A-
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins robbed the room for Stowers. Final grade: A-.
by Fins1981 ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 14 picks
· 6 steals
· 4 reaches
You could see the war room lean forward. Eli Stowers at the 94th pick is the sort of fall that does not happen, except it just did. Little to argue with here, and the A- says so.
The Taylor pick is the one the value grade keeps tripping over. Every deal seemed to tilt their way, which is not luck.
They punted on quarterback, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest. Wide receiver was the priority and it is no longer a question, which is most of the job.
Add it up and few war rooms did better this weekend, Chris Brazzell II and all.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 30th pick they get a true top target. Exactly the need they had to hit.
They liked Gabe Jacas enough to skip the value, taking him in pick No. 52. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Caleb Banks at slot 63 is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
The board fumbled Emmanuel McNeil-Warren all the way to No. 75, and they scooped it up. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
They will replay Jake Slaughter at Round 3, Pick 20 for years; that is how good the value is. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
A market-rate cornerback, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Devin Moore. A minor itch, scratched.
Keylan Rutledge at the Round 3 slot is a conviction pick that outran the value. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
A top-tier tight end at a bargain, Eli Stowers in pick 94, plain and simple. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Eli Raridon at the Round 4 slot is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Dametrious Crownover slid further than he should have, and the 151st overall pick is lovely value for the offensive lineman. The roster fit checks out.
Taking Jeff Caldwell in No. 201 is close to grand larceny; a wide receiver that good had no business lasting this long. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
A conviction pick on Charles Demmings at Round 7, Pick 2 that the board grades a round light. They added to a strength when a need was still open elsewhere.
They talked themselves into Logan Taylor at pick 227, and the board did not agree. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Isaiah Jatta at slot 238 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.