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The Miami Dolphins, are trading wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick earlier this month, have 11 selections to make in the 2026 NFL draft over the last weekend of April.
While the Dolphins have so many holes to fill this offseason after completely tearing down their roster over the last two months, new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley could go in any direction with any of their selections.
Looking ahead to the draft, ESPN's Matt Miller released a new seven-round mock draft. Let's see who he projects Miami will take.
"High-skill, high-volume slot receiver with average size but extraordinary ball skills," NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote. "Lemon has room for refinement, but not much. He’s intelligent, confident and polished with the ability to make plays on all three levels. Tempo-driven route-runner who misdirects man coverage and separates out of turns but is fairly average after the catch. Quicker than fast, featuring early acceleration to open seam throws but flashes late burst when needed. More play strength is needed for NFL press and he needs to avoid rushing through multi-breaking routes. He’s an exceptional ball-tracker with excellent catch timing and few focus drops. He wins more combat catches than he loses. Lemon is a plug-and-play, quarterback-friendly talent with first-round value and Pro Bowl upside."
"Press-man bully with an ability to put his stamp on the first and last phases of the snap," Zierlein wrote. "Hood plays with a disruptive punch and gets his hands on most releases, but shifty NFL wideouts could create issues for him. He has enough speed to stay phased on verticals and does a nice job erasing space on in-breakers from tight press or off-man looks. He’s disciplined in zone but route switches still cause occasional missteps. Hood plays with aggression in the catch space, taking top positioning by force. Physicality also shows up in run support, where he triggers downhill with stopping power and finishes like an extra safety. Hood needs to sharpen his instincts/technique, but he has the mentality and upside to become a CB2 in a press-heavy scheme."
"Stowers is an explosive quarterback convert with just three years at the tight end position," Zierlein wrote. "He’s an excellent athlete with long arms but needs to keep filling out his frame. He’s a natural pass catcher with an outstanding catch radius and massive run-after-catch talent. While his route-running and contested-catch ability need work, he excels at moving the chains on screens/short catches. He has the speed to threaten downfield against linebackers. His run-blocking ceiling might be low, but his traits create above-average potential as a pass-catching "F" tight end, fitting the growing trend of utilizing two- and three-tight-end sets more heavily."
"Barham logged most of his snaps at off-ball linebacker, but his 2025 tape showed explosiveness that will attract teams seeking a developmental rush ‘backer in an odd front," Zierlein wrote. "He’s raw as a rusher, relying heavily on athleticism, but the missing elements are teachable. Whether outside or inside, he’s a professional block-beater with the tools to stack or slip blocks, though his edge-setting needs work. His bend and reactive agility create unlikely tackle chances that few can find. His intensity and motor are top-tier but he needs to play with better discipline to avoid negative snaps. With explosive traits and inside-outside versatility, he projects as an impactful future starter once his technique catches up."
"Long and rangy, Payne is a durable 42-game starter and team captain who can play inside the box, over the slot and as a split safety," Zierlein wrote. "His coverage tape pops more than his run support and tackling. He reads and responds with good timing from depth and uses his length to smother the catch point in man coverage when matched inside. Payne held his own against three of the Big 12’s best receiving tight ends in 2025. He will do his job as a run defender but lacks an enforcer’s conviction and gets hung up on blocks too easily. Payne’s measurables and coverage versatility improve his chances of becoming a productive pro."
"A four-year starting left tackle with deep family ties to Texas A&M, Zuhn will likely slide inside to center or guard as a pro due to a lack of functional length," Zierlein wrote. "He has first-step quickness to reach lateral landmarks but lacks ideal athleticism to play in space and is more consistently effective working double-teams and combo blocks. His anchor and savvy help mitigate his lack of length, but he could struggle to mirror and recover quickly enough when beaten by athletic rushers or twists. Zuhn projects as “solid” more than “standout” but he could have a long career as a starter at center or guard while offering emergency help as a tackle."
"Big receiver whose competitiveness and elite catch-phase execution allow him to overcome his athletic limitations," Zierlein wrote. "While he’s nicknamed “Waffle House” because he’s said to be “always open,” Sarratt sees a high number of contested targets versus man coverage. He’s tight-hipped with below-average foot quickness and falls below the line as a separator. Once the throw goes up, however, he consistently beats corners with size, body control and catch-space strength to clean up. He’ll face press matchups that leave his catch column dry, but he’s built and wired for possession targets over the first two levels."
"Tall tackle prospect with starting experience at both tackle spots," Zierlein wrote. "He’s played against top-tier talent in the SEC, which bolsters his case, but his struggles against Texas A&M and Miami provide an idea of his ceiling. He has good feet and strong hands. He knows how to play but he struggles to bend and drive at the point of attack. Same goes for anchoring or defending his edges against power rushers. Barber projects as a Day 3 pick with a chance of becoming a swing tackle."
"Randall, a former wide receiver, is new to his position, but his blend of size, top-end speed and pass-catching ability make him an intriguing prospect," Zierlein wrote. "He's an upright long-strider with surprising one-cut quickness and home-run potential. He doesn’t run with pro-level rhythm, recognition or timing, but improvement awaits. He’s willful once he’s downhill, using balance and force to maximize yardage after collisions. His receiving skills create mismatches against man coverage and allow for alignment versatility. Randall is still raw, but RBs with his size, speed and route skill are rare. He offers value as a developmental option with RB2 upside in a zone-heavy scheme."
"An edge defender with pro size and strength, Fano is capable of playing standing up or with a hand down," Zierlein wrote. "He plays with a blend of hurry and heart that keeps him keyed in on the action. However, urgency can become impatience, which pulls him out of position and opens him to counters/misdirection. He’s quick but lacks upfield juice to challenge the edge. His rush plan is too predictable and overly reliant on feet over hands. He’ll shine on special teams and has toughness to defend a pro run game, but Fano needs to improve as a rusher to become a three-down player."
"Jones is a former five-star recruit who played at three schools (Georgia, Florida State, Oklahoma) over the last three seasons," Zierlein wrote. "He has good size and comes from NFL bloodlines. His play strength and aggression at the point of attack are average, but his hands stay active and he gets off blocks when needed. So far, Jones has not been able to convert his traits into high-level production. His rush plan and toolbox do not stand out on tape."
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While the Dolphins have so many holes to fill this offseason after completely tearing down their roster over the last two months, new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley could go in any direction with any of their selections.
Looking ahead to the draft, ESPN's Matt Miller released a new seven-round mock draft. Let's see who he projects Miami will take.
Round 1, Pick No. 11 - USC WR Makai Lemon
"High-skill, high-volume slot receiver with average size but extraordinary ball skills," NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote. "Lemon has room for refinement, but not much. He’s intelligent, confident and polished with the ability to make plays on all three levels. Tempo-driven route-runner who misdirects man coverage and separates out of turns but is fairly average after the catch. Quicker than fast, featuring early acceleration to open seam throws but flashes late burst when needed. More play strength is needed for NFL press and he needs to avoid rushing through multi-breaking routes. He’s an exceptional ball-tracker with excellent catch timing and few focus drops. He wins more combat catches than he loses. Lemon is a plug-and-play, quarterback-friendly talent with first-round value and Pro Bowl upside."
Round 1, Pick No. 30 - Tennessee CB Colton Hood
"Press-man bully with an ability to put his stamp on the first and last phases of the snap," Zierlein wrote. "Hood plays with a disruptive punch and gets his hands on most releases, but shifty NFL wideouts could create issues for him. He has enough speed to stay phased on verticals and does a nice job erasing space on in-breakers from tight press or off-man looks. He’s disciplined in zone but route switches still cause occasional missteps. Hood plays with aggression in the catch space, taking top positioning by force. Physicality also shows up in run support, where he triggers downhill with stopping power and finishes like an extra safety. Hood needs to sharpen his instincts/technique, but he has the mentality and upside to become a CB2 in a press-heavy scheme."
Round 2, Pick No. 43 - Vanderbilt TE Eli Stowers
"Stowers is an explosive quarterback convert with just three years at the tight end position," Zierlein wrote. "He’s an excellent athlete with long arms but needs to keep filling out his frame. He’s a natural pass catcher with an outstanding catch radius and massive run-after-catch talent. While his route-running and contested-catch ability need work, he excels at moving the chains on screens/short catches. He has the speed to threaten downfield against linebackers. His run-blocking ceiling might be low, but his traits create above-average potential as a pass-catching "F" tight end, fitting the growing trend of utilizing two- and three-tight-end sets more heavily."
Round 3, Pick No. 75 - Michigan EDGE Jaishawn Barham
"Barham logged most of his snaps at off-ball linebacker, but his 2025 tape showed explosiveness that will attract teams seeking a developmental rush ‘backer in an odd front," Zierlein wrote. "He’s raw as a rusher, relying heavily on athleticism, but the missing elements are teachable. Whether outside or inside, he’s a professional block-beater with the tools to stack or slip blocks, though his edge-setting needs work. His bend and reactive agility create unlikely tackle chances that few can find. His intensity and motor are top-tier but he needs to play with better discipline to avoid negative snaps. With explosive traits and inside-outside versatility, he projects as an impactful future starter once his technique catches up."
Round 3, Pick No. 87 - Kansas State S VJ Payne
"Long and rangy, Payne is a durable 42-game starter and team captain who can play inside the box, over the slot and as a split safety," Zierlein wrote. "His coverage tape pops more than his run support and tackling. He reads and responds with good timing from depth and uses his length to smother the catch point in man coverage when matched inside. Payne held his own against three of the Big 12’s best receiving tight ends in 2025. He will do his job as a run defender but lacks an enforcer’s conviction and gets hung up on blocks too easily. Payne’s measurables and coverage versatility improve his chances of becoming a productive pro."
Round 3, Pick No. 90 - Texas A&M Trey Zuhn III
"A four-year starting left tackle with deep family ties to Texas A&M, Zuhn will likely slide inside to center or guard as a pro due to a lack of functional length," Zierlein wrote. "He has first-step quickness to reach lateral landmarks but lacks ideal athleticism to play in space and is more consistently effective working double-teams and combo blocks. His anchor and savvy help mitigate his lack of length, but he could struggle to mirror and recover quickly enough when beaten by athletic rushers or twists. Zuhn projects as “solid” more than “standout” but he could have a long career as a starter at center or guard while offering emergency help as a tackle."
Round 3, Pick No. 94 - Indiana WR Elijah Sarratt
"Big receiver whose competitiveness and elite catch-phase execution allow him to overcome his athletic limitations," Zierlein wrote. "While he’s nicknamed “Waffle House” because he’s said to be “always open,” Sarratt sees a high number of contested targets versus man coverage. He’s tight-hipped with below-average foot quickness and falls below the line as a separator. Once the throw goes up, however, he consistently beats corners with size, body control and catch-space strength to clean up. He’ll face press matchups that leave his catch column dry, but he’s built and wired for possession targets over the first two levels."
Round 4, Pick No. 130 - Florida OT Austin Barber
"Tall tackle prospect with starting experience at both tackle spots," Zierlein wrote. "He’s played against top-tier talent in the SEC, which bolsters his case, but his struggles against Texas A&M and Miami provide an idea of his ceiling. He has good feet and strong hands. He knows how to play but he struggles to bend and drive at the point of attack. Same goes for anchoring or defending his edges against power rushers. Barber projects as a Day 3 pick with a chance of becoming a swing tackle."
Round 5, Pick No. 151 - Clemson RB Adam Randall
"Randall, a former wide receiver, is new to his position, but his blend of size, top-end speed and pass-catching ability make him an intriguing prospect," Zierlein wrote. "He's an upright long-strider with surprising one-cut quickness and home-run potential. He doesn’t run with pro-level rhythm, recognition or timing, but improvement awaits. He’s willful once he’s downhill, using balance and force to maximize yardage after collisions. His receiving skills create mismatches against man coverage and allow for alignment versatility. Randall is still raw, but RBs with his size, speed and route skill are rare. He offers value as a developmental option with RB2 upside in a zone-heavy scheme."
Round 7, Pick No. 227 - Utah EDGE Logan Fano
"An edge defender with pro size and strength, Fano is capable of playing standing up or with a hand down," Zierlein wrote. "He plays with a blend of hurry and heart that keeps him keyed in on the action. However, urgency can become impatience, which pulls him out of position and opens him to counters/misdirection. He’s quick but lacks upfield juice to challenge the edge. His rush plan is too predictable and overly reliant on feet over hands. He’ll shine on special teams and has toughness to defend a pro run game, but Fano needs to improve as a rusher to become a three-down player."
Round 7, Pick No. 238 - Oklahoma EDGE Marvin Jones Jr.
"Jones is a former five-star recruit who played at three schools (Georgia, Florida State, Oklahoma) over the last three seasons," Zierlein wrote. "He has good size and comes from NFL bloodlines. His play strength and aggression at the point of attack are average, but his hands stay active and he gets off blocks when needed. So far, Jones has not been able to convert his traits into high-level production. His rush plan and toolbox do not stand out on tape."
More Dolphins: Dolphins rumored to play NFC West team in international game in 2026
This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: 2026 NFL draft: Dolphins fill some huge needs in new 7-round mock
Continue reading...
