The Miami Dolphins trading Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos gives an even clearer picture of the full-scale rebuild that the new Dolphins regime is undergoing. That's now Waddle, Tyreek Hill, Tua Tagvailoa, Jalen Ramsey, and several more key veterans who have now either been traded or cut. And in return Miami now has two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, as well as a total of seven selections in the Top 100 picks.
For a team and roster that's so barren in terms of bankable long-term talent, even after signing Malik Willis in free agency, rebuilding through the draft is the best course of action to start making moves forward. That's especially true with the team paying more than $150 million to players not on the team anymore. And with seven picks in the Top 100, there are a lot of directions to consider, but this is one latest projection for Miami with a new 3-round NFL mock draft projection for the Dolphins.
Dolphins NFL Mock Draft, Round 1
Pick 11 – WR Makai Lemon, USC
In the wake of the Waddle trade, the Dolphins receiving room now consists of Tutu Atwell, Malik Washington, Jalen Tolbert, Theo Wease Jr. and Terrace Marshall Jr., among a couple of others. That's a pretty clear sign that Miami can't go into the season, especially with a new quarterback they just paid in free agency, with this group not receiving some major upgrades, and the draft is the most obvious solution.
Makai Lemon made waves at the NFL Combine while not testing with his odd interviews and mannerisms. With that being said, he's a phenomenal football player. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com compared the USC product to Amon-Ra St. Brown as a player who isn't particularly physically imposing, but shows tremendous feel for finding space, possesses sure hands, and has dynamic run-after-catch ability.
While it certainly wouldn't be a cure-all for the offense, Lemon could come in and be an elite possession receiver with some modest big-play ability to give the receiver room a much stronger foundation.
Pick 30 (via DEN) – EDGE T.J. Parker, Clemson
The hope would be that a defensive back worthy of the 30th overall pick coming from Denver in the Waddle trade would fall to the Dolphins. That wasn't the case here, though. The good news for Miami, however, is that there aren't many areas on the roster where the Dolphins can't stand to upgrade, and they could be hitting a home run by drafting someone like T.J. Parker.
Parker was projected by many as a Top 15 pick at worst coming into the 2025 season, which made sense after registering 12 sacks and 28 hurries the prior year with Clemson. Unfortunately, the year really spiraled in a bad way for the Tigers, and Parker seemed to get caught up in that, seeing his production dip to only six sacks, though he still did have 24 hurries in two fewer games.
The tools are still more than worth betting on for Parker, though. He's got nice size for an edge rusher as he clears the 260-pound mark, but also moves solidly for a player at his position at that size. If you're willing to believe that the 2025 season was more about Clemson than the player, than getting someone with his upside to pair with Chop Robinson on the edge at No. 30 is almost a steal.
Dolphins NFL Mock Draft, Round 2
Pick 43 – CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State
Sitting in the early middle of the second round should be advantageous for the Dolphins to replenish a secondary that is, to put it mildly, quite troublesome right now. They could have their choice between the likes of Chris Johnson, D'Angelo Ponds, Keith Abney II, and potentially Brandon Cisse if he falls a bit. Of that group, though, I prefer either Johnson or Cisse, and go with the former in this mock draft.
Johnson registered one of the highest coverage grades in college football last season, while forcing eight incompletions and coming up with four interceptions on the year. More indicative of his prowess in coverage is that he allowed just a 16.1 passer rating when targeted this past season. And while he was truly inpenetrable in zone coverage, he was still well above average in man coverage and slightly above the mean in run defense as well.
Of the potential options in the second round in the secondary, Johnson checks the most boxes with solid size (6-foot, 195 pounds), still being just 21 years old, and the track record of success on the field and not just projection based on the tools. That's the type of reliable piece Miami needs to add to the defensive back room.
Dolphins NFL Mock Draft, Round 3
Pick 75 – CB Devin Moore, Florida
It can't be overstated how much help the Dolphins secondary needs. But on the flip side of Johnson, taking Devin Moore in the third round is more about betting on traits and less so about an elite level of production during his time at Florida.
That's not to say Moore was a bad player for the Gators — far from it. At 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, his length and solid athleticism made him a force in the secondary with a balanced grade between man and zone coverage, as well as a high-end run defender on the outside. He just simply hasn't put it all together with the nuances of his game, but the potential for him to be a big-bodied force is certainly there, and gives Miami more enticing depth on a defensive roster that needs it.
Pick 87 (via PHI) – S Genesis Smith, Arizona
Cornerback isn't the only spot in the secondary where the Dolphins could use some assistance, and safety is a spot where betting on athletic traits can pay off. Just look at what the Seahawks got from Nick Emmanwori last season. And while Genesis Smith may not have that same level of upside, he's undeniably impressive enough as an athlete to take a swing on to upgrade the safety group in Miami.
While Smith didn't run the 40 at the Combine, he did the jumps and the 20-yard shuttle, and wowed in doing so. He clocked a 42.5-inch vert with a 10-foot-8 broad, along with a 4.18-second shuttle. For a guy tipping the scales at 6-foot-2, 202 pounds, that's a level of explosiveness that can't be ignored, especially with one of the best coverage grades among college safeties in 2025. He needs to improve his angles and tackling overall, especially in run defense, but the potential is truly enormous.
Pick 90 (via HOU) – OG Beau Stephens, Iowa
The offensive line was a sore spot for the Dolphins throughout Mike McDaniel's tenure, but I don't think that means they stop investing. Put simply, the unit still isn't up to snuff, and with a new front office in the building, that feels like the recipe to bring more competition into the offensive line room. I love what Beau Stephens could bring to that mix as well.
Stephens improved every year at Iowa, and was a certified stud in the 2025 season. He was an elite pass blocker on the interior, giving up four hurries and no sacks over 304 pass-blocking snaps, and was also a top-end run-blocker as well, even if he was slightly worse in that capacity. While he's not a physical marvel, he has the track record that suggests he could push Jonah Savaiinaea or Jamaree Salyer for a starting guard job.
Pick 94 (via DEN) – OT Markel Bell, Miami (FL)
We're not done with the offensive line. Austin Jackson has progressed into a fine player when healthy, and there have been some flashes from Patrick Paul. However, neither player has been good enough to be firmly etched in stone forever. And even if that wasn't the case, the depth behind them, even after adding Charlie Heck this offseason, leaves a bit to be desired.
That's why Miami should bet on the raw tools of Markel Bell. The Miami product was a well above-average pass blocker and a decent enough run-blocker this past season, allowing zero sacks, but 14 hurries for the Canes. More importantly, though, guys who are 6-foot-9, 345 pounds shouldn't move as well as he does. There is still plenty of work to do to develop Bell, but in the late third round, he could be a draft diamond for the Dolphins for years to come if he hits.