The Miami Dolphins are facing an uphill battle to stay out of the NFL's basement in 2026, but they do have one potential path to a competitive season. After general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan effectively gutted the roster upon his arrival in South Beach, the 2026 NFL Draft became his way of filling in many of the vacant spots left behind by the veterans he was forced to move on from.
With 13 drafted rookies and many more UDFA pickups, the Dolphins will look nearly unrecognizable compared to their 2025 selves. While that could easily lead to a disastrous first season under Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley, it also represents a glimmer of hope that the infusion of youth could be what this team needs to find its footing.
The Athletic's NFL staff recently put their collective heads together to pose one outstanding question for each NFL team, and how quickly the Dolphins' rookie class can acclimate to the NFL is what they settled on for Miami.
The Miami Dolphins' 2026 ceiling will come down to their rookie class
With little to no money to work with after releasing the likes of Tua Tagovailoa, Bradley Chubb, and Tyreek Hill (not to mention the sizable deal handed out to new starting quarterback Malik Willis), Sullivan knew that his first rookie class would need to play a bigger role in the Dolphins' success than can be realistically expected. That being said, it may just have a chance to work out.
"The Dolphins made approximately 100 picks in April, and our NFL Draft guru, Dane Brugler, was a fan of their work," The Athletic's Jim Ayello said. "This team desperately needed an infusion of young talent, and while it’s great to be optimistic about youngsters in the offseason, they need to show something this season."
Brugler's endorsement is nice to have, but nobody will truly know how impressive a class Miami came away with until they get to see the field. By all accounts, it won't take long to see multiple rookies get an opportunity to prove themselves.
First-round pick Kadyn Proctor is already slated to start at left guard. Fellow first-rounder Chris Johnson seems to be prepping for a multi-faceted role in Hafley's secondary. Second-round pick Jacob Rodriguez will battle for a spot next to All-Pro linebacker Jordyn Brooks, and third-round receivers Caleb Douglas and Chris Bell (once he returns from a knee injury suffered last season) should get the chance to earn targets in a lackluster receiver room.
The potentially impactful rookies don't end there, either. Third-round tight end Will Kacmarek will have a role as the primary blocker next to Greg Dulcich, and Day 3 picks Trey Moore, Kyle Louis, Michael Taafe, and Kevin Coleman Jr. all have paths to significant playing time as rookies.
Ayello compared the Dolphins' situation to the Browns a year ago, citing the importance of finding multiple difference-makers from this class.
"If the Dolphins come out of this season feeling like they found four or five new building blocks — something like what the Browns pulled off last season with Mason Graham, Carson Schwesinger, Quinshon Judkins and Harold Fannin — fans would have cause to buy into this regime’s vision for the future."
There is no guarantee that Miami's 2026 class will have that level of production in their first NFL action, but doing so would completely change the Dolphins' outlook for 2026 and beyond.
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