Dolphins draft Alabama's Minkah Fitzpatrick in first round

Miami selects safety with No. 11 overall pick

MIAMI – The Miami Dolphins drafted safety Minkah Fitzpatrick with the No. 11 pick the NFL draft Thursday night.

Fitzpatrick won the Jim Thorpe Award for the best defensive back.

"This is unreal. This is a blessing … It's an honor, a blessing," Fitzpatrick said. "Miami is a great place to be."

Fitzpatrick is 6 feet tall and 204 pounds. He ran a 4.46 40-yard dash.

Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said Fitzpatrick will play safety. 

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The Old Bridge, New Jersey, native was 14 years old when he started to work out with seniors at St. Peter's Prep. 

"It was crystal clear from minute No. 1 that he was not backing down from anybody," St. Peter's Prep head coach Rich Hansen told BamaOnLine. "He was there to compete and he was there to make sure he made a niche for himself and was going to work really hard at becoming a great player."

In 2015, ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit saw him practice at Alabama said on a conference call, according to BamaOnLine, he will "gravitate to that star position. ... I think he's a perennial Pro Bowler type of guy. And I think he'll be a first-class professional."


About the Author:

David Lang is executive producer of the Local 10 sports department.