The season ahead is going to be an interesting one. There are not many in the media or in the fan base who see the Miami Dolphins winning many games. The roster turnover was the start, but the draft is where the real rebuilding began.
The Dolphins drafted 13 players during the three-day event. It's almost hard to believe it is over. The next chapter will begin when the team starts rookie minicamp practices on May 7th.
Looking back at the Dolphins draft, grades have run the gamut from "Cs" to "A's", but forget those; they don't mean much. Instead of grades, we decided to rank the players themselves. We included an "impact prediction" for their rookie season.
Ranking the Miami Dolphins drafted rookie class from worst to first
Caleb Douglas - WR - Texas Tech - Round 3 (Pick75)
- There is little denying this position. The national media and the fans are still wondering what Jon-Eric Sullivan was thinking. If Douglas is as good as Sullivan believes he is, then he will take the negativity as a challenge. Douglas won't get many passes for being taken as early as he was.
- Impact prediction - HIGH - Douglas will get a lot of practice reps and should get playing time
Seydou Traore - TE -Mississippi State - Round 5 (Pick 180)
- Douglas was a reach in round three, and the same argument can be made for Traore in round five. Sullivan admitted that Traore is raw and needs a lot of development, so why take him in round five when you can still draft immediate impact players? Dolphins fans may not get a chance to see if Traore can make a dent this year, as the Dolphins may look to move him to the practice squad. If he takes a spot on the 53 and doesn't play, fans are going to question Sullivan's abilities.
- Impact prediction - Practice squad
Michael Taaffe - Safety - Texas - Round 5 (Pick 158)
- Taaffe is intriguing. He has talent and range that you look for in a safety. He has to develop more, but there is a lot to like here. He has a high ceiling and is a fantastic locker-room leader. Other players gravitate toward him, and that is the bonus. On the field, he plays more physically than he would appear. His first year or two are likely going to be on special teams, but with a less-than-stellar safety unit, he could push for playing time early.
- Impact prediction - Special teams and situational safety
DJ Campbell - OG - Texas - Round 6 (Pick 200)
- Campbell was a solid pick in round six. He will challenge for playing time out of the gate, but his role will be to provide depth early. While not a lock to make the roster, he brings enough to the table to believe that it won't be a problem. A hard-working interior lineman, Campbell might claw his way up the depth chart.
- Impact prediction - depth for the interior line, primarily special teams snaps
Max Llewellyn - Edge - Iowa - Round 7 (Pick 238)
- Typically, you would rank the last player taken in a draft class as the worst pick in the group, but Llewellyn has special talents. A non-stop motor allows the Dolphins' rookie to keep his feet moving. He slides well on the boundary to contain with an instinct to get to the ball.
- Impact prediction - Primarily special teams with occasional edge rotation play
Kevin Coleman, Jr - WR - Missouri - Round 5 (Pick 177)
- Coleman stands out as a player who could surprise a lot of people this year. In fact, some see him as making a quicker impact on the Dolphins offense than Douglas, who was taken two rounds earlier. Coleman has the tools to be a solid starter and could provide Malik Willis with a stable outlet.
- Impact prediction - Consistent, but low-end contributor
Trey Moore - Edge - Texas - Round 4 (Pick 130)
- Moore is another high-motor athlete with a strong arsenal of off-edge moves. He struggles at times with setting the edge against the run and will need to improve and take the coaching. There is a lot of upside potential.
- Impact prediction - Special teams and rotational edge-rusher
Will Kacmarek - TE - Ohio State - Round 3 (Pick 87)
- Admittedly, there was no reason to like this pick, but once you dove into the tape, it was clear why the Dolphins had him high on their board. He isn't a complete tight end, and his blocking can be inconsistent, ranging from great to average, but the skill set is there. Kacmarek has a high football IQ that brings a natural leadership quality.
- Impact prediction - Should lock up the TE2 role in training camp
Kyle Louis - LB - Pittsburgh - Round 4 (Pick 138)
- Louis is the utility knife that Hafley needs on defense. While listed as a linebacker, he will float from the second to the third levels in camp. Louis can line up on the outside edge as a split edge rusher, can drop off to cover tight ends and slot receivers, and can be used in a spy safety role. His value in round four was exceptional.
- Impact prediction - Solid rotational contributor
Kadyn Proctor - OT/OG - Alabama - Round 1 (Pick 12)
- There was no value in selecting Proctor at 12, but the Dolphins were convinced he was the right guy for their roster. Proctor will start at guard this year and then move to right tackle in 2027, but chances are he will line up on the outside at some point, considering Austin Jackson's inability to stay healthy.
- Impact prediction - Day one starter
Chris Johnson - CB - San Diego State - Round 1 (Pick 27)
- There is so much to like about Johnson. His physical tenacity is hard to overlook, but his ability to lock down the outside stands out more. His ability to play equally well in press, zone, or man coverage will give Hafley opportunities to run different schemes defensively. While many believed Johnson was a day-2 selection, the Dolphins didn't want to risk him being taken, and he likely would have.
- Impact prediction - Day one starter
Jacob Rodriguez - LB - Texas Tech - Round 2 (Pick 43)
- Rodriguez could emerge as the best selection in this year's draft. He has everything you want to see in an incoming rookie. From his athleticism to his physical play, Rodriguez is the type of linebacker that defenses are built around and anchored by. Getting him in round two as an absolute steal.
- Impact prediction - Day one starter, could be a DROY candidate
Chris Bell - WR - Louisville - Round 3 (PIck 94)
- The Dolphins may not know what they have in Bell until the middle of the NFL season, and that is perfectly fine. Drafting a consensus first-round WR talent late in the third round is incredible. Bell is the kind of player who could become a number one receiver once he is healthy. If not for his knee surgery in December, he would have been gone in round one. Miami invested this pick for the future.
- Impact prediction - Mid-season contributor with 2027 WR 1 talent
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