🏈 Dolphins NFL Draft Predictions 2026: Mock Draft Picks, Best Prospect Fits, Team Needs & More
With a new head coach and general manager from Green Bay and a roster stripped of familiar stars like Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, the Miami Dolphins are in full rebuild mode and hold two first-round picks (No. 11 and No. 30) to hopefully kick off a new era in South Beach.
As part of our NFL draft predictions for every team, we break down the Dolphins' full draft picks, biggest team needs, ideal prospect fits, mock draft projections, and our prediction for which player Miami will draft in the first round, which begins Thursday at 8 p.m. ET live on ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network.
📊 Dolphins draft picks 2026
See where the Dolphins rank by the latest Super Bowl odds for every team.
| Round | Pick(s) |
|---|---|
| 1 | No. 11, 30 (via DEN) |
| 2 | No. 43 |
| 3 | No. 75, 87, 90, 94 |
| 4 | No. 130 |
| 5 | No. 151 |
| 6 | No pick |
| 7 | No. 227, 238 |
🆘 Dolphins team needs entering draft
We break down every team's projected NFL win totals with our best Over/Under picks by division.
- Team needs: WR, EDGE, CB, OL, S
- Key additions: Malik Willis (QB), Joshua Uche (EDGE), David Ojabo (EDGE)
- Key departures: Tyreek Hill (WR), Jaylen Waddle (WR, Broncos via trade), Minkah Fitzpatrick (S, Jets via trade), Bradley Chubb (EDGE, Bills), Tua Tagovailoa (QB, Falcons)
It's hard to overstate how much the Dolphins' roster has changed. Losing Hill and Waddle leaves Miami without a proven receiver on the roster, and whoever Malik Willis is throwing to needs to be found in this draft. The secondary is in full rebuild mode after parting with Fitzpatrick, and while Uche and Ojabo add some pass-rush presence, the defense has holes at every level. With 11 picks in the first five rounds, new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan has the capital to address multiple needs - the question is where to start.
🏈 Dolphins draft prospect fits
I asked NFL draft expert Rob Paul to pick the Dolphins' best prospect fits in a dream scenario, their safest picks, and their best upside picks for Thursday:
| Pick type | No. 11 pick | No. 30 pick | Paul's take |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🌟 Dream pick | Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU (7.30) | KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M (7.20) | The Dolphins' roster is full of holes, but this would be a best case scenario outcome, adding the top cornerback in the class who can help steady their secondary, and getting one of the most dynamic playmakers in the draft to give Malik Willis a YAC weapon |
| 🛡️ Safe pick | Makai Lemon, WR, USC (7.20) | Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State (7.15) | Miami's roster is so barren that GM Jon-Eric Sullivan needs layups, so going with two high floor players makes total sense, with Lemon's ball skills and coverage recognition making him an instant impact on the inside or out wide, and Johnson's technically sound play making him an instant starter |
| 🚀 Upside pick | Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State (7.20) | Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee (7.05) | The question with Tyson is if he can stay healthy, but if he can he would immediately be the go-to threat for Miami thanks to his route running prowess and consistency as a chain mover, while Hood's athleticism makes him a high upside man-to-man corner |
📝 Dolphins mock draft consensus picks
I went through the latest mock drafts from other top experts across the industry and gathered their predictions for the Dolphins' first pick in the 2026 NFL draft. Here's who they expect Miami to draft at No. 11:
| Source | Pick |
|---|---|
| Mel Kiper (ESPN) | Francis Mauigoa, OL, Miami |
| Chad Reuter (NFL.com) | Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU |
| Mike Renner (CBS) | Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU |
| Todd McShay (The Ringer) | Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU |
| Dane Brugler (The Athletic) | Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn |
| Charles McDonald (Yahoo) | Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami |
LSU's Mansoor Delane is clearly a popular pick for the Dolphins with three of the six expert mock drafts we surveyed opting for the star cornerback at No. 11. Two others went with pass-rushers in Auburn's Keldric Faulk and Miami's Rueben Bain Jr., while ESPN's Mel Kiper has Miami's Francis Mauigoa slipping outside the top 10.
🔮 Dolphins draft predictions 2026
See Rob Paul's expert NFL mock draft for projections and analysis of all 32 first-round picks.
Paul's pick at No. 11: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
- Pro comparison: Marshon Lattimore
- Measurables: 6'0" | 187 lbs | 22 years old | RAS: N/A
New Miami Dolphins GM Jon-Eric Sullivan needs to target a wide receiver or a cornerback with this pick, and given head coach Jeff Hafley's background working with defensive backs, they take the latter here. Mansoor Delane is one of the cleanest prospects in the class with crisp footwork to mirror and match receivers at the line and the silky hips to transition and run with them. Delane's ball skills are as impressive as his technique; he led the SEC in forced incompletions (11).
Paul's pick at No. 30: Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
- Pro comparison: Courtland Sutton
- Measurables: 6'4" | 212 lbs | 22 years old | RAS: N/A
The Dolphins simply cannot roll out their current wide receiver depth chart and expect Malik Willis to find success in his first season with the franchise. Miami needs to add a ball winner on the outside to take advantage of Willis' arm talent, and at this point in the draft, Denzel Boston is the clear choice. Boston has excellent ball skills that helped him record a 76.9% contested catch rate and 11 touchdowns this past season. He can be Miami's Week 1 starting X-receiver.
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