Several Dolphins rookies passed their first preseason test with flying colors

Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley said that some of the younger players started the game with some anxiety that quickly disappeared after they touched the field. For rookies, there is nothing like that first step.

Caleb Douglas told the media after the game that he walked the field by himself to get rid of the jitters. Chris Johnson said he took a deep breath before running onto the field for his first series in the NFL. Even Kadyn Proctor said that he was nervous on his first snap, then it was "Back to just playing football."

If the Dolphins' top rookies were dealing with some pre-game anxiety, imagine what the others were dealing with. Miami drafted 13 players in April and signed another 11 undrafted rookies. Needless to say, there was a lot of inexperience on the field Friday night. Here is a look at how some of the rookies performed in the first action of their NFL careers.

Miami Dolphins rookies shine in their first real action of the 2026 season

Kadyn Proctor - Grade - A

Proctor played just one series on Friday night, but he moved the line well, managed to get outside on a pulling play, and got his feet wet as an NFL lineman. It's hard to judge a player on one series, but when the Dolphins cashed in on their first drive, the ball was run behind him. Good start for the first-round pick.

Chris Johnson - Grade - B

Johnson was in a position to make a couple of plays, including one that should have been an interception. His best play came in the back of the end zone when he was able to turn his body and knock down what would have been a touchdown reception. Johnson has some work to do, but said he felt comfortable on the field and that it wasn't as fast as he expected.

Jacob Rodriguez - Grade - B-

Rodriguez recorded a tipped pass and was in on most of the tackles, but he wasn't credited with any. There were a few times when he overcommitted to a run and thus took himself out of position. There is a lot to like, but on Friday, he found that it's a little different at this level.

Caleb Douglas - Grade - A

His lone catch of the game was a one-handed beauty for 28 yards. His other catch was negated by his foot being out of bounds. Where Douglas shined, however, was in his route running. There was no hesitation. His cuts were fluid, and his burst was good. He is trending to start the season as the number one receiver.

Will Kacmarek - Grade - B

The Dolphins' new "blocking" tight end played well in his first NFL game. He was able to handle the Commanders' edge rushers and kept the pocket clean. It's hard to judge him completely given what he is asked to do, but he wasn't called for any penalties, so that's a good start.

Trey Moore - Grade - B

Moore was all over the field. He got a lot of playing time. Some of the snaps were good, some not so much. He needs to settle down more and let the game slow down. It will come with time, but he did well off the edge.

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