Patrick Laird leads the Dolphins in carries and rushes. Who is this guy?

DAVIE — Patrick Laird was once so under-recruited he considered playing for an Ivy League school like Brown or Cornell.

Laird was so untapped as a preferred walk-on fullback and wide receiver at Cal, he went three years without a scholarship.

In the first two games of the Miami Dolphins preseason, Laird leads the Dolphins in carries (13) and yards (75) and also has a receiving touchdown.

While most eyes have been on the starting running back battle between Kenyan Drake and Kalen Ballage, Laird has shined in practice, and carried success into the games.

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“Laird’s a young guy who works hard, who has done everything we’ve asked,” coach Brian Flores said. “He’s played well in the kicking game. When he gets his opportunity in the running game, as a receiver, he’s taking advantage of them. He just does everything right.”

Former Miami running back Mark Walton would seem to have a leg-up on the third running back spot (if Drake gets healthy in time for the opener). Walton is a good receiver, is slippery and dynamic.

But Walton has not yet been cleared from any suspension by the NFL, which has been looking into his off-season arrests. And, Laird seems to be ahead of Myles Gaskin, a late-round rookie from Washington.

“Really just try to be a patient runner,” Laird said of his approach. “Whatever the offensive line gives me, I try to take. I try not to do too much. If they open up a hole I want to make sure I find it and get through it. And then whatever I do in the second and third level is up to me, I guess.”

Laird is being humble. He’s made some exciting plays.

Against Atlanta, Laird had a 19-yard burst through the middle. Against Tampa Bay, Laird touched the ball four straight times.

Laird made a Buc miss on an 8-yard reception. He followed the plowing block of rookie fullback Chandler Cox for an 11-yard gain.

here's a look at #dolphins' RB' patrick laird vs tampa bay. laird had 7 carries for 51 yards (7.3 ypc) and looks to have the inside track on the #3 spot-right behind ballage and drake. pic.twitter.com/AuwKRR4Fwc

— josh houtz (@houtz) August 17, 2019

Laird blasted through the middle for an 8-yard gain. Laird offered a stiff-arm on a 22-yard jaunt, again through the middle.

It always seems Laird is desperate to scratch and claw for an extra yard.

And Laird showed off his receiving skills against Tampa, hauling in an 8-yard touchdown from Jake Rudock that set up a go-ahead 2-point conversion.

Laird is tough. And he has some skill. He really is an intriguing prospect.

“He’s had a good camp so far,” Flores said. “He’s earned some more opportunities, which he’s gotten, and he’s taken advantage of them. He needs to stay on this path and he’ll have a chance. Again, it’s about consistency. It always is.”

How in the world did Laird not earn a scholarship out of high school?

“I went to a small, private high school, not a highly-recruited area, basically,” he said. “Kind off in the middle of L.A. and San Francisco, so a lot of college coaches don’t make it up there. My brother played Ivy League football so that was my plan, my junior year. I had a good senior year and coaches felt I could probably play at a higher level. I said, sure, I’d like to try. But I didn’t want to sacrifice academics. So Cal said I could be a preferred walk-so I took the opportunity.”

After sitting behind as many as five Cal running backs at one point, in his last two seasons at Cal, Laird posted more than 2,000 yards rushing.

Former Cal offensive coordinator Tony Franklin said: “As good of a player as he became after I left, I remember him as a brilliant man, and a better person, so I am thrilled he’s making the most of his opportunity.”

These days, Laird is buried deep in his play book most of the time, but he has taken a moment to share his love of music with Dolphins receiver Brice Butler.

Laird says Butler is a “legit D.J.” and the running back is into rap and Hip Hop “music production.”

Laird is a big fan of old-school rap artists like Tribe Called Quest.

Yes, surprisingly or not, there is a Scenario in which Laird makes Miami’s 53-man roster.

@schadjoe

jschad@pbpost.com