Three Dolphins Rookies Ready to Make Noise in the 2026 NFL Season
The Miami Dolphins selected 13 players during the 2026 NFL Draft, tying the franchise record for the most selections set in 1994 and tying the third-most selections in the modern draft era, alongside the 2000 Cleveland Browns. Miami selected twice in the first round, taking Alabama tackle Kadyn Proctor 12th overall and San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson with the 27th overall pick. Day two brought four more names off the board and sent down to South Beach: Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez and wide receiver Caleb Douglas, Ohio State tight end Will Kacmarek, and Louisville wide receiver Chris Bell. Miami would round out day three with seven more picks. For a roster that let go of a substantial amount of starting pieces from previous teams, like quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, and plenty of other pieces, it’ll give plenty of opportunity for this rookie class to make an impact on the field almost immediately. With that, let’s take a look at some of the names Dolphins fans should keep on the radar throughout the 2026 season.
Cornerback: Chris Johnson
It’s easy to point at Miami’s pair of first-round picks and focus on those names for this upcoming season, and that would be 100% true with both Proctor and Johnson playing valuable positions. Even so, with the total lack of talent rearing its ugly head in the Dolphins’ secondary, now without safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, Johnson will need to be a key piece out on the boundary. The 21-year-old corner from San Diego State was rated as the second-overall cornerback in college football for the 2025 season with a 91.6 grade, recording four interceptions and five pass-breakups. That’s not to mention the fact that new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan traded up to get the Aztec-standout, moving up from the 30th overall pick to get him.
Wide Receiver: Kevin Coleman Jr.
Out of all the wide receivers selected by Miami in the 2026 NFL Draft, Kevin Coleman Jr. has quietly shown the most promise to crack a significant role this upcoming season. The day two wideouts, Bell and Douglas, have been sidelined by injuries, both minor and major, during the OTA periods in June. Reports coming out of Miami show that the Missouri product has taken full advantage of the missing bodies, constantly finding himself open out of the slot and making plays against the Dolphins’ secondary. All of that makes sense, looking at what the 22-year-old produced in his final season. Coleman caught 63 of his 80 targets for 713 yards and one touchdown in 2025, with 370 of those yards coming after the catch. If Miami were to move Malik Washington to the outside alongside free agent acquisition Tutu Atwell, Coleman could find himself inserted into the starting lineup earlier than expected for the Day Three pick.
Linebacker: Jacob Rodriguez
Out of all the picks for Miami this April, Rodriguez was the most surprising in my eyes. Out of all the position rooms that head coach Jeff Hafley inherited, the linebacker room felt like the strongest alongside the running back room. Jordyn Brooks led the NFL in total tackles with 99 and was named a First-Team All-Pro. Tyrel Dodson didn’t fall far behind with 72 tackles, five sacks, and an interception, while Willie Gay Jr., in limited reps, still recorded two sacks and 20 tackles. Even with all of that production returning to Miami in 2026, the Dolphins took Rodriguez with the 43rd overall pick, and although the pick was surprising to me and many other Dolphins fans, that doesn’t mean it was the wrong decision. The first-team All-American was rated as the best linebacker in the entire country according to PFF with a 93.3 grade. He recorded 81 total tackles, forced a nation-leading seven fumbles and four interceptions, and helped lead the Red Raiders to their first College Football Playoff appearance in program history. The former Red Raider, while not as athletically gifted as other players in the draft, has a true nose for football with those 11 total turnovers forced in the 2025-2026 season, which the Dolphins desperately need help with, only forcing 20 total turnovers last season, ranking 22nd alongside the Cincinnati Bengals and New Orleans Saints. The only thing holding Rodriguez back right now is the veteran traffic in front of him for a starting role.
Now, those three names aren’t the only ones that Dolphins fans should look out for this upcoming season. A variety of diverse rookies will more than likely get meaningful snaps throughout the season because of the lack of veteran talent heading into the draft. Guys like Texas safety Michael Taaffe and Pittsburgh linebacker/safety Kyle Louis could make impacts on the defensive side of the ball this season, alongside guys like Bell and Douglas in the wide receiver room, barring injury trouble. That being said, this is the foundation for this new era of the Dolphins, and fans, players, and coaches alike will get a sense, good or bad, of the direction this team is heading over the coming years.
