MIAMI GARDENS — The Miami Dolphins selected Texas Tech receiver Caleb Douglas with their first of three picks in the third round of the NFL Draft.
Douglas is a 6-3 1/2, 206-pounder who ran the 40 in 4.39 at the NFL Combine.
Douglas was the second consecutive Red Raider drafted by Miami, following second-rounder Jacob Rodriguez, a linebacker.
“Caleb brings some size to the room, a good athlete can run the full route tree,” said Matt Winston, the Dolphins’ director of college scouting. “He’s got some dynamic traits. We vetted him from Florida. High marks across the board. He brings size and athletic ability. He’s got the movement skills to do everything we want and asking the wide receivers to do.”
Caleb Douglas scouting report
Douglas began his collegiate career at Florida in 2022. He appeared in eight games for the Gators that season, starting two, and had 175 receiving yards and two touchdowns. He missed much of the 2023 season because of a leg injury.
Starting in 2024 with Texas Tech, Douglas had 877 receiving yards and six TDs.
Last season he was second-team All-Big 12 with 846 receiving yards, a 1.57-yard average and seven touchdowns.
Douglas has size, including a 79-inch wingspan.
NFL.com projected Douglas to be taken in the fifth or six round.
NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein wrote, “Douglas is a long, slender outside target with good production but uneven tape. He has enticing moments, showcasing his catch radius/ball skills on fades and deep throws. Douglas’ focus drops and an inability to win contested catches at a high enough rate can’t be overlooked, though. He shows quick acceleration for a tall receiver, but his top-end speed is relatively non-threatening to defenses. Douglas can expect to be crowded by NFL cornerbacks and forced to prove he can uncover. There are flashes to build on, but he’ll have to battle to make a roster as a backup.”
How Caleb Douglas fits with Dolphins
After trading Jaylen Waddle to Denver, the Dolphins are left with a receiving corps lacking an obvious threat that will concern defensive coordinators. It is led by Malik Washington. So Douglas could see playing time on offense in addition to special teams.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Caleb Douglas picked by Dolphins in NFL Draft Round 3: How WR fits
Reporting by Hal Habib, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
