The Miami Dolphins are entering a new era during the 2026 season. Miami hired Jeff Hafley as their next head coach after he excelled while leading Green Bay's defense over the past two seasons. Now Hafley and new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan must begin the hard work of rebuilding the Dolphins.
They could be in for a long-term project. Miami is set to enter the offseason already $30 million over the salary cap. The Dolphins have some tough decisions to make, including what to do with QB Tua Tagovailoa and WR Tyreek Hill.
The 2026 NFL Draft will be Hafley's first chance real chance to put his stamp on his new team.
But which positions will the Dolphins target in the draft?
Below we will explore a seven-round Dolphins mock draft from the PFF mock draft simulator.
Round 1, Pick 11: WR Makai Lemon, USC
The Dolphins have plenty of needs across the roster, so there are multiple “right answers” at 11th overall. Lemon is certainly one of them.
Lemon declared for the 2026 NFL Draft back in December and is widely viewed as one of the top receivers in this draft class.
It is easy to make the Amon-Ra St. Brown comp for Lemon. Both are slot receivers who attended USC and share similar strengths an weaknesses.
Lemon has all the skills a slot receiver needs to thrive in the modern NFL. But he lacks the long speed needed to threaten defenses deep down the field.
Miami will almost certainly move on from Tyreek Hill this offseason, which makes wide receiver a big priority.
Lemon and Jaylen Waddle would give the Dolphins two excellent receivers to rebuild their offense around.
Round 2, Pick 43: G Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon
Miami desperately needs to upgrade on the interior of their offensive line. The Dolphins should be thrilled to add a guy like Pregnon in the second round.
Pregnon is a powerful guard prospect who is battle-tested after playing well in the Big Ten. He is technically sound and boasts both incredible power and enough quickness to succeed on outside zone runs.
Pregnon has more positives than negatives on his scouting report and could easily become an immediate starter in Miami.
The Dolphins start off the draft with two excellent picks.
Round 3, Pick 75: CB Chandler Rivers, Duke
It will be fascinating to see what changes Hafley makes to Miami's defense before 2026. Regardless of what happens with Miami's secondary, I think Hafley could use a young cornerback like Rivers.
The elephant in the room is Rivers' size. He is 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, which puts him on the smaller side in the NFL. That could be a problem at the next level, as it could leave him vulnerable to being bullied by larger receivers.
Rivers has quick mental processing skills and does thrive when playing press coverage. That, paired with his size, could force him into a nickel role as a pro.
I could easily see Rivers taking over as Miami's nickel cornerback of the future.
Round 3, Pick 87: QB Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
This has to be the most controversial pick of the entire draft for the Dolphins.
Nussmeier, the son of Saints OC Doug Nussmeier, is the classic “coach's son” at quarterback. He is a strong processor who has solid accuracy and is sneaky athletic.
But Nussmeier can crumble in the face of interior pressure and is known to make some wildly aggressive decisions at times. There's a reason why Nussmeier is no longer considered a first-round quarterback in this weak draft class.
All of that said, the Dolphins probably want another quarterback who can push Tua for the starting job.
I think this is a defendable pick if Miami likes Nussmeier more than Quinn Ewers.
Round 3, Pick 90: G Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M
The Dolphins double up on guards after selecting Bisontis in the third round.
Bisontis is a quicker guard than Pregnon, dominating on screens and pulls where he can start moving. But he isn't just a one-trick pony.
Bisontis can hold up well in pass protection, though he is known to struggle against power rushers who take him head on.
At worst, I think the Dolphins get a high-level backup in Bisontis. But there is a world where he pushes Jonah Savaiinaea for a starting job.
Round 4, Pick 111: T J.C. Davis, Illinois
Miami continues adding in the trenches, this time picking up the left tackle out of Illinois.
Davis makes his mark as a pass protector. He has excellent technique and footwork that has helped him hold up against Big Ten edge rushers.
His size is a mild concern at 6-foot-5 and 307 pounds. But Davis certainly has a big enough frame that he could pack on some more weight as a pro.
I see Davis as more of a developmental left tackle, which may explain why he was still on the board in the fourth round.
Davis likely wouldn't push Patrick Paul for the starting job right away. But he could join the Dolphins as a high-level backup who could eventually win the job.
Round 5, Pick 149: CB Davison Igbinosun, Ohio State
There is a lot to like about Igbinosun as a prospect.
He has ideal size at 6-foot-2 and 192 pounds. Igbinosun also has excellent long speed, which helps him keep up with just about anyone.
The combination of Igbinosun's range and speed give him an advantage over most receivers who cannot dominate him with power or blow by him with elite speed.
Igbinosun can draw a lot of penalties when he is beat early, which NFL fanbases will hate.
He is also much more comfortable in zone coverage than in man. Thankfully, Hafley's defensive scheme thrives on a lot of zone coverage.
If Igbinosun hits, he could be an absolute steal in the fifth round.
Round 7, Pick 227: TE Riley Nowakowski, Indiana
The Dolphins do not have a lot of talent at tight end. Adding a seventh-rounder won't completely fix the problem, but it is a start.
Nowakowski is more of a blocking tight end than anything else. Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti and tight ends coach Grant Cain have praised his physical play during the Hoosiers' championship season.
I'm sure the Dolphins could find a role for him. But their search for an upgrade at tight end will almost certainly continue next offseason.
