The NFL Draft kicks off in two days, starting the three-day college prospect selection process. This weekend’s draft will be a busy one for the Miami Dolphins, who hold 11 picks, including two first-round selections and seven of the first 100 picks. The Dolphins are starting a massive rebuild of the franchise, with these 11 picks set to build the foundation for the team moving forward.
The debate between “best player available” and “needs” drafting is a constant among fans – even though the answer
is always a mix of the two. The best player available at a position with no need solves nothing for the team. “Reaching” for a player at a position of need just to make sure a position is addressed also does not solve anything. Finding that balance of getting a highly-ranked player at a position where the team needs an impact is the ideal.
What are the Dolphins’ positions of need for this year?
1. Cornerback
The Dolphins secondary was crushed by injuries last year, with seven defensive backs ending the year on injured reserve. This offseason has not been kind to the team either, with cornerbacks Kader Kohou and Jack Jones and safety Elijah Campbell signing with new teams in free agency and the team trading away safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. Unsigned free agents include safeties Ashtyn Davis and Ifeatu Melifonwu and cornerbacks Artie Burns and Rasul Douglas.
The Dolphins’ current secondary includes cornerbacks Alex Austin, Darrell Baker, Jr., Miles Battle, Ethan Bonner, JuJu Brents, Storm Duck, A.J. Green III, Isaiah Johnson, Jason Maitre, Jason Marshall, Jr., Ethan Robinson, and Marco Wilson. At safety, they have Zayne Anderson, Omar Brown, Lonnie Johnson, and Dante Trader, Jr.
The cornerback position is not only the Dolphins’ top need heading into this weekend’s draft, but they could be looking to use two early picks to add multiple starters to the roster.
2. Edge
Miami traded 2021 first-round pick Jaelan Phillips to the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2025 season, then saw him sign a four-year, $120 million contract with the Carolina Panthers as a free agent. They also moved on from Bradley Chubb this offseason, releasing the veteran who signed a three-year contract with the Buffalo Bills. Two of Miami’s top edge rushers entering 2025 are no longer with the team heading into 2026, leaving 2024 first-round pick Chop Robinson at the top of the depth chart.
Robinson regressed in 2025, finishing the year with just four sacks. He has to step up in 2026 as the team looks to him to be their primary pass rusher. But, he is going to need help.
The team signed Robert Beal, Jr., Davis Ojabbo, and Joshua Uche in free agency to provide options.
The best way to help your secondary – where the team might be relying on rookie cornerbacks – is to get into the face of the opposing quarterback. Adding an edge rusher seems like a massive need for Miami.
3. Offensive Line
The Dolphins offensive line feels like it has been a work in progress for the past 473 years. It is the one area of the roster that is discussed every season. That said, a couple of years ago, the line started to come together, but it is definitely a work in progress again this year. Last year’s second-round pick, guard Jonah Savaiinaea, disappointed – but was also playing out of position on the opposite side of the line from his college role and was only a rookie who needed time to get up to the speed of the game. We could see him take a step foward this year.
Right tackle Austin Jackson is a solid member of the line who can be dominating at times. He is absolutely a starting-caliber right tackle in the league, when he is on the field. When he is healthy, Miami can trust Jackson to anchor the right side of the line, and he could come into this year in the best shape and health of his career.
But “could” is the keyword for both of those paragraphs. The Dolphins need to make sure they have a solid offensive line, not one relying on growth and “could”.
Drafting an offensive tackle who can play inside at guard might be the best move for the team this year. Let the rookie compete as a starter inside while serving as the backup to Jackson at right tackle. Then have him in place in case Jackson does not return after the 2026 season.
They could also look to add a player who could be a backup center, moving him out to guard and grooming him to replace Aaron Brewer if the veteran does not re-sign with the team as he enters the final year of his contract this season.
4. Wide Receiver
Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are gone, ending the flash-in-a-pan that was Miami’s high-octane offense in 2023. The Dolphins’ rostered wide receivers are Tutu Atwell, AJ Henning, Terrace Marshall, Jr., Jalen Tolbert, Malik Washington, Tahj Washington, and Theo Wease, Jr. There are solid players there who can be trusted to make plays when needed, but the Dolphins may need to look to add a number one option at some point this year. An early-round wide receiver (or even tight end) could be in the cards for Miami.
5. Safety
If you copy and paste the cornerback discussion down here at safety, it is basically the exact same justification. Miami’s secondary has to be retooled this offseason and adding a safety to lock down the backend of the defense would be a great start.
