{"id":278766,"date":"2026-04-25T20:17:24","date_gmt":"2026-04-26T00:17:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=278766"},"modified":"2026-04-25T20:17:24","modified_gmt":"2026-04-26T00:17:24","slug":"miami-dolphins-2026-nfl-draft-grades","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2026\/04\/25\/miami-dolphins-2026-nfl-draft-grades\/","title":{"rendered":"Miami Dolphins 2026 NFL Draft Grades"},"content":{"rendered":"

This offseason has been a changing of the guard for the Dolphins. For the first time in over a decade, Chris Grier isn’t the general manager overseeing Miami’s draft. The Jon-Eric Sullivan<\/a> era is underway, as the Dolphins undergo another rebuild. Miami entered this draft in an interesting position. It made 13 picks, more than any other team. The Dolphins have so many needs; they could go pretty much anywhere on the roster, and it made sense. How did they fare in this weekend’s draft, and what are their 2026 NFL Draft grades?<\/p>\n

2026 NFL Draft Grades: Miami Dolphins<\/h2>\n

First Round (12th overall)- Kadyn Proctor<\/a>, OT, Alabama<\/h3>\n

The Dolphins entered the draft in a unique position, as they needed pretty much every position. Caleb Downs<\/a> is the best player in this class and was there for the taking with the 11th pick. Miami traded back one pick, passing up on filling a significant hole with an elite prospect. Even after trading down to the 12th pick, the Dolphins had several notable prospects to choose from. They opted to select Kadyn Proctor, a tackle with tremendous upside, but an extremely low floor. The pick was a reach, and taking such a risky prospect with so many needs is baffling. While the offensive line is one of their many needs, the Dolphins passed up on better prospects in the trenches.<\/p>\n

It will be interesting to see how Miami uses Proctor, particularly whether he stays at tackle or moves inside. Proctor’s frame and anchor are excellent, and he should translate as a great run-blocking guard. While he moves well for his size, he can struggle dealing with speed rushers in pass protection. His technique and footwork need refinement, and he’s going to a situation where he will need to be a day-one starter. This pick has a chance to work out, and Proctor can develop into a quality lineman at either tackle or guard. It’s just such a questionable decision for a team that needs to hit on several picks.<\/p>\n

Miami Dolphins NFL Draft Pick Grade: D+<\/h4>\n

First Round (27th overall)- Chris Johnson<\/a>, CB, San Diego State<\/h3>\n

Among the several aforementioned needs, cornerback might be the most pressing for Miami. It traded up to the 27th pick and addressed said need by selecting Chris Johnson. Johnson is a disciplined corner with incredible ball skills. He is a fluid athlete who sticks well in man coverage. His versatility is another aspect of his game, bringing value as a tackler and run defender. Johnson posted a 91.6 PFF grade<\/a> in 2025, good for second-best among all cornerbacks.<\/p>\n

While this pick makes sense, there is a case to be made that better corners were still available. Although Johnson has many strengths, his smaller frame and limited top-end speed raise some questions. He also played against weaker collegiate competition. There’s no way to tell how Johnson will perform against tougher opponents until the games start. Quinyon Mitchell<\/a> proved that mid-major cornerbacks can smoothly transition to the NFL. Johnson should give Miami a productive boundary corner; it’s just a question of whether it took the best cornerback still on the board.<\/p>\n

Miami Dolphins NFL Draft Pick Grade: B<\/h4>\n

Second Round (43rd overall)- Jacob Rodriguez<\/a>, LB, Texas Tech<\/h3>\n

Miami ranked 27th in run defense<\/a> in 2025, so it added an elite run defender, Jacob Rodriguez. Rodriguez burst onto the national scene in 2025 for a dominant Texas Tech defense. He plays with incredible instincts, consistently reading and attacking gaps. His coverage skills are exceptional for a linebacker, and he uses his quarterback background to read opposing QBs in zone coverage. Rodriguez makes splash plays on a regular basis, forcing seven fumbles and four interceptions<\/a> in 2025. While there’s a lot to like about Rodriguez, his frame is on the smaller end for a linebacker. His splash plays come at a cost, as he also struggles with missed tackles. Rodriguez is a high-risk, high-reward selection, but he should help a defense that certainly needs it. Alongside Jordyn Brooks<\/a>, Miami has a strong duo of linebackers.<\/p>\n

Miami Dolphins NFL Draft Pick Grade: B<\/h4>\n

Third Round (75th overall)- Caleb Douglas<\/a>, WR, Texas Tech<\/h3>\n

With the departures of Tyreek Hill<\/a> and Jaylen Waddle<\/a>, selecting a wide receiver was a must for the Dolphins. They took Caleb Douglas, a lengthy boundary receiver. His catch radius is remarkable, allowing him to make difficult catches in traffic. He also displays a high football IQ when finding the soft spots in zone coverage. While he has the frame to be an X-receiver at the next level, he can improve at fighting through contact against more physical corners. Douglas also struggled with drops in 2025, having seven on the season.\u00a0 Miami gets points for addressing a need with this pick, but it was a reach. Douglas provides much-needed size to the Dolphins’ wide receiver room, but there were better WRs available.<\/p>\n

Miami Dolphins NFL Draft Pick Grade: C<\/h4>\n

Third Round (87th overall)- Will Kacmarek<\/a>, TE, Ohio State<\/h3>\n

Tight end was a need Miami had yet to address, but it did so by taking Will Kacmarek. Kacmarek is the best blocking tight end in this class. He excels at setting the edge and adds more talent to Miami’s trenches. While he doesn’t offer much as a receiver, he has reliable hands, with zero drops in his collegiate career. Kacmarek is a specialist; he’s great at a specific area but doesn’t offer much beyond that. Although he won’t provide much as a pass catcher, Miami needs more talent in the trenches.<\/p>\n

Miami Dolphins NFL Draft Pick Grade: B-<\/h4>\n

Third Round (94th overall)- Chris Bell<\/a>, WR, Louisville<\/h3>\n

Miami doubled down at wide receiver in the third round, getting a steal with Chris Bell. Like Douglas, Bell has an impressive frame. He excels at going up to win contested catches and has good straight-line speed. Bell can pick up yards after the catch using both speed and power. He can find the soft spots in zone coverage and has improved his hands over his collegiate career.<\/p>\n

While Bell is a talented prospect, there are areas of his game that need improvement. His route tree is fairly limited, and he isn’t super twitchy. Bell can improve at creating separation. Although he can win after the catch with his speed and size, the lack of shiftiness limits his YAC potential. A torn ACL towards the end of 2025<\/a> also raises injury concerns. Before the injury, Bell racked up 72 catches for 917 yards and six touchdowns<\/a> in 11 games. While there are some concerns, Bell is a second-round caliber prospect, and Miami got him at a premium value. It wouldn’t be surprising if Bell emerged as the Dolphins’ top wide receiver as a rookie.<\/p>\n

Miami Dolphins NFL Draft Pick Grade: A<\/h4>\n

Fourth Round (130th overall)- Trey Moore, DE, Texas<\/h3>\n

The Dolphins bolstered their pass rush with an alignment versatile defender, Trey Moore. Moore has developed his pass-rushing technique, having 30.5 career sacks over five seasons. His spin move is remarkable, and he displays good bend playing off the edge. While he’s a productive pass rusher, his run defense is hit-or-miss. Moore struggled in coverage in 2025 and has had tackling issues throughout college. Miami needed to address its pass rush on day three, and did so with this selection. Moore should offer value on passing downs and can develop into an every-down player if he improves his tackling.<\/p>\n

Miami Dolphins NFL Draft Pick Grade: B<\/h4>\n

Fourth Round (138th overall)- Kyle Louis<\/a>, LB, Pittsburgh<\/h3>\n

Miami got a steal with Kyle Louis still being on the board at pick 138. Louis is a linebacker\/safety hybrid and is a fluid athlete with incredible range. He plays with good instincts and is skilled in man coverage. His frame is very light for a linebacker, which may limit his ability to play in the box at the NFL level. The Dolphins need talent on the back end of their defense, and Louis can be a versatile contributor. The biggest question for Miami is how it uses him. While the talent is there, his success depends heavily on being utilized properly on Jeff Hafley’s<\/a> defense. Louis is a player who brings both speed and splash plays to the table.<\/p>\n

Miami Dolphins NFL Draft Pick Grade: A-<\/h4>\n

Fifth Round (158th overall)- Michael Taaffe<\/a>, S, Texas<\/h3>\n

The Dolphins hadn’t worked their way back to the secondary since taking Johnson in the first round. They brought in Michael Taaffe to further improve the back end of the defense. Taaffe’s game is all about instincts, as he has a high football IQ to recognize routes and trick quarterbacks in zone coverage. He’s a leader in the secondary, doing an excellent job communicating with his teammates on the field. Taaffe is also a versatile player, being able to line up at nickel, in the box, and deep at free safety.<\/p>\n

While his intangibles are impressive, Taaffe has a lighter frame and limited athleticism. He struggles in man coverage, and while he improved at avoiding missed tackles in 2025, it was an issue earlier in his career. Miami needed to improve it’s secondary this weekend, and Taaffe can contribute from multiple spots. He should start his career on special teams, but he has the ability to be a defensive starter at multiple positions.<\/p>\n

Miami Dolphins NFL Draft Pick Grade: B+<\/h4>\n

Fifth Round (177th overall)- Kevin Coleman Jr., WR, Missouri<\/h3>\n

The 2026 NFL Draft is deep at wide receiver. The Dolphins took advantage of this by picking three. Kevin Coleman Jr. played at four schools over four seasons, but one aspect remained consistent: that being his hands. Coleman had just seven drops over four seasons and is a smooth route runner who creates separation at the top of routes. He is capable of making defenders miss after the catch. The biggest concern for Coleman is his frame, measuring at 5-foot-10 and 179 pounds. His lack of size allows defenders to bring him down on first contact. Coleman fits well as a slot receiver who can also return punts. He should see action as a returner initially, while serving as a slot receiver behind Malik Washington<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Miami Dolphins NFL Draft Pick Grade: B+<\/h4>\n

Fifth Round (180th overall)- Seydou Traore, TE, Mississippi State<\/h3>\n

Miami went tight end for the second time this weekend, taking Seydou Traore with their third fifth-round pick. While Kacmarek is predominantly a blocking tight end, Traore is more of a pass catcher. He has sturdy hands and is a good route runner. His ability to make plays after the catch is also a strength. While he’s a quality receiver, his lack of size is noticeable in his blocking. Although Traore isn’t much of a blocker, the Dolphins already have Kacmarek for that. This pick adds skill and flexability to the tight end room, but Miami had more pressing needs to address.<\/p>\n

Pick Grade: B-<\/h4>\n

Sixth Round (200th overall)- DJ Campbell, G, Texas<\/h3>\n

DJ Campbell is an experienced guard who had started all 43 games for Texas over the past three seasons against elite competition. He’s improved in pass protection over his collegiate career, allowing just one sack in 2025. Campbell plays low and does a good job picking up stunts. While he’s an all-around solid prospect, he needs to cut down on penalties at the next level. It remains to be seen whether Proctor stays at tackle or moves inside for the Dolphins. Either way, Miami needs an upgrade at guard. This pick addresses a need and gives the Dolphins more options on their interior offensive line.<\/p>\n

Pick Grade: B+<\/h4>\n

Seventh Round (238th overall)- Max Llewellyn<\/a>, DE, Iowa<\/h3>\n

The Dolphins added another edge rusher with their final pick of the 2026 NFL Draft. Max Llewellyn is an explosive athlete with a high motor. He’s a pass-rushing specialist with a deep bag of tools. Llewellyn checks a lot of boxes when it comes to getting after the quarterback, but struggles in other aspects of his game. He’s an up-and-down run defender who struggled immensely with missed tackles in 2025. His power as an edge rusher also isn’t great. While there are several concerns, his upside as a pass rusher makes this a good value pick for Miami. Llewellyn projects as a rotational edge rusher who comes in on passing downs. Between him and Moore, the Dolphins got better at getting after the quarterback.<\/p>\n

Pick Grade: B+<\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Dolphins made 13 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, the most of any team. What are their 2026 NFL Draft Grades?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5581,"featured_media":257767,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1647,4,36],"tags":[33533,33928,33799,2908,34708,33877,33944,34704,34240,34351,34083,34706,34167,34502],"class_list":["post-278766","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl-draft","category-dolphins","category-nfl-news","tag-2026-nfl-draft","tag-caleb-douglas","tag-chris-bell","tag-chris-johnson","tag-d-j-campbell","tag-jacob-rodriguez","tag-kadyn-proctor","tag-kevin-coleman-jr","tag-kyle-lewis","tag-max-llewellyn","tag-michael-taaffe","tag-seydou-traore","tag-trey-moore","tag-will-kacmarek"],"modified_by":"Sue Levine","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/278766","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5581"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=278766"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/278766\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":280160,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/278766\/revisions\/280160"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/257767"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=278766"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=278766"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=278766"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}