Chris Perkins: Dolphins’ Brandon Pili has chance to break out of sister’s shadow

On draft night, defensive tackle Brandon Pili, the Dolphins’ 2023 undrafted rookie from USC, was at the team facility. He was videoconferencing with his family, which was in New York.

Everyone was hoping for a top 10 pick. They got it.

Brandon’s younger sister, Alissa, who first attended USC with Brandon before transferring to Utah, was selected No. 8 by the Minnesota Lynx in the first round of the WNBA Draft in April.

She’s having her moment.

Now it’s Brandon’s turn.

Wise-cracking coach Mike McDaniel is optimistic about Pili’s possibilities — and realities.  

“I’ve seen a continued growth at the position, and then what you’re really trying to find in Year 2 is not just the flashes of good reps, but consistency and dependability so that you can turn the corner and make the NFL your home and make a career out of it,” McDaniel said. “That’s what he’s working diligently on day-in, day-out.

“I think it’s pretty much the only thing he has going, too, because every time he plays his sister in basketball, she wins. So he better be a good 2-gap (player).”

Pili is poised for a well-timed breakout season, considering the Dolphins could use a surprise emergence at defensive tackle.

The departure of Christian Wilkins and Raekwon Davis have left a huge void in the defensive tackle rotation alongside Zach Sieler.

The Dolphins’ defensive tackles, aside from Sieler, include Benito Jones, Teair Tart, Da’Shawn Hand, Neville Gallimore and Isaiah Mack.

Collectively, they’re so-so.

That means Pili has a chance to be a major contributor for the Dolphins this season.

On one hand, Pili, who grew up in Anchorage, Alaska, is somewhat of an unlikely riser in the defensive tackle rotation.

He only played 30 snaps from scrimmage last season as well as 21 special teams snaps. He spent most of the season on the practice squad.

On the other hand, you’ll recall the Dolphins have had good success with undrafted players in recent years. Guard Robert Jones. Defensive backs Kader Kohou and Nik Needham. Tight end Julian Hill. Running back Chris Brooks.

What I remember about Pili from last season is he flashed early in OTAs (Organized Team Activities), minicamp and training camp. He’d use speed, quickness and athleticism to get past offensive linemen and make plays for losses.

But when things got more intense, and he started going against regulars a bit more, his performance dipped.

That’s OK.

That’s predictable for a rookie.

Pili isn’t a rookie any longer.

In training camp, he’ll get to show what he learned from Wilkins, Sieler, Davis and others.

Sieler is anxious to see the result.

“It’s been an awesome experience seeing him grow from last year to this year, showing up to OTAs and kind of working through this year of OTAs,” Sieler said. “Just seeing the growth, I’m really excited to play next to him this year.”

This will be his first season after spending an entire offseason in the Dolphins’ offseason program.

When you talk to players and coaches, they’ll tell you this is one of the times that young players take a big step because they’ll spend an entire offseason doing football-specific training instead of training to perform drills for Pro Day and the Scouting Combine.

“All the athletes training for the combine, it’s different,” Pili began. “We don’t train for football skills, we train for times and numbers.

“I think it’s a big help this year that I’ve got that offseason program. It’ll definitely help me come into next year.”

To a certain extent, Pili coming through as a surprise defensive tackle would be a convenience.

To another extent, it’s almost a necessity.

The Dolphins could use a breakthrough player on the defensive line. It could be anyone.

It might as well be Pili.