Football

Identifying What Should Be the Top Four Dolphins Targets at 11 and the Teams That Could Get in the Way

By Alain Poupart Sports Illustrated

Updated April 22, 2026 1:59 PM

The Miami Dolphins might be in a tough spot holding the 11th overall selection in the 2026 NFL draft because there just might not be 11 true blue-chip prospects available.

With Jon-Eric Sullivan taking over as general manager with first-year head coach Jeff Hafley, this first pick for the Dolphins is more significant than in a typical year because that player should serve as a foundational piece for what the organization hopes will be a quick turnaround.

The Dolphins have fared well in that regard in the past 10 years, with tackle Laremy Tunsil arriving as the first pick after Adam Gase became head coach in 2016 and defensive tackle Christian Wilkins becoming the first pick with Brian Flores as coach in 2019 - the Dolphins didn't have a first-round pick in 2022, but that's because it had been traded for wide receiver Tyreek Hill.

So which 2026 prospects stand out among their peers as that potential key franchise-turning piece? And, just as important, what are the chances that they'll still be available at 11? And furthermore, what teams do we need to watch who could steal one of the prospects away?

THE FOUR IDEAL TOP PICKS FOR THE DOLPHINS

Let's start by identifying those potential game-changing prospects for the Dolphins. The list will exclude Fernando Mendoza and Jeremiyah Love because Miami already has its quarterback in place (hopefully) with Malik Willis and a franchise running back with De'Von Achane - not that either player figures to be available at 11.

So that would leave us with:

LB Sonny Styles - Ohio State

A former safety and the son of former NFL linebacker Lorenzo Styles, this a freakish athlete who could become a great chess piece for Hafley.

But of the four players listed here, he's the least likely to make it to 11. The list of possibilities for Styles starts as high as the Tennessee Titans with the fourth overall pick now that former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh has taken over as head coach. The New York Giants, who pick fifth and 10th, also could take Styles, and we also have to watch the Dallas Cowboys, whose desire for an impact linebacker has been well documented.

T Francis Mauigoa - Miami (Fla.)

If the Dolphins want to get tougher along the offensive line, this is their guy. While he has the versatility to play guard in the NFL, that simply would make him a rookie starter at right guard before he moves over to right tackle to succeed Austin Jackson.

Like Styles, the chances he'll be there at 11 aren't great, particularly when some projections have him going as early as third overall to the Arizona Cardinals. Among the top 10 teams, the others to watch would include Tennessee at 4 and the Giants at either 5 or 10.

S Caleb Downs - Ohio State

The reports about a potentially problematic knee quickly became an afterthought and now what we're hearing/reading about Downs is how he walks into meetings with different teams breaking down their scheme and where he fits. He's also a great tackler and another chess piece for Hafley and his defense.

The Giants probably are the team to watch here, but the Washington Commanders also would make sense at number 7 considering how bad their defense was last year. And we wouldn't dismiss the idea of the Kansas City Chiefs taking him either at 9.

CB Mansoor Delane - LSU

Delane is a great prospect because he plays a prime position and there aren't a lot of warts in his game. Some draft analysts think Tennessee's Jermod McCoy might have a higher ceiling, but he's got a worrisome knee situation. Delane would be an immediate starter and ideally lock down one key spot in the secondary for multiple years.

Unlike the other three ideal Dolphins targets, Delane isn't likely to be a top 5 pick, but it's also questionable whether he'll slide through the second half of the top 10. The Cincinnati Bengals having traded the 10th overall pick to the New York Giants for DT Dexter Lawrence removed one potential obstacle, but the Washington Commanders at 7, New Orleans Saints at 8 and Chiefs at 9 all could use a cornerback and may look for Delane.

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This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 1:45 PM.