The Dolphins have been busy in free agency this spring, particularly on the offensive line. Jack Driscoll has played on the biggest stages both at college and in the pros. Here are five things to know about the newest member of the trenches for your Miami Dolphins.
1. Firing off the Football
The Dolphins and offensive players who get off the ball in a blink – a tandem as tried and true as peanut butter and jelly. It's no different for Jack Driscoll. It's been five years since he ran at the Scouting Combine, but his 1.77 time in the first 10 yards of his 40-yard dash (10-split) ranks in the 93rd percentile of tackles all time.
2. Inside, Outside, Anywhere
The 10-split time includes Driscoll's "get-off" ranking among tackles. Move it inside to guard and the number climbs even closer to the 99th percentile (97th). Driscoll's versatility is one of the more attractive aspects of his game. The first 133 snaps of his 2023 season came outside at tackle (both left and right), and his final 41 snaps came at guard.
Driscoll's NFL career has been split almost evenly between the two tackle positions and right guard. With 812 snaps at tackle and 551 at guard, Driscoll's ability to do both makes him a valuable member of any line.
"I've always took that upon myself as the more positions I could play, the better chance I have to play on game day, and the better chance I have of making the team and playing an important role," Driscoll told the South Florida media.
3. Pass Protection by the Numbers
Pro Football Focus credits Driscoll with 777 career pass blocking snaps. On those plays, opposing rushers have produced eight sacks, nine QB hits and 48 pressures. That gives Driscoll a pass block efficiency score of 95.1. For posterity, that number was 0.1 lower than Kendall Lamm's PBE score from 2023 – a score that also landed Lamm among the top 30 tackles in ESPN's pass block win rate metric.
4. Learned from the Best
Coming from the offensive line of Philadelphia affords a player advantages. One aspect giving Driscoll an edge was playing alongside multiple potential Hall of Fame linemen. Jason Kelce is headed to Canton one day and so too might be the offensive tackle that Driscoll filled in for in 2023, Lane Johnson.
Johnson missed a showdown against a familiar Dolphins foe when the Eagles clipped the Bills in overtime last November. Driscoll surrendered just one pressure – a QB hurry – on 39 pass block reps, propelling the Eagles victory in a 37-point output.
"Filling Lane (Johnson's) shoes is not an easy job," said Driscoll. "My thing was to play hard, get better every play and battle. As a backup, you never know when your number is going to get called."
If one thing's for certain, Driscoll's mindset and positive approach will fit in with a team that utilizes positive reinforcement as a core philosophy.
5. Happy Birthday, April Fools!
What's the worst holiday with which to share a birthday? Christmas might be the frontrunner for some, but April Fool's Day is not to be slept on. That's when Driscoll was born; a day that made him victim to lunchbox snafu. The prankster? Jack's own mother!
The NFL season is all about managing highs and lows. What event could better prepare one for the peaks and valleys of the jubilation of finding unexpected Oreos in the lunch box, to the dismay of the minty toothpaste first striking the taste buds?
For more on Jack Driscoll, and the entire 2024 class of free agents, download the Drive Time Podcast with Travis Wingfield.
