Chris Trepasso of CBS Sports named former Arizona offensive tackle Jonah Savaiinaea as one of the "AFC rookies picked after Round 1 of NFL Draft who could earn key roles in 2025: RJ Harvey among 16 sleepers." Savaiinaea was the 37th overall pick in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
The CBS Sports depth chart for the Dolphins projects Savaiinaea as the starting right tackle. ESPN projects Savaiinaea as the starting right guard for Miami. Savaiinaea played 345 snaps at left and 364 at RT for Arizona in 2024 as a junior, per Pro Football Focus.
In 2023 Savaiinaea played 195 snaps at RG and 693 at RT as a sophomore. Savaiinaea played 790 snaps at RG as a true freshman in 2022. The versatility Savaiinaea has shown throughout his collegiate career was a big reason he was selected as the fifth pick in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Savaiinaea received a 75.9 offensive grade in 2024 from Pro Football Focus, per his Arizona profile page. PFF recorded Savaiinaea allowing four sacks, two quarterback hits and 10 hurries in 738 snaps in 2024. Savaiinaea had an 82.7 pass-blocking grade and 64.2 in run-blocking in 2024.
"Savaiinaea embodies the Dolphins' change of team-building philosophy that was woefully needed after the speed-finesse route yielded an abundance of stats but zero playoff victories to date in the Mike McDaniel era.Chris Trepasso, CBS Sports
At 6-4 and 324 pounds, this is a monstrous human who can play tackle (his collegiate position) or guard at the next level. He's a masher in the run game but is a deceptively balanced and under-control pass protector too. As an early second-round pick, it'll come as no surprise when Savaiinaea emerges as a key cog to the Dolphins' offensive line reconstruction in 2025 and into the future. "
In his junior season in 2023, when Arizona finished 10-3, Savaiinaea finished second on Arizona with a 69.7 overall blocking grade, third with an 81.7 run-blocking grade and allowed two sacks in 889 snaps, starting every game. Savaiinaea had a 63.4 overall grade, 76.0 run blocking, and a 98.4 blocking efficiency in 2022.
Savaiinaea significantly exceeded his recruiting ranking. The 247Sports composite rankings had Savaiinaea as the 600th prospect, 27th interior offensive lineman and third player in Hawaii out of legendary St. Louis School in the 2022 class.
Miami was 15th in the NFL, allowing 43 sacks in 2024 and was 28th, averaging 4.0 yards per carry. Upgrading the offensive line was an offseason priority for Miami. Miami signed guard James Daniels from Pittsburgh and re-signed guard Liam Eichenberg.
🎥 James Daniels on Jonah Savaiinaea: "He's always texting me, he's always texting other players asking for advice, he's always working after practice. Pretty excited to see his development." (@MiamiDolphins) #PhinsUp pic.twitter.com/NgajiPwuR3
— FinsXtra (@FinsXtra) June 11, 2025
CBS Sports and ESPN both have Eichenberg backing up Savaiinaea at guard and tackle. Miami re-signing Eichenberg gives Savaiinaea a mentor to learn from who has played his entire four-year career with the Dolphins. Miami has to replace Terron Armstead, who retired after three years with the Dolphins.
Savaiinaea is part of a young corps of Dolphins. Three other players on the Miami roster are 21 and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips is 20. Miami is at a crossroads with questions regarding the long-term future of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and wide receiver Tyreek Hill, 31 years old.