The Miami Dolphins are going to count on a lot of rookies to play early and often in 2026. Developing their 13-member draft class will be of utmost importance, provided all of them make the roster.
While the later-round guys may be in more peril than others, anyone drafted in the first four rounds should be safe. Thus, it's time to focus on one name who has gone under the radar due to some of the other good value the Dolphins appear to have gotten on, say, hybrid defender Kyle Louis.
Although new head coach Jeff Hafley will likely lean into versatility any time he can to plug multiple holes at once, the plan for one particular rookie should be to play full-time at the position he's best at.
Trey Moore's return to his natural position could be a big boon to the Miami Dolphins' pass rush
Before he transferred to the University of Texas for his last two college seasons, Trey Moore was an edge-rushing force of nature at UTSA. He piled up 35.5 tackles for loss and 22 sacks from 2022-23, and had 9.5 and 5.5 in those categories while making the leap to SEC football.
Alas, the Longhorns decided this past year that Moore would be better suited to play a majority of his snaps as an off-ball linebacker (230) or in the slot (52), as opposed to on the edge of the trenches (203).
Moore gave up 19 completions on 22 targets in coverage for 199 yards and a TD. That's not really his forte. Unleashing him off the edge as a true designated pass rusher seems like the best way to get him to hit the ground running in the NFL.
Who else are the Dolphins trotting out at defensive end? Let's be honest, are David Ojabo or even the 226-pound Josh Uche really going to stop Moore from piling up a solid snap count? They shouldn't!
Whatever Moore lacks in length, he's bulkier than Uche at 6'1.5", 243 pounds, and makes up for that lack of size with legitimately elite athleticism for a prospective defensive end.
Trey Moore was drafted in round 4 with pick 130 in the 2026 draft class. He scored a 8.87 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 257 out of 2257 DE from 1987 to 2026.https://t.co/6I2ETz0fma pic.twitter.com/dejnQ3qR66
— RAS.football (@MathBomb) April 25, 2026
Check out these quotes from Moore after he was drafted, courtesy of the Dolphins' official website. It underscores how much he bounced around at Texas — and when asked specifically which role he wanted as a first-year pro, he didn't waffle about it.
"I played defensive end in a 4-2 scheme at Texas my first year, then I played inside linebacker in that same scheme. I played Sam backer in a 4-3 scheme, and I've played Will, outside backer, boundary backer in a 3-4 scheme. So yeah, I've done a bunch of different things and I can be used in a multitude of different ways. [...] Whatever role they need me to fill, that's the perfect role for me. That's how I see it. Obviously being outside and off the edge, that's what I love doing most and I think that's obviously how they're going to use me."
Most players who are drafted 130th overall in the fourth round aren't expected to push for a starting job right away. However, in Moore's case, if he's simply allowed to return to his naturally-suited position, don't be surprised if he's playing significant snaps as soon as Week 1.
Texas' decision to play Moore out of position last season might've cost him multiple rounds in the draft and millions of dollars as a result. Miami's coaching staff should recognize how effective Moore can be in a specialized role, and if he can play off-ball linebacker, maybe weave that in somewhere down the road.
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