B-
Miami Dolphins
A sensible, unshowy class lands the Dolphins a B-.
by [email protected] ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 18 picks
· 5 steals
· 7 reaches
When the story of this class is written, it opens with Kalil Alexander at slot 227, a reach of 60 spots that the board flatly disagrees with. They moved the roster forward and banked a B- for it.
They banked enough surplus on Stowers to cover a lot of smaller sins. Quarterback was the priority and it is no longer a question, which is most of the job. They bet on numbers rather than a single high pick.
The offense got the lion's share of the attention.
Bottom line, more hits than misses and a roster nudged the right way.
Pick-by-Pick
In pick 11 they get a building block for the line, though they paid up to get him. A real need, handled.
Omar Cooper Jr. at the Round 1 slot is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Chris Johnson at the 43rd pick is money in the bank, a cornerback taken below his worth. A quiet depth add at a thin-ish spot.
A market-rate wide receiver, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Elijah Sarratt. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Caden Curry at pick No. 87 is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Taking Eli Stowers in Round 3, Pick 28 is close to grand larceny; a tight end that good had no business lasting this long. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Jalon Kilgore at pick 118 is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. Insurance at a position that did not really ask for it.
They read the board right and Michael Trigg was the payoff at pick No. 125. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
They talked themselves into Nadame Tucker at the 131st pick, and the board did not agree. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Charles Demmings at the 151st overall pick is right where the board had him, plain and simple. Pure best-available; the position was not exactly begging.
No edge and no loss on Louis Moore in the Round 5 slot; it is a wash and a sensible one. A minor itch, scratched.
A real head-scratcher, Cole Payton in slot 180 is miles ahead of his ranking. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
No drama and no debate, J'Mari Taylor went about where he belonged in Round 6, Pick 8. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
A quiet steal in No. 199: Josh Cameron for less than the market said. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
They reached into another round for Nick Barrett, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
They took Keyshaun Elliott at par in slot 220, which is nothing to complain about. The roster fit checks out.
Kalil Alexander at the 227th pick is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Adam Randall in pick No. 238 is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.