The Miami Dolphins had an eventful 2026 NFL draft, making a league-high 13 selections. For a team looking to get younger and rebuild, this is the kind of capital they wanted. There were some questions about the Dolphins trading some picks and making fewer selections, but general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan felt comfortable with 13 picks.
Now days removed from the draft, NFL.com’s Gennaro Filice released an article ranking all 32 rookie classes from, and even identified a Day-3 pick as a sleeper for the Dolphins.
“While [Jacob] Rodriguez projects as a three-down linebacker, [Kyle] Louis could become a sub-package star,” Filice wrote. “The linebacker/safety hybrid excels in coverage, having turned heads at the Senior Bowl with multiple interceptions in a one-on-one drill that typically favors the receiver.”
Louis’s performance at the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine definitely makes him a good value pick in the fourth round. However, he was a projected second-third round pick, making Seydou Traore a more intriguing sleeper pick. A fifth-round pick who will have a legit chance at reps, due to the Dolphins’ lack of tight end depth.
Gennaro also gave the Dolphins an A- draft grade, making them the ninth-best-ranked rookie class on his list, which is above above teams like the Los Angeles Chargers, Carolina Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles.
The Dolphins faced some criticism from the fan base with a couple of the picks. Though when you make 13 selections, it’s hard to get a fan base to agree on everything. All things considered, the Dolphins filled various positions of need, finding at least three or four starters.
Kadyn Proctor will start at left guard and eventually make the move to tackle as he develops. Chris Johnson is the number one corner on this team already, and triple-dipping at wide receiver gives you higher chances of finding a hidden gem, especially with the value of the Chris Bell pick, who could have been a potential first-rounder before injury. There’s also tight end Will Kacmarek, who’s going to have a secure spot as a run blocker.
Overall, this is a fair grade for a Dolphins team that is rebuilding and made some noise in a draft that is considered lackluster compared to previous years and next year’s class.
More Dolphins: The tape proves the Dolphins made the right pick in the first round
This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: NFL analyst identifies Dolphins Day-3 draft pick as a sleeper
Reporting by Julio Vasquez, Dolphins Wire / Dolphins Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
