Another day of Miami Dolphins training camp, another big play from rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez. It's only been two days of practice so far for the new-look Dolphins, but a trend is starting to form around the young defender out of Texas Tech.
According to Dolphins Writer Travis Wingfield, Rodriguez once again showed off the defining trait that made him a priority for Miami despite an already strong linebacker room. "Jacob Rodriguez got another peanut punch on Achane in the first period," Wingfield said. "Achane had some nice runs including a beautiful cutback, but that’s a FF and two PBUs for Rodriguez two days in."
Rodriguez was a playmaker through and through while at Texas Tech. General manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley are betting that he can continue to create turnovers and negative plays as he transitions to the NFL. So far, so good.
Jacob Rodriguez is making the Miami Dolphins look brilliant for believing in his playstyle
Rodriguez was a tough evaluation for many in the draft community. Some worried that he wasn't a great athlete, instead relying on his instincts and toughness to make many of the plays that made him one of the best linebackers in college football as a senior. While it's true that his strengths are tied to his football IQ more than just being an all-world physical specimen, he proved at the NFL Scouting Combine that he was more than athletic enough to be a high draft pick.
Once that happened, the conversation around him shifted. I personally had Rodriguez as my No. 21 player headed into the draft, so I was thrilled to see the Dolphins get him at pick 43. As great as Jordyn Brooks was in 2025, and as serviceable as Tyrel Dodson was as his running mate, it's clear that Hafley and Sullivan wanted to bring in someone who could help generate turnovers.
Forcing turnovers on defense is one of the best ways to help even the playing field, especially for a team facing as much roster turnover as Miami is this season. Often, those turnovers come from the secondary, but that is the weakest area of the Dolphins' defense by a mile.
That's why it must feel great seeing Rodriguez already proving that his knack for finding the football wasn't a fluke during his final season with the Red Raiders. It's obviously too early to call him a potential star for Miami, but he is on the right track to start his career.
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