NFL
By: Rick O’Donnell
Well, it’s almost here. The 2026 NFL Draft is mere hours away, and the Miami Dolphins will be on the lock Thursday Night. This may arguably be one of the most important drafts for the Dolphins in years. Not only are they drafting with a new GM at the helm, but they’re also starting over, again, with a new HC in Jeff Hafley. The team has plenty of picks in this year’s draft and will need to hit on almost every single pick if they want a quick rebuild. What should their draft look like?
QB
Miami did what everyone expected them to do in free agency: go out and sign Malik Willis. The team gave him a shorter contract than most free-agent QBs seeking to be the face of the franchise, which often indicates a tryout contract, but that doesn’t mean Miami doesn’t believe in Willis. With a cash-strapped offseason, Miami put itself in a position to stall a big payday until he earns it.
With that being said, the Miami Dolphins absolutely should take a quarterback in this year’s draft. Quinn Ewers proved he was an able backup last season, and many thought he deserved a chance to start. With that said, until they get the position right, QB’s should never be in short supply in South Florida. With 7 picks in the top 100, there should be plenty of options to develop as an insurance policy, the same way Rodgers and Love were in Green Bay.
RB
Look for the Dolphins to steer clear at RB in the draft. Unless there’s someone who absolutely feels like a steal still left on the board, Miami has a top 5 RB in De’Von Achane and a power back in Ollie Gordon. Between Gordon and Jaylen Wright last season, the Dolphins didn’t utilize their RBs to their strengths as often as they could, and there’s plenty of untapped potential. Not to mention Willis’s ability to stretch plays with his legs. Miami could be working with a lot of misdirection in the run game this year, and it could be the strength of the offense.
WR
One of the biggest positions of need is WR, especially as they traded away fan-favorite Jaylen Waddle. Free agency landed a few WRs on “prove it” contracts, but they need answers for the long term. If they want their new QB to succeed, he’s going to need weapons and a lot of them. Everything indicated that GM Jon-Eric Sullivan will be looking for big, physical receivers, and let’s hope that’s true. Speed looks great on a highlight reel, but separation only goes so far. If the offense wants to be able to move the chains and score in the red zone, they need big targets who can take the ball away from defenders. They need someone who can get free when DBs get a little handsy, when there’s a 50/50 ball, and who can make catches in tight windows. There’s more to it than just outrunning a defender.
TE
Tight End has been one of the most ignored positions for the Miami Dolphins. Sure, they signed/traded for guys such as Darren Waller and Jonnu Smith, but neither of them was going to be a long-term answer. Mike Gesicki had potential but never reached it in Miami. It seems like they had the perfect candidate with sons of Hall of Fame legends Jason Taylor and Oronde Gadsden.
At times, Mason Taylor made great plays for the New York Jets last year. Oronde Gadsden II was a spark for the Los Angeles Chargers, and the Dolphins missed out on both of them in favor of an often-injured TE who they had to trade for, who was also on his couch to start the season. If that isn’t a slap in the face to your former stars and to the fans who wanted Miami to bring back some legacy to the team. The new regime can’t keep missing at TE and expect their QBs to have success.
OL
Nothing says “mixed bag” quite like the Miami Dolphins’ offensive line. A staple of the previous regime was to bring in players with high ceilings but also very low floors. More often than not, Miami would draft or sign guys who seemed like they could get the job done, but never truly flourished consistently. If there’s one thing any good QB needs to play at his best, it’s a good offensive line.
DL
Defense should be the heart and soul of this Dolphins team. With Jeff Hafley being a defensive-minded guy, hopefully, his pride pushes this defense back to its glory days. None of that happens if they don’t find the right guys up front. Potential has been the M.O. of this unit for years, and it never reached its full potential. Sullivan has indicated that it starts in the trenches, but that’s just GM speak. Until he can go out and prove it, this will need work. They need physicality to wear down opposing linemen, but also need those guys who can play a full season. Miami can’t afford guys who are all finesse anymore.
LBs
If not for TE, the linebacker position for Miami has been ignored the longest. It’s another position the team just couldn’t get right. They’ve seen good play, at times even great play, from the LBs, but they never really dominated. Gone are the days when the Dolphins’ defense was something to be feared, as even with good play from the rest of the defense, the middle of the field always seemed like a free roam for receivers. Miami needs to find guys who aren’t just going to be there for a few years and move on. They need cornerstones who can make QBs think twice about throwing their way. The message was “we don’t want mercenaries,” and LB needs stability going forward.
DBs
Arguably, one of the units that played elite throughout Miami’s struggles. Maybe not every season, but there’s been the Xavien Howards and Reshad Jones. They even set a record in consecutive games with a takeaway. Yet it was still hard times more often than not with Miami. Even when the team had Howard and Jalen Ramsey, the duo never saw the field together. It was pointed out multiple times in the offseason by reporters to GM, at the time, Chris Grier, and his apathetic approach frustrated fans. Miami looks to select a DB, more than likely CB, early on in many mock drafts, but will they find the “shut down” CB they need?
ST
Special teams should also be a focus in this year’s draft. While the team might have found their cheaper options with their kickers, this is where the quality depth often lies. Special teams players are often the unsung heroes of the team. There’s always a guy or two who are on the bubble who find ways to contribute on special teams, and Miami needs that. The team has lacked depth for some time, and stashing a few hidden gems on special teams is key.
The team arguably needs someone at every position. Can John-Eric Sullivan, Jeff Hafley, and the front office utilize their picks to their full potential, or will the Miami Dolphins keep the status quo? We’ll have to wait until Thursday night to see.
