2026 NFL Draft Grade: Miami Dolphins -- C+

The Miami Dolphins entered the 2026 NFL Draft carrying the weight of the league's most oppressive dead-money situation in history, a defense in transition under new head coach Jeff Hafley, and a roster that needed fresh talent almost everywhere outside the backfield and interior defensive line. General manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and his front office turned those constraints into opportunity, stockpiling 13 selections through aggressive maneuvering and filling a shopping list that began with a critical need at cornerback and high-priority holes at wide receiver, tight end, and safety.

The result is a class with a clear strategy -- reload the pass-catching corps, add speed to the linebacker room, and bet on athletic traits in the secondary -- even if the value math on about half the picks will raise eyebrows in draft-analyst circles. The Dolphins finished with an overall grade of C+ (63.2), a number that reflects both the impact of their top-end additions and the head-scratching reaches that littered the middle rounds.

Pick 12 (Round 1) -- Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
Acquired via DAL
Grade: A- (83.0)

With their first selection -- acquired from Dallas in an earlier trade -- the Dolphins landed what most evaluators regarded as a top-five talent at offensive tackle. Proctor, the massive Alabama bookend, slid to 12th overall due to a run on skill-position players ahead of him, and Miami pounced. The offensive line needed a long-term answer at tackle, and Proctor provides exactly that: a 6-foot-7, 360-pound frame with the power to anchor against power rushers and enough recovery quickness to handle speed around the edge. He joins a tackle room headlined by Austin Jackson and Patrick Paul, and while Proctor may begin his career on the right side or as swing depth, his ceiling is that of a multi-year starter. Getting a player of this caliber at pick 12, when the board had him going much earlier, is the kind of value swing that defines strong drafts. Proctor is the cornerstone piece of this class.

Pick 27 (Round 1) -- Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State
Acquired via SF
Grade: A (86.0)

Cornerback was the single biggest hole on the roster by almost every measure, and Miami addressed it with authority. Chris Johnson out of San Diego State is a big, physical press-man corner who fits exactly what new defensive coordinator Sean Duggan wants in Hafley's aggressive 4-3 scheme. Jalen Ramsey is still on the roster but entering his age-32 season, and the depth chart behind him was populated entirely by question marks after the departure of Rasul Douglas. Johnson steps into a starting role immediately opposite Ramsey, and his combination of length, ball skills, and willingness to challenge at the line of scrimmage makes him an ideal fit for a defense that will ask corners to win on islands. This was exactly where the board and the need intersected, and the result is a clean, high-end pick.

Pick 43 (Round 2) -- Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech
Grade: C (55.0)

The linebacker corps was an area of need after a below-average showing in 2025, and Rodriguez brings a high-motor, sideline-to-sideline skill set that fits the wide-9 alignment. But this is where the value calculus starts to get uncomfortable for Miami. Rodriguez's predraft ranking from most analysts was significantly lower than where Miami took him at 43rd overall. The team passed on higher-graded linebackers who went later -- players like Jake Golday and Josiah Trotter -- to pull the trigger on Rodriguez. He is a capable run-and-chase linebacker who should contribute on special teams immediately and compete for a rotational role behind Jordyn Brooks and Willie Gay Jr., but the opportunity cost in the second round is real. The grade reflects that this was a moderate reach for a moderate need.

Pick 75 (Round 3) -- Caleb Douglas, WR, Texas Tech
Grade: C (56.0)

The wide receiver room was a high-priority need after the departures of Tyreek Hill and others left Jaylen Waddle as the only proven threat. Caleb Douglas is a big-bodied target who gives the offense a different look than Waddle, but this pick came with massive reach concerns. Most predraft boards had Douglas as a later-round flier, and Miami used a third-round pick on him. The receiving corps behind Waddle features Tutu Atwell, Jalen Tolbert, and a group of unproven depth pieces, so there is a clear path to playing time for Douglas if he can adjust to the NFL speed. The physical tools are there -- the size and catch radius stand out -- but the grade reflects the gap between where he was selected and where evaluators had him valued. He will need to outplay his draft position to make this a worthwhile investment.

Pick 87 (Round 3) -- Will Kacmarek, TE, Ohio State
Acquired via PHI
Grade: C- (53.0)

Tight end was a glaring hole on the roster after Greg Dulcich departed in free agency. Will Kacmarek is a well-rounded tight end from Ohio State who can block inline and work the seam, but this represents another significant reach. Most analysts had Kacmarek as a Day 3 prospect, and Miami used a top-90 pick on him. The offense under coordinator Bobby Slowik will need a reliable tight end who can hold up as a blocker in the run game while providing a safety valve in the passing attack, and Kacmarek has the skill set to grow into that role. But the draft capital is steep for a player whose predraft range was more commonly fourth or fifth round. The need at tight end was real, and Kacmarek fills it, but the cost was high.

Pick 94 (Round 3) -- Chris Bell, WR, Louisville
Acquired via DEN
Grade: C (56.0)

Miami doubled down on wide receivers in the third round, coming back for Chris Bell of Louisville. Bell is a vertical threat with the speed to stretch defenses and create space underneath for Waddle and the tight ends. Like Douglas before him, Bell was drafted well ahead of where most boards had him ranked. The Dolphins clearly identified receiver as a position where they needed to swing multiple times, and the sheer volume of swings is defensible given the depth chart. But two third-round picks on receivers who were projected later creates a pattern of overdrafting that drags down the overall grade. Bell has a real chance to contribute as a field-stretcher in an offense that needs speed, but the value gap is undeniable.

Pick 130 (Round 4) -- Trey Moore, EDGE, Texas
Acquired via DEN
Grade: D (43.0)

Edge rusher was identified as a high-priority need with Jaelan Phillips coming off injury and limited proven depth behind him. Trey Moore is a talented pass-rusher from Texas with bend off the edge and a high motor, but this is where the grade starts to feel the weight of the draft's inefficiencies. Moore's predraft ranking was well outside the top 200, and Miami invested a top-130 pick in him. The scheme fit makes sense -- Hafley's wide-9 alignment demands speed rushers who can win around the corner -- and Moore has that trait. But getting a developmental rotational edge rusher at this cost is a luxury the Dolphins weren't in a position to absorb with so many other needs to fill. The grade reflects a major reach for a moderate need.

Pick 138 (Round 4) -- Kyle Louis, LB, Pittsburgh
Acquired via SF (Compensatory Pick)
Grade: A (85.0)

Finally, a value win in the middle rounds. Kyle Louis was one of the most productive linebackers in the country at Pittsburgh, and most analysts had him as a top-60 prospect. Miami landed him at 138th overall, a massive steal that more than makes up for some of the earlier reaches. Louis is a three-down linebacker with the coverage instincts to match tight ends and running backs and the closing speed to make plays in the backfield. He immediately upgrades the linebacker room and could push for a starting role by midseason. This is the kind of pick that defines successful Day 2 and Day 3 hauls -- a player who should have gone three rounds earlier falling into your lap because of how the board shook out.

Pick 158 (Round 5) -- Michael Taaffe, S, Texas
Acquired via MIN via CAR
Grade: C- (53.0)

The safety room had questions after the free-agent departure of key depth, and Michael Taaffe brings versatility and experience from a winning Texas program. He can play deep zone, rotate down into the box, and contribute on coverage units. The problem is the same one that has plagued this draft class: value. Taaffe was projected by most evaluators as a late-round or priority free-agent target, and Miami used a top-160 pick on him. The need at safety was real, and Taaffe can absolutely make the roster and contribute, but the gap between slot and ranking is concerning. He will have to outperform his draft position to justify the capital.

Pick 177 (Round 5) -- Kevin Coleman Jr., WR, Missouri
Acquired via DAL (Compensatory Pick)
Grade: A+ (100.0)

This is the best pick of the entire Dolphins draft class. Kevin Coleman Jr. was widely regarded as a top-100 prospect, and Miami landed him at 177th overall. The former Missouri wideout has the explosive acceleration, route-running polish, and play-after-catch ability to be a legitimate WR2 in the NFL. He joins a wide receiver room that now has Douglas, Bell, and Coleman as three new additions, and Coleman is the most ready to contribute immediately. This is a fifth-round pick who could produce like a second-rounder, and it represents exceptional value. Coleman pushes for immediate playing time as a slot receiver or Z-flanker and gives the passing game a jolt of much-needed dynamism.

Pick 180 (Round 5) -- Seydou Traore, TE, Mississippi State
Acquired via DAL (Compensatory Pick)
Grade: C- (53.0)

Miami doubled up on tight ends, adding Seydou Traore out of Mississippi State to pair with Will Kacmarek. Traore is a long, athletic tight end who can create mismatches in the seam and has the frame to develop as a blocker. This pick follows the same pattern as many others in this class -- a player whose predraft range was significantly later than where he was taken. The volume approach at tight end makes sense given the barren depth chart, and Traore has developmental upside, but the grade reflects the gap between pick 180 and his ranking near the 350 range.

Pick 200 (Round 6) -- DJ Campbell, OG, Texas
Acquired via CAR
Grade: F (25.0)

The lowest-graded pick of the Dolphins draft, and it's not hard to see why. DJ Campbell is a guard from Texas who filled a position that was already considered a strength on the roster. The interior offensive line featured capable starters in Josh Priebe and Jamaree Salyer, making this a low-priority addition. On top of that, Campbell was taken well ahead of where most boards had him, and the value gap combined with the absence of need creates a pick that simply does not move the needle. Miami would have been better served using this selection on a position with higher upside or more pressing need. This is a sixth-round swing that feels like a miss.

Pick 238 (Round 7) -- Max Llewellyn, EDGE, Iowa
Acquired via LAC via TEN and NYJ
Grade: B (73.0)

The seventh round is where teams take fliers on traits, and Max Llewellyn is a good one. The Iowa edge rusher plays with the kind of relentless motor and hand-fighting technique that makes him an intriguing developmental piece for the defensive line. His predraft ranking and his draft slot are aligned, meaning Miami got fair value for the pick. Llewellyn gives the pass-rush room another young body to develop behind Phillips, Chop Robinson, and the rest of the edge group. This is a solid, no-risk pick at the end of the draft that could yield a rotational contributor in time.

Overall Grade: C+ (63.2)

The best pick of the class is unquestionably Kevin Coleman Jr. in the fifth round -- a top-100 talent who fell deep into Day 3 and gives Miami a legitimate weapon to pair with Jaylen Waddle. The first-round duo of Kadyn Proctor and Chris Johnson provides foundational pieces at two crucial positions, and Kyle Louis in the fourth round is a legitimate steal who could be the long-term answer at linebacker.

The worst pick is DJ Campbell in the sixth round, a low-priority position where the value gap was significant and the need was virtually nonexistent. It's a wasted swing on a roster that could have used another dart throw at a position with more upside.

What this class ultimately represents is a team that identified its critical and high needs -- cornerback, wide receiver, tight end, safety, and edge rusher -- and attacked them with volume. The Dolphins landed six receivers or tight ends across the draft, and two starting-caliber defensive backs. The problem is the value gap on several of those picks. Reaching for Douglas, Bell, Kacmarek, Rodriguez, and Taaffe created a drag on the overall grade that the home runs at the top and bottom could not fully offset.

For a team managing the worst cap situation in the NFL, building through the draft is the only sustainable path forward. This class adds multiple starters and a deep stable of young pass-catchers. The grade could look significantly better in two years if the reaches hit and the steals turn into stars. For now, it's a solid C+ -- a class that gets the job done in terms of need-filling but leaves room for improvement in the value department.

Pick-by-Pick Summary