B-
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins checked most of the boxes and earned a B-.
by maket ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 11 picks
· 4 steals
· 4 reaches
The Dolphins torched the value chart for Caden Curry, taking him 38 spots sooner than anyone had him slotted. No fireworks, but a solid B-.
Whatever else happened, they won the night they took Golday. They punted on running back, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest. They went 6 of 8 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for.
Solid rather than spectacular, and there is nothing wrong with that.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 11th pick they get a blindside protector, though they paid up to get him.
They paid sticker price for Chris Brazzell II in pick 30, and that is fine. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Good things come to war rooms that wait, and Chris Johnson at the 43rd overall pick is the proof. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
A tight end of that caliber at pick No. 75 is the definition of value, full stop. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
The board had Domonique Orange higher than slot 87, and the interior defensive lineman fell to them anyway. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Jake Golday in No. 90 should not have been possible, and that is the whole point. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Value said wait; Caden Curry in Round 3, Pick 30 says they were not listening. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
They paid a round early for J.C. Davis in pick 125, more than the board wanted. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
By-the-book stuff, Drew Allar at the Round 5 slot squarely in line with his ranking. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
TJ Hall at slot 227 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. Stacking talent where they were already deep.
Xavier Nwankpa at No. 238 jumps the queue by a touch more than is comfortable. It adds depth where they could use a little.