NFL Mock Draft: 3-round Dolphins 2025 projection after Tyreek Hill hits eject button

With the Denver Broncos knocking off the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, the Miami Dolphins failed to make the NFL Playoffs for the first time in the Mike McDaniel era.

That said, though, the fact that they were still in contention for the final wild-card slot in the AFC in Week 18 speaks to the tenacity of this team, what with being 2-6 at one point and Tua Tagovailoa missing a total of six games this season.

But just getting close to the postseason apparently doesn't work for Tyreek Hill, who didn't mince words when asked about his future with the organization following the Dolphins' Week 18 loss to the New York Jets.

"This is the first time I haven't been in the playoffs, man, so I mean, for me, I just gotta do what's best for me and my family, dog. If that's here, if that's wherever the case may be."

"I'm finna open that door for myself, dog," Hill continued. "I'm opening the door. I'm out, bro. It was great playing here, but at the end of the day I got to do what’s best for my career. I'mwhat's too much of a competitor to be just out there."

Only time will tell if the relationship between the two sides is beyond repair. Still, the Dolphins may need to start thinking about adding wide receiver to their list of needs in the 2025 NFL Draft, a list that already includes essentially every level of the defense, as linemen Calais Campbell and Benito Jones, linebackers Anthony Walker and Tyrel Dodson, and safety Jevon Holland are among those on the Miami roster set to enter free agency.

So, let's have a look at what the first few rounds of the '25 draft might look like for the Dolphins.

Round 1, Pick 13: Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia

The Dolphins really have no choice but to kick their 2025 NFL Draft off with a defensive selection, and Georgia's Jalon Walker seems like a perfect fit.

Walker, who won the Butkus Award this past season as college football's top linebacker, was a First-Team All-SEC selection for the Bulldogs and a Third-Team All-American, racking up a team-high 10.5 tackles for loss and tying for the team lead in sacks with 6.5.

Walker is extremely versatile and can be used as both an off-the-ball linebacker and on the edge. He also has both the athleticism and the speed to be effective in coverage against tight ends and running backs. If he's available, this is a slam-dunk selection for Miami.

Round 2, Pick 48: T.J. Sanders, DT, South Carolina

Defensive tackle T.J. Sanders announced his intentions to enter the draft following South Carolina's loss to Illinois in the Citrus Bowl, simply stating, "I'm gone," when asked about his future.

As a junior in 2024, Sanders earned Second-Team All-SEC honors for the Gamecocks, amassing 48 total tackles, including 29 solo, seven tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, and a pass deflection.

During his three-year career in Columbia, he accumulated an impressive stat line of 107 total tackles (63 solo, 44 assisted), 18 tackles for loss, and 9.5 sacks in 38 games.

At 6-foot-4 and 290 pounds, Sanders already has the size to make an impact at the professional level and has shown strong acceleration skills off the line. His overall agility needs to improve, but that will come with time.

If the Dolphins can add both Walker and Sanders to the mix, the draft would be considered a win no matter what happens in the other rounds.

Round 3, Pick 98: Xavier Restrepo, WR, Miami (FL)

As it stands now, the Dolphins don't own a third-round selection, as they dealt it to the Philadelphia Eagles last year in order to acquire the fourth-round pick they were missing in the 2024 NFL Draft, which they used to select Tennessee running back Jaylen Wright.

However, Miami is expected to receive at least one compensatory pick in this year's third round to make up for the loss of Christian Wilkins and may get a second for the loss of Robert Hunt.

For now, though, we'll project just one and say the Dolphins will use it on wideout Xavier Restrepo, who earned First-Team All-ACC honors for the Miami Hurricanes in each of the last two seasons, also earning consensus All-American honors this past year.

Nobody is going to match Hill's speed, but Restrepo can get after it when necessary. He's not the biggest guy in the world at 5-foot-10 and 198 pounds, but that didn't stop him from amassing 154 catches for 2,219 yards and 17 touchdowns over the past two seasons.

Even if Hill isn't traded, the Dolphins may just want to go ahead and add Restrepo anyway. Hill isn't getting any younger, there's an out in his contract after 2025, and he's proving to be a little too volatile to be fully trusted. So, this would be a smart move for Miami, regardless.