When the Miami Dolphins drafted Jacob Rodriguez in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the first thought was Jordyn Brooks is going to be traded. Fans were waiting to see how the intense Dolphins linebacker would react.
When the selection was made, Brooks, a former Texas Tech Red Raider linebacker, jumped in his car, drove to the Dolphins facility, and fired up the war room. Brooks was just handed an alumni brother that he has tremendous respect for.
Congratulations Jacob! Super excited to have you here in MIA!! Let’s ball out man! From one Red Raider to another …wreck em!! - Jordyn Brooks
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) April 25, 2026
Miami Dolphins are building a tough-minded defense that is anchored around Jordyn Brooks
For all the talk of Brooks being traded, it doesn't sound like that is on the table. Late Friday night, Jon-Eric Sullivan met with the media and was asked about Brooks' arrival at the facility.
"He was fired up. It was cool to have him in the draft room. He was gassed up, and he got us fired up. He'll obviously be a nice bridge for those guys coming through the door to help them get comfortable here in South Florida."
The Dolphins have made it clear now that Brooks is the guy who will set the tone for the Dolphins' defense now and moving forward. The Dolphins want to be tough-minded on both sides of the ball. Brooks has been that way since the day he arrived.
When the Mike McDaniel-led Dolphins began to decline, it was Brooks who stood in the locker room and said they were playing soft. It was Brooks who took over the defense on the field and tried to fire them up before the game. Brooks became the team's leader, vocal and by example.
Now comes his replacement. Rodriguez is made from the same mold as Brooks and Zach Thomas. All three went to Texas Tech. The difference? Rodriguez smiles a little more often.
"He leads through his actions, so when he does speak, he carries weight with his teammates. His work ethic, his energy, his practice habits, those are the things that are all second to none when you talk to the people who are around him every day."
The Dolphins' trio of linebackers, Brooks, Rodriguez, and Tyrel Dodson, is going to give Jeff Hafley incredible versatility, and the best part is that Sullivan is sticking to his vow, for now, that Brooks is a big part of the Dolphins' future.
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