The Green Bay Packers have been one of the better drafting teams in the NFL over the last decade. New Miami Dolphins GM Jon-Eric Sullivan has made it clear that the draft is where you build a team from. He is hoping to bring that mentality with him to Miami.
Lucky for Sullivan, he is the one who will make those calls. It will be interesting to see how he approaches the Dolphins roster in 2026. His positional priorities will be discussed with the next head coach, and that will likely dictate the direction.
Miami has a lot of needs. Nearly every position needs an infusion of talent, but not all of them will be able to get addressed in the draft. The smart move? Build it inside out.
Jon-Eric Sullivan begins his first Dolphins' draft exactly as he should in latest mock
Round 1 - Pick 11: Spencer Fano - Tackle - Utah
If the Dolphins are going to rebound quickly, they need to fix the offensive line. Fano is the top tackle in this year's class. Given other teams' needs, he could fall to 11. Sullivan needs to be smart and build the interior first. The defensive line isn't bad, but the offensive line is not good outside of Aaron Brewer and Patrick Paul. Fano, starting on the right side, allows Miami to move Austin Jackson to guard.
Round 2 - Pick 43 - L.T. Overton - ED - Alabama
With Jaelan Phillips gone, the Dolphins are left with Chop Robinson and maybe Bradley Chubb. They will most assuredly need to address the position in the draft. Free agent edge-rushers are expensive, and the Dolphins won't have that kind of money to spend in 2026. Sullivan knows the need for pass-rushers, so expect the Dolphins to address this at some point in the draft.
Round 3 - Pick 75 - Chris Brazzell II - WR - Tennessee
A 6' 5" wide receiver is what the Dolphins lack. Miami needs some height at the position, and Brazzell has that covered. Miami could look to address the position earlier, but this year may be about filling needs quickly over addressing some of the other positions, which could push WR further down the priority list.
Round 3 - Pick 87 - Chase Bisontis - G - Texas A&M
Replacing James Daniels with Bisontis would be a smart move. He has shown the ability to play at a high level and should translate well to the NFL. If he is available in the middle of round three, it would be hard to pass on him. With Chris Grier no longer in charge, maybe the Dolphins will finally make the move for a player who warrants attention.
Round 3 - Pick 90 - Carson Beck - QB - University of Miami
Passing on a round one quarterback makes a lot of sense, especially if they look at the 2027 draft class as a potential fix for the position. It's unclear what happens with Tua Tagovailoa this offseason, but he can't be a factor in the draft. Taking Beck would be smart. He will compete with Quinn Ewers and whoever the veteran on the roster will be at QB3.
Round 4 - Pick 111 - Malik Muhammad - CB - Texas
Dolphins fans should expect the secondary to be addressed in free agency. It's a mess, and the best two players, Jack Jones and Rasul Douglas, will likely hit free agency. Miami has to make moves when FA opens, but they will also look to the draft.
Round 5 - Pick 149 - Thaddeus Dixon - CB - North Carolina
Doubling up on CB help in the mid-rounds would be smart. They could go with a tight end here, but free agency should provide that opportunity. These are kids who will develop, or at least they will try to, but it's a good step in the right direction for a new regime.
Round 7 - Pick 227 - V.J. Payne - S - Kansas State
You can't start to revamp the secondary without addressing the safety position. It's an easy fix to get a guy late in the draft that can help on special teams while he grows into the position.