If the season ended today, the Miami Dolphins would be in line to do something they’ve only done enough times to count on one hand

The final two-thirds of 2025 brings opportunity in more ways than one.

Kyle Crabbs — NFL National Writer
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Oct 12, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel walks on the sideline against the Los Angeles Chargers during the fourth quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

We’ve officially moved past the one-third mark of the 2025 NFL season. For the Miami Dolphins, it’s six games down and 11 to go — with a pretty safe assumption that there won’t be more games on the other side of Week 18 for the Dolphins. Sitting at 1-5, the Dolphins are teetering closer to the brink of seismic changes than they are the playoff picture.

Where, exactly, do the Dolphins stand in the NFL Draft and waiver wire order after Week 6? What does their remaining schedule look like and does that foreshadow their final season outcome?

The Miami Dolphins would draft 4th overall if the NFL Draft started today

Only one team, the New York Jets (0-6) has a worse record than the Miami Dolphins do after six weeks. Miami is tied with Cleveland, Baltimore, New Orleans, and Tennessee as the 1-5 teams across the league. According to Tankathon, Miami would sit 4th overall due to strength of schedule tiebreakers in the NFL Draft order as of now.

  1. New York Jets (0-6)
  2. Cleveland Browns (1-5)
  3. Baltimore Ravens (1-5)
  4. Miami Dolphins (1-5)
  5. New Orleans Saints (1-5)
  6. Tennessee Titans (1-5)

Miami, of course, squares off against the Browns this week in a contest that’s looking eerily similar to Miami’s 2019 matchup against the Washington Commanders. That season saw an 0-4 Dolphins team square off against an 0-5 Washington team, with Miami falling 17-16 after a 2-point conversion attempt with 6 seconds left in regulation was unsuccessful. That win would be one of only three that Washington had that season before drafting Chase Young second-overall.

A top-5 selection for Miami is rare. An organic one is the equivalent of a holographic Charizard card. They’ve only made seven total selections in the top-5 of an NFL Draft in the entire history of the organization — and that includes the first two picks of the 1966 Draft amid the team’s inception and a trade up to the third overall pick in 2013. In all, the Dolphins have played their way into the top-5 of an NFL Draft order four times in their history (the 1966, 2004, 2007, and 2019 seasons).

Miami Dolphins most recent selections in the top-5 of the NFL Draft order

  • 2020: Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (5th overall)
  • 2013: EDGE defender Dion Jordan (3rd overall, via trade)
  • 2008: Offensive tackle Jake Long (1st overall)
  • 2005: Running back Ronnie Brown (2nd overall)
  • 1968: Quarterback Bob Griese (4th overall)

Miami’s path to “earning” a top-5 draft spot on the field for a fifth time is certainly going to be earned. Miami has the 27th toughest strength of schedule remaining in the NFL for their final 11 contests. They’ll play the Jets again, the Browns (this weekend), the Ravens in Week 8, and the Saints head-to-head. Throw in a date with the 2-4 Bengals without Joe Burrow and Miami is going to have plenty of ‘winnable’ games on the schedule.

Winnable games, of course, have been a staple of Miami’s early-season schedule. They’ve just only managed to actually win only one. Miami had a winnable game in Week 2 but let the Patriots off the hook. They had a winnable game in Week 5 but collapsed against Carolina defensively. And they had a winnable game on Sunday, only to see the defense fold up in crunch time yet again.

It’s early for this race — teams will get hot. But Miami is going to have control of their own fate in this waiver wire and draft order thanks to the schedule. What way will they go?

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