Latest 2026 NFL Draft intel aligns with our suspicions about how the Miami Dolphins will approach their picks
The latest intel around the Miami Dolphins and the 2026 NFL Draft seems to align with our suspicions on a likely plan for the early picks.
There’s a plethora of opinions of how the Miami Dolphins are going to tackle their 2026 NFL Draft selections.
You see mock drafts with all kinds of selections for the Dolphins. There’s cornerbacks like Mansoor Delane (LSU) and Jermod McCoy (Tennessee). Wide receivers like Makai Lemon (USC) and Carnell Tate (Ohio State). Safety is in play via Caleb Downs (Ohio State), and you’ll see a tackle like Spencer Fano (Utah) or Francis Mauigoa (Miami) if they make it to No. 11 overall, too.
But the latest intel surrounding the Dolphins and the 2026 NFL Draft seems to define a most likely path. It’s one that isn’t surprising if you’re familiar with general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan’s roots.
Latest Miami Dolphins intel for the 2026 NFL Draft matches our suspicions about a potential draft plan
“I expect the Dolphins to be very active throughout the draft after stripping their roster to the studs this offseason. Sullivan comes from the Packers’ tree, and Green Bay has historically valued premium positions in Round 1 and pass catchers on Days 2 and 3. I think that trend will continue, as adding linemen is likely early. But with 11 picks, the Dolphins could get aggressive and move up the board for a prospect they really covet.”
Jordan Reid
ESPN NFL Draft Analyst
ESPN’s Jordan Reid cut through all the noise with some well-placed expectations for the Dolphins. The trend with early picks for the Green Bay Packers is obvious — they draft the line of scrimmage early more often than not. OL Jordan Morgan, EDGE Lukas Van Ness, DT Devonte Wyatt, EDGE Rashan Gary, and DT Kenny Clark have been among the Packers’ first-round picks this past decade. When you include defensive backs, the list adds three more in SAF Darnell Savage, CB Jaire Alexander, and CB Eric Stokes Jr.
Nearly half of the first round picks have been OL/DL. And the further back you go, the more overwhelming the evidence gets. Since 2007, the Packers have made 20 first round picks. The positional breakdown includes 9 defensive linemen, 5 defensive backs, and 3 offensive tackles. The only three first round picks out of that group of twenty to not fall into those three positional buckets are QB Jordan Love (2020), LB Quay Walker (2022), and WR Matthew Golden (2025).
70% of the first round picks have been defensive linemen and secondary players. 60% have been OL/DL. So while it’s perfectly believable that Miami could invest a pick just about anywhere on the roster, there is overwhelming evidence that Sullivan’s roots will push him towards one very particular path with his first two draft choices: the line of scrimmage and the secondary.
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