We are just one day away from the start of the 2026 NFL Draft and after months and months of speculation, we will soon find out who the newest members of our Miami Dolphins are going to be. However, with roughly 36 hours until the beginning of round one, that leaves just enough time for the experts to publish their final predictions for how the selection process is going to play out.
On Wednesday morning, Peter Schrager of ESPN published his final mock draft of the year — and he has the Dolphins selecting
two very talented players with questionable health concerns.
11. Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
“ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Mauigoa has a herniated disk in his back, and teams will have to be comfortable with that. I still think he’s a high pick. Mauigoa is an immediate starter, and new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan needs to find a bunch of those. There are a lot of directions Miami could go at No. 11. Right tackle Austin Jackson missed significant time last season, and there are questions on the interior. I could absolutely see this new Dolphins regime shoring up the offensive line and building out from there.“
While Mauigoa reportedly has a herniated disk, he’s also supposedly symptom free and teams think he should undergo surgery now in order to be available midway through training camp and avoid missing time during the regular season if a flare up were to occur. If the Dolphins were to snag Mauigoa here, he’d be an immediate impact starter — either at guard or at right tackle — for the organization.
30. Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
“The concerns around McCoy’s knee are real, so I think he does go a little later than previously thought. But … I don’t think he falls out of the first round. The Dolphins have 11 picks in this draft, and considering the state of their cornerback room, this is a swing worth taking. When healthy, McCoy can be a difference-maker.“
Once again, Schrager has the Dolphins taking an extremely talented player — yet one with major health concerns. Some have reported that McCoy’s knee could be worse than Will Johnson’s — a player who slipped out of the first round in 2025 due to his own knee issues. If Miami were to take a swing at McCoy here, they could either be setting themselves up for a home-run selection, or an unfortunate strike-out due to health problems.
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What do you make of Schrager’s final mock for the Dolphins? Do you agree with his selections despite the injury concerns for both Mauigoa and McCoy? Let me know in the comments below or on Twitter/X at @MBrave13! Fins up!
