B-
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins checked most of the boxes and earned a B-.
by 598515 ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 11 picks
· 5 steals
· 3 reaches
You can fall in love with a player. You are not supposed to marry him in the wrong round. The Dolphins did exactly that with J. Michael Sturdivant in pick No. 238. A dependable weekend that grades out a B-.
The Corleone steal is the beam this whole class leans on. For all the activity, edge rusher went untouched, which is hard to explain.
On the needs board they went 6 of 8, with quarterback the one that mattered most. The weekend tilted hard toward the defense.
In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the edge rusher spot they never got to.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 11th pick they get a coverage-and-run second-level piece. A clean fit for the roster.
In pick No. 30 they get a three-down second-level presence, outstanding value to boot. A real need, handled.
They read the board right and Dillon Thieneman was the payoff at the 43rd overall pick. A minor need, but a need all the same.
Connor Lew at No. 75 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Dontay Corleone at Round 3, Pick 23 is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Value with a capital V on Max Klare in pick 90, a genuine coup. It fills a real need, too.
A slide stopped in No. 94, with Daylen Everette worth more than the price. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.
Cade Klubnik in slot 130 is early enough to raise a brow, if not a full objection. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Reggie Virgil in pick No. 151 is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
A reasonable price with a little left over, Thaddeus Dixon in the Round 7 slot. Insurance at a position that did not really ask for it.
They reached into another round for J. Michael Sturdivant, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.