Jon-Eric Sullivan and his crew have taken a bulldozer to the Miami Dolphins roster. It's been well-documented how the franchise is facing record-breaking dead cap hits as a result. Consequently, the Dolphins' roster now has more holes than a golf course. It's evidently all part of a plan.
Save for the running back position (as long as De'Von Achane survives the purge), a few offensive line spots (left tackle and center), and the linebacker position, the Dolphins have glaring questions at basically every other spot. It's refreshing from the standpoint that they really could feel good about drafting the best player available in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The latest draft intel from draft guru Tony Pauline, however, indicates the Dolphins aren't ignoring positions of strength as they embark on the pre-draft process. At the University of Texas' Pro Day, the Dolphins spent some time meeting with off-ball linebackers Anthony Hill Jr. and Trey Moore.
The pair of Texas Longhorns linebackers garnering Miami Dolphins' interest is worth keeping an eye on
Of the pair, Anthony Hill Jr. is considered the more highly-touted prospect. At 6'2" and 238 lbs, Hill is an exceptional athlete, boasting a 9.81 Relative Athletic Score (RAS), buoyed by his elite grades in explosiveness (37" vertical jump) and speed (4.51 40-yard dash). He has been a recurring nightmare for Longhorns opponents in his three years in Austin, racking up 249 tackles, 31.5 tackles for loss, 17.0 sacks, three interceptions, eight forced fumbles, and two recoveries.
If the stats didn't sell you enough, Lance Zierlein's player comparison will. Hill Jr. profiles similarly to future Hall of Famer Bobby Wagner of Seahawks, Rams, and Commanders fame. Pro Football Focus ranks him as their No. 86 overall player. His 71.6 PFF grade for 2025 ranked 279th out of 784 qualifiers.
"Three-down linebacker with the playing demeanor and production of a future Pro Bowler. He’s instinctive, athletic and under control, transitioning seamlessly from read to react to finish. He plays with downhill thump to thwart interior blocks and the speed to pursue runners from sideline to sideline. Hill has plus cover talent in man or zone, proven credentials as a blitzer or edge rusher, and finishes plays as a strong, reliable tackler. Consistency and field command make him one of the safer linebackers in the class. His size, speed and versatility allow him to profile as an instant-impact rookie at Mike or Will ‘backer."Lance Zierlein
As far as Trey Moore goes, he's been miscast as an EDGE rusher for several high-profile scouting services, which complicates his evaluation. It appears as though his position in the NFL would be at off-ball linebacker, however. At 6'2" and 243 lbs, Moore looks the part of a modern-day 'backer, and his 9.48 RAS is wildly impressive to boot.
In five collegiate seasons — the first three coming at UTSA and the final two with Texas — he posted jaw-dropping figures: 175 tackles, 50 tackles for loss, 30.5 sacks, an interception, five forced fumbles, and five fumble recoveries. This included a 14.0 sack season with UTSA in 2023, though by all appearances the jump to Texas came with the position change that flummoxed evaluators.
Zierlein was complimentary in his scouting report, noting Moore simply belongs on the football field in some capacity.
"Moore is a highly productive, 46-game starter with flexible NFL positioning. He’s undersized and lacks NFL length as an edge defender, but he’s a skilled, instinctive rusher with a robust set of approaches. He won’t burn the edges with pure speed but he compensates for that with a deep bag of moves. In limited snaps, Moore showed potential at off-ball linebacker, but questions persist about his pursuit speed and ability to cover in the NFL. Some teams might label him a “tweener,” but I see a versatile prospect whose competitiveness and feel for the game should allow him to translate no matter the position he plays."Lance Zierlein
That evaluation might remind some Dolphins fans of Andrew Van Ginkel, another tweener who proved that sometimes a guy is just a football player, regardless of his measurables. Pro Football Focus wasn't nearly as high on him, as his 65.7 grade ranked slightly below average amongst qualified linebackers (476th out of 784), leaving him as the No. 182 player on their Big Board.
While the Dolphins do have 2025 All-Pro Jordyn Brooks and wily veterans Tyrel Dodson, Willie Gay Jr., and new addition Ronnie Harrison on hand at linebacker, this team is in no position to be turning down high-potential players because of perceived need.
If there's another in a litany of lessons to be learned from the 2025 Miami Dolphins, it's how quickly things can change. There's no telling if Anthony Hill Jr. or Trey Moore actually wind up as Dolphins. The reality is, though, that a supposed strength on the roster can become a weakness in the blink of an eye (See: Miami's 2025 EDGE rushers). If Jon-Eric Sullivan and Jeff Hafley see long-term potential from these players, they should be all in.