Football is a young man's game. It's an ironically old adage that stands the test of time. No matter which player it is — except maybe Tom Brady — there comes a moment where Father Time taps each player on the shoulder and lets them know: it's up. While the Dolphins have a solid eight draft picks, the roster needs a ton of help. How can the Dolphins increase their chances of uncovering a young stud at the bargain price of a rookie contract? With pedigree projects, of course.
Littered through every NFL Draft are the hits and, of course, misses. Even if a player has failed to live up to their draft billing up to this point, they still must possess something that made them a top-tier prospect in the first place.
Whether it's prototypical size, rare traits/athleticism, or elite tape at the collegiate level, guys don't go in the first round by happenstance. With each high draft pick that doesn't pan out, you will undoubtedly find dozens of articles by respected scouts and journalists praising the pick right after it happened. That should tell you something.
Back in 2019, the Dolphins tried this whole rebuilding thing. They tore the roster down to the studs, prepared for a losing season, and embraced the Tank for Tua campaign. We all know how that ended up, and I'm not here to reopen those wounds at this time. Something the Dolphins did get right (a rarity for this franchise, I know) is embracing formerly failed top draft picks to see if there was anything they could uncover.
Some names you might recall: Taco Charlton (2017 first-round flameout), Robert Nkemdiche (2016 first-round bust), and Eric Rowe (2015 second-round disappointment). (Josh Rosen was excluded because the Dolphins inexplicably surrendered a second-round pick for his underwhelming services.)
Of those, only Rowe proved to be a serviceable player for Miami's future. The idea, however, is that these players represent a scratch-off ticket with the chance to hit $1 million. Signing a 29-year-old middling veteran is the equivalent of one of those "everybody wins" scratchers that max out at $10 and usually just get you your dollar back. There's no chance for a better future there.
The goal is to swing for the fences, and if you don't hit, no harm, no foul. But if you do, you could have a player entering his prime that you got for minimal investment.
Five draft day ghosts worthy of a Miami Dolphins gamble in 2026
QB Trey Lance, 25
Yes, somehow, Trey Lance is still only 25 years old. The 6'4", 226-pound Lance was the third overall pick (a selection once held by the Dolphins) in 2021. What he oozes in physical traits and arm talent is outweighed by the fact that he has proven to be one of the few QBs Kyle Shanahan cannot fix.
Nonetheless, the Dolphins desperately need a QB. They only have Quinn Ewers and Cam Miller under contract for 2026 (assuming Tua Tagovailoa's imminent release), and if they strike out in the Malik Willis sweepstakes, perhaps they'll turn to value-brand Willis. At the risk of upsetting the Willis believers, Lance actually has more career attempts than Willis — and could likely be had for near the league-minimum.
WR Elijah Moore, 25
Once hailed as the next A.J. Brown coming out of Ole Miss, Elijah Moore has had a trajectory far from what was projected. The former 34th overall pick in 2021 never quite got it going, although playing for the Jets seems to do that to a lot of players. Despite having decent production in 2024 (61 receptions, 538 yards, one TD), Moore had a difficult time finding a home until landing in Buffalo on a modest deal.
He didn't make it to season's end, being released in late November after having a negligible impact in nine games. The Dolphins are starving for WR help, and despite the fact that Moore stands under 5'11" just like the only proven commodities under contract for 2026 (Jaylen Waddle and Malik Washington), he is still a worthwhile gamble at this stage of his career.
OL Evan Neal, 25
A Florida native just like Elijah Moore, Evan Neal was the seventh overall pick in 2022. Coming from the football factory that is Alabama, the 6'7", 340-pound behemoth never found his footing with the Giants.
As a prospect, NFL.com scout Lance Zierlein compared him to Eagles standout Jordan Mailata, saying in part: "He's well-versed and capable in a variety of run schemes and has correctable areas of improvement in pass protection. Neal will come into the league as a good NFL starter, but greatness will require additional attitude and action."
Something about those farcical New York teams just screams ineptitude. Neal was apparently injured in practice in November and subsequently placed on injured reserve. The Giants didn't miss him much, considering they had made him inactive each game except one last year, and he never took a snap for them in 2025.
The good news for the Dolphins: he needs an opportunity if he wants to continue his career in the NFL. The Dolphins have a gaping hole at guard and an often-open vacancy at right tackle due to Austin Jackson's injury woes. The fit seems to make sense for both sides.
EDGE David Ojabo, 25
Ojabo was once considered the top outside linebacker prospect by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. At his 2022 Pro Day at the University of Michigan, however, he tore his Achilles. He was subsequently selected by the always crafty Baltimore Ravens with the 45th overall pick in 2022. Ojabo found his way on the field for two games as a rookie, but injury issues lingered in year two, limiting him to just three games that season.
For the past two seasons, he's had a role as a rotational EDGE for the Ravens, playing between 22–33% of defensive snaps. It's impossible to know if the injuries affected his development or whether his growth was stunted by the Ravens' success. Winning teams rely on the best players they have, not always on the youngsters in need of reps. The Dolphins would represent the polar opposite for Ojabo.
With only Chop Robinson under contract as an even remotely experienced option, Ojabo would have a great opportunity to get on the field in Miami.
CB Kaiir Elam, 24
Yet another talent from Florida's hotbed, Elam was the Buffalo Bills' first-round pick in 2022 (23rd overall). At 6'1" and 191 lbs, Elam's measurables elicit Jalen Ramsey comparisons. By virtue of his inclusion on this list, however, it's clear that he hasn't been able to accomplish what anyone expected of him when he was selected so high.
The son of one-time Dolphins' undrafted rookie Abram Elam, Kaiir was outshone by his fellow draft classmate Christian Benford (selected in round five) and could never gain his footing. As a reserve, he still managed to pick off Kenny Pickett and Patrick Mahomes as a rookie. He's also nabbed a pair of playoff interceptions, off Skylar Thompson (too soon?) and Mason Rudolph, respectively.
He wound up being traded to the Cowboys for a late-round pick swap in 2025, and didn't make it to season's end. He was released in November before catching on with the Titans, where he played in four games to close out the year. With not a single established NFL CB under contract for 2026, the Dolphins could do a lot worse than Elam.