The Miami Dolphins have made it clear this offseason that they believe in Malik Willis as their new starting quarterback. Going into the 2026 NFL draft, fans were hoping that general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan would be able to use his massive stash of draft picks to help give him a fighting chance next season.
On the surface, it would appear they did just that. Among their whopping 13 picks, three were used on wide receivers, two were used on tight ends, and two were used on offensive linemen, including their first pick of the draft. The problem, at least in my opinion, is the prospects they chose to take.
The Miami Dolphins might have blown their chance at evaluating Malik Willis
Let's start with the pick of Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor at No. 12. He is a massive and athletic lineman who fits the profile Sullivan said he is looking for. At over 6'6" and 352 pounds, he instantly brings the size and physicality that the Dolphins' offensive line lacked in the McDaniel era.
However, he is very much a developmental player who ultimately ends up needing to move inside to guard due to weight and quickness concerns. I like the idea of Proctor moving inside long-term, but taking a raw tackle who may not even be ready to play as a rookie is hard to consider a win for Willis specifically. They also added Texas guard DJ Campbell in the sixth round, but he is a dart throw with athletic traits.
The three receivers they added also have major question marks, and not just in terms of their ability to help Willis right away. Texas Tech's Caleb Douglas was a massive reach at pick 75, and he struggled to win contested catches and play through traffic for a bigger receiver. Louisville's Chris Bell at pick 96 is a potential steal, but he is recovering from a torn ACL and may not play until later in 2026.
I liked the pick of Missouri's Kevin Coleman Jr. a lot at 177, but he is another smaller slot receiver type similar to what they already have in Malik Washington. As far as the tight ends go, Ohio State's Will Kacmarek is a strong blocker who complements Greg Dulcich well, but using pick 87 on him is certainly rich. Fifth-round pick Seydou Traore is a fascinating athlete with upside, as he is still new to football as a player who is originally from England. He is very much a project who likely won't play in 2026, however.
The bottom line is that even if this draft turns out well for the Dolphins in the long-term, evaluating Malik Willis in 2026 didn't get much easier than it was before the draft. Maybe Miami will look to draft a franchise QB in 2027 regardless of what Willis looks like next season, but I would have loved to see them try to thread the needle between present and future to give him a fair shake.
Add us as a preferred source on Google