Peter Schrager has the Dolphins picking the right school but the wrong player in his latest mock draft

The Miami Dolphins have a number of ways they can go with pick No. 11 in the 2026 NFL Draft later this month. Whether that’s trading up or down or standing pat, there will be plenty of options available to general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan. Naturally, how the board fills out ahead of them and who […]

Craig Smith — College Football & NFL Trending News Writer
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Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Carnell Tate catches a ball during Pro Day for NFL scouts at the Woody Hayes Athletics Center on March 25, 2026. Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins have a number of ways they can go with pick No. 11 in the 2026 NFL Draft later this month. Whether that’s trading up or down or standing pat, there will be plenty of options available to general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan.

Naturally, how the board fills out ahead of them and who could fall to them in the first round will mold the conversation about what the Dolphins should do. And in Peter Schrager’s latest mock draft, a future superstar falls into their laps in the form of Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.

However, Schrager has Miami pushing Downs off their lap and taking his Ohio State teammate instead, WR Carnell Tate.

Peter Schrager has Miami taking Ohio State WR Carnell Tate instead of SAF Caleb Downs in his latest mock draft

“Miami has seven picks in the first three rounds, becoming just the second NFL team to have such a haul (2024 Cardinals),” Schrager wrote. “And with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle gone, and the sizable investment under center in Malik Willis, the Dolphins have to address the WR room. New coach Jeff Hafley (who coached with Ryan Day in San Francisco and at Ohio State) and GM Jon-Eric Sullivan have countless contacts at Ohio State, and the whole program raves about Tate. He could bring some juice to Miami.”

Look, I don’t disagree about finding some weapons for Willis. That needs to be among the priorities in this draft.

However, the Dolphins still have a chance to land an impact wide receiver in the first round, with pick No. 30 waiting later that night. A number of strong prospects could potentially be available then, including Omar Cooper, Jr., Denzel Boston, and KC Concepcion.

And Downs is that type of potential franchise prospect who could run the back end of the Dolphins’ defense for years to come.

To Schrager’s credit, he does have Miami going safety at pick No. 30 with Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman. However, Downs is in a class of his own, at least according to his former defensive coordinator.

“Buckeyes defensive coordinator Matt Patricia told me on “The Schrager Hour” that Downs will be the smartest player on whichever team drafts him and should be a face of the franchise,” Schrager said of Downs after mocking him to Dallas at No. 12. “The Cowboys need that on defense, even if safety isn’t valued the same as pass rusher or cornerback.”

Why don’t the Dolphins need that in a big way as well? Downs has the look of a future All-Pro player and would immediately give some major juice to a Dolphins’ secondary that has plenty of question marks going into 2026, at least at this point. He’s about as much of a sure thing in this draft, and that’s what you spend top 10-15 picks on — future stars.

Of course, all of this depends on Downs actually falling out of the top 10, which doesn’t feel all that likely.

But if he did, it would be a major disappointment to not see Miami make a congratulatory call to Downs if they have the opportunity on April 23, when the NFL Draft gets underway in Pittsburgh. We’ll find out soon enough which way Sullivan and his staff decide to go.

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