Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier spoke to the media following the team's trade up in the second round and their selection of Baylor cornerback Xavien Howard. The transcript is provided by the Miami Dolphins.

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(Opening Statement) -€” "We traded up for corner Xavien Howard from Baylor. This was a prototype player. We spent a lot of time with him. It's a core position -€” premium need for us. This guy checks all the boxes in terms of height, weight, speed, competitiveness, toughness. This was a player that was a target player for us and when the opportunity arrived for us to make a play to get him, we jumped at it. We're ecstatic to have him on our roster."

(On if he thought another team would select Howard if the team did not trade up) -€” "Yes. We expected a corner run to start. In the draft, there are always periods of positions where there are runs. This is about the time (where it is) really getting to that time where there aren't very many corners left."

(On if there was a specific team they thought might draft Howard) -€” "I don't want to speak for any team, but yes, we had an idea of who those ... There were probably two teams we thought -€” in front of us -€” that might take him."

(On which of Howard's attributes most appeals to the team) -€” "First of all, it's his competitiveness. This guy is ultra-competitive. He's an alpha. For him, it's the size, the length, the speed. Obviously, he's a scheme fit for us. Again, we spent a lot of time with this player. We hold this guy in high regard."

(On how Howard compares with CB Byron Maxwell) -€” "Just being around Byron at practice the last three days of the minicamp, he's super-competitive. You know he and (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase were talking crap to each other out on the field. So, this guy (Xavien Howard) is that way. As we spent more time with him, we really thought that this was the type of player we wanted to add to our program."

(On whether he sees Howard as a starter) -€” "I think everyone ... When you make a play ... Again, it's (about) adding competition to our roster. The best guy is going to play. Again, he's got a lot of traits and attributes we really like. He's got a chance to start, but I'm not going to ... Again, that's up to the coaches and the play on the field."

(On if the team tried to trade up higher) -€” "We were active today. I'll just say that. We were active."