Chris Perkins: Dolphins fans will like linebacker Jacob Rodriguez

Rodriguez, who hails from the blue collar city of Wichita Falls, Texas, and spent the past four years in the hardworking city of Lubbock, Texas, finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting.

He’s a three-down linebacker who had 128 tackles, seven forced fumbles, which led the FBS, 11 TFLs (tackles for loss), four interceptions and 6 PBUs last season.

And then there’s his wife, Emma. She’s an Army Black Hawk helicopter pilot stationed in Fort Riley, Kansas.

The Dolphins are thrilled that they got Rodriguez.

Of course, the Dolphins have two returning starting inside linebackers with All Pro Jordyn Brooks and veteran Tyrel Dodson.

But this is what Sullivan and Hafley desire — competition.

“They’re going to come in here and compete,” Smith said. “That’s great. That’s the culture that’s created here. And this guy (Rodriguez) won’t back down from anything.”

And here’s something that you’ll really like about Rodriguez: Dolphins Hall of Fame linebacker Zach Thomas, a Texas Tech alum, called Rodriguez “the best defender we’ve ever had at Texas Tech.”

That’s a huge statement. This year alone Texas Tech had edge rusher David Bailey selected No. 2 by the New York Jets, defensive tackle Lee Hunter selected by Carolina in the second round (No. 49), and edge rusher Romello Height selected by San Francisco in the third round. Brooks was a first-round pick by Seattle in 2020, and Thomas, a Hall of Famer, was a fifth-round pick by the Dolphins in 1996.

Way back in the day the Red Raiders had a nose tackle named Gabe Rivera, whose nickname was “Senor Sack,” and he was a first-round pick by Pittsburgh in 1983.

Rodriguez, according to Thomas, is better than all of them.

“I think that’s something that really has just stood out and it’s hard to believe,” Rodriguez said of Thomas’ compliment. “I take his word very seriously and I appreciate who he is and everything he’s done. The mentor and the man he’s been to me and to my family. It’s unbelievable. It’s super generous and super kind from him. That just kind of shows you how great of a person he is and why he’s so admired in Texas Tech as well as in Miami.”

Oh, and there’s one other thing you should know about Rodriguez, and that’s that he brings a small town work ethic and pride, which, in this case you could say equates to a hard hat and a lunch pail.

“It definitely helps,” Rodriguez said. “A lot of it has to do with kind of the work that’s being done out here, especially in West Texas. It’s tough work out there with the conditions the way that they are. It’s a tough way of life.

“If I’m fortunate enough to play this game,” Rodriguez began, “and I get to go to work and my work is to play a game for a living, then I have nothing to complain about when I know the people out there who are really putting in long hours and long days just to, you know, put food on the table for their families.

“So that’s something that’ll stick with me. It’ll stick with me from now until the rest of my life.”

It seems the Dolphins got a good one in Rodriguez.