The Miami Dolphins, statistically speaking, are coming off of two of their worst defensive seasons in franchise history. After conceding 393 points in 2017 (24.6 points per game), the Dolphins yielded 433 points (27.1 points per game) in 2018. Those 433 points this past year? A measly 5 points away from the franchise’s all-time record. To say Adam Gase neglected the defense here in Miami would be an all-time understatement.

So with all of that said, there’s no reason to be excited about Miami’s defense — at all. Right?

Wrong.

The Dolphins’ cornerstone players exist almost exclusively on the defensive side of the ball at this point in time — and they’re exciting players. The collective group of DL Christian Wilkins, LBs Raekwon McMillan and Jerome Baker and DB Minkah Fitzpatrick give the Dolphins nearly half of a defense’s worth of young, upstart players who come from successful college pedigrees.

(Note: Cornerback Xavien Howard has already transcended this status and sits in a tier of his own — so let’s keep the focus on Miami’s four young cornerstones on defense.)

Each hails from college programs that know nothing but winning. And that, believe it or not, matters. The expectation and the standard for the Dolphins as an organization has been watered down. But getting talented athletes who expect to win and won’t tolerate anything else is a great component for the Dolphins to pull from as they look to reboot the defense.

Think about the programs Miami’s talent is from:

Alabama (Minkah Fitzpatrick) has a 67-6 record and two national titles since 2014

Ohio State (Jerome Baker/Raekwon McMillan) has a 62-7 record and one national title since 2014

Clemson (Christian Wilkins) has a 65-7 record and two national titles since 2014

These are players bred to expect to win. They’re players that have felt the top of the mountain and play the game with enough passion to relay that winning matters to them. The Dolphins will surely channel that as they look to reestablish the culture in South Florida.

That should excite you as a Dolphins fan.