New Dolphins mock draft revamps roster for prized free agent Malik Willis

The Miami Dolphins didn't have a ton of free-agent cash to spend, but new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan's Green Bay roots suggest he'll predominantly lean on the NFL Draft to rebuild this roster.

While that may hinder Miami's efforts to sign free agents in the future, in some ways, Sullivan's Packers paradigm mixed with the appeal of the Dolphins' city as a free-agent destination could be the perfect storm. Or at least that's the hope if the Fins are going to contend in the AFC East any year soon.

Miami's biggest free-agent splash was easily quarterback Malik Willis, who provides clarity at the most important position. However, for Willis to be a success story, he'll need a lot more help than the Dolphins' current roster can offer.

One big step forward could prove to be the 2026 draft. Sullivan has four Day 2 picks to work with, plus another high fourth-round selection.

Miami Dolphins 4-round mock draft gives Malik Willis some help in 2026 amid salary cap constraints

Pick 11: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

Unless the Dolphins are supposed to count on Malik "7.5 yards per catch through two NFL seasons" Washington, what's their plan at slot receiver? The recent signing of ex-Rams wideout Tutu Atwell provides an explosive deep threat, but his soaking-wet/listed weight is only 165 pounds.

Also, other than Greg Dulcich, who can Miami count on as a dependable pass-catching tight end in 2026, never mind as a quality blocker in the run game?

The answer to these questions is 241-pound Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq.

We're talking about a historic, freak show Combine athlete who showed this past season that he can indeed take defenders for a ride as a blocker (66.3 PFF run blocking grade) in addition to capitalizing on his elite receiving physical tool set.

Sadiq is an ideal security blanket Willis can rely on as a mismatch in the slot, a field-stretcher up the seam, and a lethal red-zone threat. Just an absolute no-brainer pick here that adds a premier weapon to a Fins group lacking explosive targets outside of WR1 Jaylen Waddle and tailback De'Von Achane.

Pick 43: Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State

For the sake of simplicity and not getting too into the weeds about scheme, head coach Jeff Hafley is big on playing zone coverage. Chris Johnson allowed a 16.1 passer rating last season and logged a 91.7 PFF grade in zone coverage.

San Diego State's competition level is a question mark, yet Johnson didn't look out of place at all at the Senior Bowl against the top wide receivers there. He missed only eight tackles on 148 attempts in college, too.

The Dolphins are paper-thin at the cornerback position. They'd do well to come away from the draft with at least two potential starting candidates for that group. Johnson is a plug-and-play Week 1 guy.

Pick 75: Keylan Rutledge, OL, Georgia Tech

Amid so much change for Miami, one semi-constant should be the foundation of the offense's rushing attack. De'Von Achane is among the NFL's premier ball-carriers, and previous head coach Mike McDaniel unleashed him to raging success in his zone-based running scheme.

New Dolphins offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik has ties to McDaniel and the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree. His preference is zone running. Miami has a lingering need on the interior offensive line, and Georgia Tech right guard Keylan Rutledge is an ideal fit.

Rutledge registered a PFF zone blocking grade of 77.4 in 2025. He'd be an excellent pass protector as well, having given up only two sacks across the last three years.

Pick 87: Bryce Lance, WR, North Dakota State

With a whopping 641 deep receiving yards last season, Bryce Lance is the ultimate vertical threat. He'd complement Willis' cannon arm and downfield accuracy better than most prospects who figure to be available in the third round.

A 1.49-second 10-yard split in his 4.34 40-yard dash at the Combine certainly didn't hurt Lance's draft stock. The fact that he showed off that rapid acceleration at 6'3", 205 pounds is all the more impressive.

Lance's other timed drills (seven seconds flat in the 3-cone, 4.15 seconds in the 20-yard shuttle) suggest he has the short-area quickness and agility to keep developing his route tree. Quite a compelling receiver to add on the boundary opposite Waddle.

Willis would no doubt feel some Christian Watson vibes from Lance's game. Watson attended North Dakota State and has a very similar skill set that Willis saw time and again during Packers practices.

Pick 90: Billy Schrauth, OL, Notre Dame

To cap off the Dolphins' third-round trifecta of picks, they go with another guard in Notre Dame's Billy Schrauth here.

One of the grave errors that ousted long-tenured Dolphins GM Chris Grier was trading up in the second round of the 2025 draft for incumbent left guard Jonah Savaiinaea. While Miami shouldn't give up on him yet, Schrauth is a solid option to at least push Savaiinaea out of any false sense of draft status-centric job security.

Schrauth isn't the athlete Savaiinaea is, but across his 720 pass blocking snaps since 2023, he let up only 12 total QB hurries. Savaiinaea ranked dead-last among PFF's qualifying guards in pass blocking as a rookie.

Pick 111: Zakee Wheatley, S, Penn State

Forgive me for not holding out much hope that free-agent signee Lonnie Johnson Jr. will prove to be some excellent starting safety. Johnson has allowed a 120.9 career passer rating, per PFF.

In fact, Penn State's Zakee Wheatley should be able to beat Johnson out even as an early Day 3 draft pick. Wheatley is a capable, plus-sized nickelback who can also play deep safety. He'd come in handy as a possible future starter at safety, or as a slot corner in place of Kader Kohou.

Bonus Dolphins mock draft picks: Rounds 5-7

• Pick 151: Caden Curry, EDGE, Ohio State
• Pick 227: Keagen Trost, OT, Missouri
• Pick 238: Toriano Pride Jr., CB, Missouri

Free-agent addition Josh Uche gives the Dolphins a much-needed veteran presence on the edge of their defensive front after Bradley Chubb's release. Chop Robinson is still on the other side, but Ohio State's Caden Curry is a good depth addition after an 11-sack season for the Buckeyes.

A couple of Mizzou guys to wrap this thing up. Going off of Sullivan's Green Bay past, the Packers love to invest in the offensive line whenever possible. Keagen Trost could be a Day 3 gem of a right tackle. He allowed only one sack and four pressures last year, and had a PFF zone blocking grade of 91.6. Whether he moves inside to guard or is an Austin Jackson insurance policy, Trost would be a good late-round flier for Sullivan to take.

Finally, Toriano Pride Jr. blazed a 4.32 40 at the Combine at 5'10", 185 pounds. He yielded only a 44.4% completion rate in his final collegiate season and missed just two tackles. Another dart throw at cornerback seems appropriate for Miami.