The Miami Dolphins have started the 2026 NFL season with five straight losses and look like a team in contention for the first-overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. The Dolphins are in the early stages of a complete franchise rebuild and, while the win column still shows a zero, there have been signs of growth for an incredibly young, inexperienced team.
There is hope for the Dolphins’ future, but they will likely continue to struggle in the near term as they return from their bye next week. With that
first pick on the table, Dolphins fans have already started looking toward the Draft and the prospects that could land on Miami’s board. One name has leapt to the top of the wish list: Ohio State wide receiver Jaremiah Smith. The dynamic pass catcher could prove to be a key offensive weapon in the NFL, and he might become just the fourth wide receiver to be taken first overall in the draft.
But Miami Dolphins on SI writer Alain Poupart thinks the Dolphins may want to hit the brakes on the idea of selecting Smith:
The previous 10 [Super Bowl] winners — Kansas City three times, Philadelphia and New England twice, Tampa Bay, the L.A. Rams and most recently Seattle — featured in their starting lineup a total of 13 players who entered the NFL as a top 5 pick.
Only one of them was a wide receiver. And that wide receiver, Sammy Watkins of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019, wasn’t drafted by that team, but rather by the Buffalo Bills five years earlier.
Poupart goes on to look at other star receivers, including Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson and Miami’s former duo of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, and the lack of playoff success that came with them. Smith might be an exceptional talent in the NFL, but should Miami address a different position rather than betting on a wide receiver to spark the rebuild in 2027?
Welcome to the Splash Zone, a collection of Dolphins stories from around the web curated for you each morning. You can check out the rest of that story, along with all the other stories here:
Why Jeremiah Smith Would Be the Perfect Pick … For a Team Other than the Dolphins – Alain Poupart, Miami Dolphins on SI
The Miami Dolphins might well find themselves in a position to draft the South Florida product, but they should resist the temptation
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Dolphins 2026 season
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Three Reasons for Optimism at the Bye for the Dolphins – Jake Gibson, Miami Dolphins on SI
The optimists out there can find good in a bad situation, including an 0-5 start for the Dolphins
Recent NFL history hints at what happens next if Dolphins get three or fewer win – Chris Perkins, South Florida Sun Sentinel
You might know me as the guy who thinks the winless and rebuilding Miami Dolphins will win five games this season.
Kenneth Grant
Dolphins DL Kenneth Grant is back and feels ‘more explosive and dynamic’ – C. Isaiah Smalls II, Miami Herald
Kenneth Grant had never suffered a major injury.
Dolphins’ Kenneth Grant looking to make Year 2 strides after bye week – David Furones, South Florida Sun Sentinel
Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, over the offseason and early portion of training camp, appeared primed for a surge heading into his second NFL season.
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NFL picks and odds: Winners predictions for all Week 6 games during Dolphins bye – Kevin Nogle, The Phinsider
Our Week 6 predictions are here. Join our season-long picks pool.
Miami Dolphins’ painful season could be beginning of something special – Marek Brave, The Phinsider
Miami’s youth movement may pay big dividends moving forward.
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