He knows there's pressure to win, and he's playing for more than just himself.
"I take that to heart because I come in with, I hold myself to a higher standard every time I touch this facility," Savaiinaea said (h/t The Palm Beach Post). "You've got guys here that want to win. I'm here playing for something bigger than myself. Not only myself and my family, but also for the guys next to me."
Cohesion along the offensive line will be extremely important for the Dolphins. Not only will there be three new starters on the line, but the protection of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is more important than ever.
Left tackle Patrick Paul will be taking over for now-retired Terron Armstead, and the two have put an emphasis on growing their relationship together since the Dolphins drafted Savaiinaea.
"Me and Jonah hang out all the time. Throughout the offseason me and him were here, in this building, every single day working," Paul said. "When you spend that much time together you're gelled like one."
Paul was a rookie last year, as the Dolphins drafted him in the second round as well, and he had a combination of sitting behind Armstead and getting some spot playing time in his rookie season.
Going from left tackle to right tackle, Dolphins' veteran lineman Austin Jackson has high hopes for the Dolphins' young, reconstructed offensive line. Jackson has the most experience on the offensive line of the players drafted by the team.
"We’re young in the interior and really athletic as well, so you can expect a lot of speed, strength," Jackson said (h/t The Palm Beach Post). "I think we have the stamina to be fast the whole game, the entire game."
“Got a lot to learn. Love his approach, but you can tell the veterans believe in him….You have to earn that a real way, veteran trust,” McDaniel on Jonah Savaiinaea.
— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) July 25, 2025
Savaiinaea has made his impact on his teammates early on in Dolphins camp, and he's not the only one. Fellow rookie, first-round pick Kenneth Grant, has impressed with his work on the defensive line as well.
Grant said the two rookies have a quiet competition going of who can be first and last in the building every day.
"If it's a competition, I mean, KG's not even close to me," Jonah said with a smile (h/t The Palm Beach Post).
Regardless of who's winning the competition, both rookies have impressed as they prepare for the 2025 season. From building relationships with his fellow rookies to his partners along the offensive line, Savaiinaea has also built a special bond with his quarterback.
Tua Tagovailoa is big into music and plays the guitar, and Savaiinaea is a self-taught pianist. The two have been spending time at his house putting music sessions together.
Jonah Savaiinaea said him and Tua have been having a lot of jam sessions at his house. Jonah is a self taught pianist and Tua plays the guitar and bass. Tua is big into music. pic.twitter.com/LMl3BKbxfe
— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) July 25, 2025
Whether it's on the the field or off the field, Savaiinaea's character, work ethic and fun hobbies have vibrated through the Dolphins' locker room, making a special impact on different players as he gets ready for his first NFL season.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Football
