C
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins got the worse of every deal, and it shows in the C.
by Fins1981 ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 13 picks
· 3 steals
· 7 reaches
The rest of the league had time to spare on Eric Gentry; the Dolphins did not wait, grabbing him 125 spots ahead at No. 227.
Whatever else happened, they won the night they took McNeil-Warren. Overpaying at the table undid a lot of the good work elsewhere.
Leaving interior defensive lineman unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall. The Dolphins paired the rookies with proven help, Ronnie Hickman leading the way.
Hit on Emmanuel Pregnon and the swing picks, and this ages a lot better than it grades today.
Pick-by-Pick
Emmanuel Pregnon in Round 2, Pick 11 is fine work, a shade of surplus and no downside. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
A tight end of that caliber at slot 87 is the definition of value, full stop. A need, and now a little less of one.
Steal is underselling it; Emmanuel McNeil-Warren at the 90th overall pick is a heist with the alarm still ringing. It adds depth where they could use a little.
Somehow Ted Hurst was still sitting there in the Round 4 slot, and they pounced on premier wide receiver value. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Demond Claiborne at pick No. 147 jumps the queue by a touch more than is comfortable. It fills a real need, too.
No edge and no loss on Drew Allar in the 151st pick; it is a wash and a sensible one. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
A market-rate quarterback, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Taylen Green. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Bryce Foster at slot 211 is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Eric Gentry in Round 7, Pick 11 is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
They talked themselves into Marvin Jones Jr. at the 229th pick, and the board did not agree. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Enrique Cruz Jr. at the Round 7 slot is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. The roster fit checks out.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Joshua Braun in pick 241, miles early. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
They paid a round early for Robert Spears-Jennings in pick No. 243, more than the board wanted. A want more than a need, though you can never have too many.