What happened: Zach Thomas is working directly with Dolphins linebackers Jordyn Brooks and Jacob Rodriguez, taking a personal approach to their development. Brooks recently landed at No. 67 on the NFL Top 100 Players list, a placement that undersold him relative to his production. Rodriguez, also a Texas Tech product, is getting the same hands-on attention.

Why it matters: A player who draws individual mentorship from a Hall of Fame-caliber linebacker isn't a fringe piece, he's someone the organization is grooming as a cornerstone. Brooks has already proven he can anchor a defense, and having that kind of voice in his ear should push him well past a No. 67 overall grade next time out. The Texas Tech pipeline producing two linebackers in the same room is the kind of development story that outranks a preseason list number.