An early look at some college players that Dolphins should keep an eye on
A six-pack of Dolphins notes on a Thursday:
▪ Since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, there have been just four teams to start the season 1-5 and make the postseason.
The odds of the Dolphins becoming the fifth -- joining the 1970 Bengals, 2015 Chiefs, 2018 Colts, and 2020 Commanders -- seem slim, especially in the wake of Tyreek Hill’s Week 4 season-ending knee injury and the Dolphins’ inability to stop the run.
So it’s understandable if fans allow their mind to wander to next April’s NFL Draft.
At the moment, the Dolphins would have the fourth pick in the first round.
And ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. offered a glimpse into the players projected for that range when he released his Big Board this week.
Though a lot likely will change before the first round on April 22, at the moment, Kiper’s top five prospects, in order, are Oregon quarterback Dante Moore, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Ohio State linebacker Arvel Reese and Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods.
Love would seem a highly unlikely pick for the Dolphins.
Drafting a quarterback that high cannot be ruled out if Tua Tagovailoa struggles in the coming weeks or if there’s a regime change.
Kiper says Oregon’s Moore “can throw from different arm angles with precision and delivers strikes while rolling either left or right out of the pocket. He can scramble a bit too. He will be only 20 years old at draft time. The toolbox is loaded.”
He said Indiana’s Mendoza “doesn’t have a huge arm, he can make all the necessary NFL-level throws. His ball placement is fantastic. I wouldn’t consider him a dual threat, but Mendoza also has enough mobility to pick up first downs as a scrambler.”
Kiper ranks South Carolina’s high-upside LaNorris Seller third among quarterbacks but just 21st overall among all prospects.
The players that Kiper lists 6 through 10 are Southern Cal receiver Makai Lemon, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, Arizona State receiver Jordyn Tyson, UM defensive end Rueben Bain and Utah offensive tackle Spencer Fano.
They’re followed on Kiper’s list by Auburn defensive end Keldric Faulk, Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate, Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy, Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq and Clemson defensive end TJ Parker.
If the Dolphins want to upgrade their deficient defense, they could opt for Ohio State linebacker Reese (38 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks), Clemson tackle Woods (18 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks), UM’s Bain (three sacks, 29 pressures), Faulk (3.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 14 pressures) or Parker (5.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 14 pressures).
Kiper said Reese is “a complete football player. Reese jumps off the Ohio State tape, playing the game like a veteran. I see natural instincts at the linebacker position that allow him to make plays most guys just can’t make, and he has the burst to get home when turned loose as a pass rusher. Reese has been a big riser in this class.”
Kiper said Woods “hasn’t been elite in 2025, but the skill set is exactly what NFL teams covet. He just needs to finish strong over the second half of the season....He plays on the inside the majority of the time, but he also can be disruptive off the edge. His strength will intrigue a lot of NFL teams no matter where he lines up.”
▪ Fullback Alec Ingold (neck) returned to practice on Thursday, leaving safety Elijah Campbell (quadriceps) as the only Dolphins player on the 53-man roster who did not practice.
Center Aaron Brewer (pectoral) and tight end Darren Waller (hip/rest) were limited during Thursday’s practice. Everyone else practiced fully.
▪ Though Jaylen Waddle and De’Von Achane have been the subjects of trade rumors on social media, any speculation about Miami looking to trade either is unfounded at this time, a league source said. The Giants reportedly would have interest in Waddle if the Dolphins change their mind and consider dealing him.
“I don’t see too much,” Waddle said of the trade speculation. “If my agent isn’t [telling me] I really don’t see it.”
▪ After being gashed by third-string running backs the past two weeks, the Dolphins face a difficult three-game stretch after the Cleveland game.
Following the Browns game, the Dolphins see -- in order -- three of the sport’s best running backs: Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson, Baltimore’s Derrick Henry and Buffalo’s James Cook.
The Dolphins have allowed more rushing yards per game than any team in the league, at 168.5, compared with 103.7 last season. They’re permitting 5.6 per carry, which is 30th in the league and up from 4.4 last season.
Is Zach Sieler shocked that the run defense has been this bad?
“We’ve got a defense that we’ve got a lot of guys that care,” he said. “They want to get it right. They want to do their best and I think we are. Everyone is putting their best foot forward.”
Sieler said rookie first-round pick Kenneth Grant is “trying to do it right. He’s trying to do everything he can to get it right as quick as possible.”
▪ Amid the Dolphins’ defensive struggles, defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver was asked if he’s worried about his reputation being tarnished as a potential head coaching candidate.
“Absolutely not,” Weaver said. “I work in service. I’ve been doing this a long time. I don’t do it because I want to be a head coach.” or for money, he said.
He said he’s “trying to remain lighthouse in the storm” for his struggling unit.
▪ Cornerback Rasul Douglas joked about Ethan Bonner being a Caucasian cornerback, something Bonner has discussed because it’s a rarity in the NFL.
“EB is good, and you know usually for that color, they’re not really good at DB,” Douglas said. “It’s just a few of them that actually can really hoop and ‘EB’ is one of them that he can hoop.”
Bonner said two years ago that he knew that the NFL has not had a white cornerback play extensive snaps since Jason Sehorn for the Giants very early this century.
“I want to be that next Jason Sehorn,” he said during his first year with the team. “And prove that I can do it.” He said teams “see a white guy and they’re like, ‘OK yeah, let’s go after him.’”
Here’s my Thursday piece with news from coaches and Jaelan Phillips’ reaction to trade talk.
Here’s my Thursday piece on how Dante Trader Jr. has dealt with the aftermath of his mistake in Sunday’s loss.
This story was originally published October 16, 2025 at 4:28 PM.
