A look at Dolphins defensive options in two areas needing help. CB mocked to Miami
Part 3 of a 3-part series
The Dolphins will have lots of options with the 11th overall pick in the first round of April’s draft. We covered logical offensive options here and linebacker/edge options here.
Here’s a look at players projected in Miami’s range at defensive tackle and in the defensive backfield:
Cornerback
▪ Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy: He missed this past season with a torn ACL sustained in January 2025, “but he still has the chance to be the first cornerback off the board in April,” said ESPN’s Mel Kiper, who has him 15th on his list of prospects.
In fact, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler -- another longtime draft analyst - mocked him to Miami on Thursday, noting: “The Dolphins aren’t starting over from scratch, but with new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and a TBD head coach, it feels like anything is on the table in the draft.
“Considering that Sullivan came up through the Green Bay scouting system, Auburn [edge player] Keldric Faulk fits the mold. An offensive weapon (Southern Cal receiver Makai Lemon or Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq) also makes sense. But cornerback has been a problem spot on this team for some time.”
After beginning his career at Oregon State, “McCoy’s ball-hawking traits really emerged once transferring to Tennessee, as he picked off four passes and broke up nine last season [2024],” Kiper said.
He had two interceptions in his one season at Oregon State and four in his one healthy season at Tennessee.
▪ LSU’s Mansoor Delane: Yates ranks him the 11th best player in this draft, and McShay slots him 14th. Kiper has him 23rd but rising.
He allowed just 28 percent of passes in his coverage area to be caught (third best in FBS) and his 3.3 yards allowed per attempt ranked seventh. He permitted an incredible 26.7 passer rating in his coverage area this past season.
“He has excellent size for the position (6-foot, 190 pounds) and thrives using force at the catch point to disrupt the ball,” Yates said.
Kiper notes “he is a true technician and has demonstrated excellent ball skills, with 27 pass breakups and eight interceptions over his four-year career.”
Safety
▪ Ohio State’s Caleb Downs: There’s a chance he will be off the board by 11 -- Brugler mocks him ninth -- but he would be tempting if there at 11.
“Downs has played in an NFL scheme at Ohio State for much of his college career; he can handle coverage deep in the middle of the field and be a menacing force in the box,” Yates said.
He had 57 tackles, five tackles for loss, two interceptions and a sack this season.
Kiper said “he diagnoses quickly thanks to excellent pre-snap instincts, and that allows him to play faster than his straight-line speed might suggest. Plus, Downs is solid in coverage, and he is a very reliable open-field tackler.”
McShay has Downs going 12th to Dallas, one pick after he picks Auburn edge player Faulk for Miami.
Defensive tackle
▪ Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald: While it seems unlikely that Miami would draft a defensive tackle in the first round in consecutive years and while many have McDonald going in the back half of the first round, all bets are off with a new general manager, and it remains a position without a true difference maker beyond Zach Sieler.
McDonald’s breakout season (65 tackles, three sacks) and natural gifts warrant consideration. Kiper has him 18th.
“He’s a force on the interior, with incredible strength and quickness for a player at his size,” Kiper said of the 6-3, 326 pounder. “And McDonald is active and sniffs out the football to make plays.”
▪ Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods: While some project him for the late teens or 20s, others view him as a potential top half of the first round player.
He had 14.5 tackles for loss, five sacks and two forced fumbles in three seasons for the Tigers.
Pro Football Focus mocks him eighth overall, noting his “prodigious power and quickness at 6-foot-3, 310 pounds.”
Kiper, who slots him 22nd, notes that “Woods wasn’t elite in 2025, but the skill set is exactly what NFL teams covet. In the pros, Woods would fit nicely at 3-technique, though he has the versatility to move around on a defensive front.
“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.”
Please see above (the first paragraph of this article) for links to parts 1 and 2 of this series.
This story was originally published January 15, 2026 at 1:37 PM.
