How 6 national analysts graded, rated Dolphins draft. And offensive tackle added
In a generally useless exercise, NFL draft analysts have delivered their annual grades.
And even though judging a draft class before they’ve ever played a single NFL snap seems pointless, we are going to give you the Dolphins grades anyway, in as much as there seems an endless appetite for this stuff:
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. (B grade)
Kiper said: “I ran out of room adding needs to my list. This roster needed everything. Everything. And as such, no one really knew which of their weak positions they’d hit at No. 11 and No. 30. Of course, the latter pick came over from Denver when the Dolphins trade Jaylen Waddle. Coupled with releasing Tyreek Hill, that pushed WR to the top of the needs list.
“Neither of those first-rounders went that direction, which might cause some problems for new quarterback Malik Willis. But Miami added Kadyn Proctor at No. 12 after a one-slot trade back netted two fifth-rounders. He has the experience (40 starts) and quickness out of his set to handle the right tackle position. Incumbent Austin Jackson missed 11 games last season, and Larry Borom left in free agency.
“The Dolphins had to do something there, and Proctor has been a buzzy name over the past two months. He played exclusively left tackle at Alabama, but I’m confident he can flip to the right side based on the agility I see on tape. Proctor might not be catching passes for Willis like a receiver at 11 would have -- or maybe he will? -- but he’s going to help the Dolphins’ new quarterback even so.
“The next pick came after a slight trade up, moving up three spots to No. 27 at the cost of moving from No. 90 to No. 138 later in the draft. With 13 picks on hand at that point in the draft, that’s 100 percent worth it -- especially to land Chris Johnson, who I bumped up to CB3 in the class. The Dolphins’ cornerback room was in shambles, and Johnson immediately brings his ball skills (six interceptions and 16 pass breakups over the past three seasons) to the starting lineup.
“But what about receiver? Caleb Douglas was a reach (No. 148 overall going 75th) and Chris Bell is coming off a torn ACL. Granted, Bell has first-round level talent when healthy, and he can produce over the middle, downfield and after the catch. But I didn’t see enough done to the WR room. Malik Washington and Jalen Tolbert are still the WR1 and WR2 on this roster, respectively. That’s an issue.
“I’m a big fan of Jacob Rodriguez, and Kyle Louis is a baller who will line up all over the place and make plays. Miami ultimately made 13 picks, and a lot of these players are going to see the field in 2026, whether they’re ready or not.”
Here are Kiper’s grades and comments for all 32 teams.
USA Today NFL writer Nate Davis (B, 13th overall)
Davis: Sullivan’s first three selections – OL Kadyn Proctor (Round 1), CB Chris Johnson (Round 1) and LB Jacob Rodriguez (Round 2) – all have excellent college film, yet also had enough questions going into the pre-draft process that their stock didn’t seem to catch up to their highlights until later.
“Third-round WR Chris Bell, who’s recovering from a torn ACL suffered last November, has been compared to Brown from an ability standpoint. Fourth-rounder Trey Moore is another one to watch – an extremely productive player at UTSA but not so much at Texas, so it remains to be seen if he’s a gem at the next level or overmatched.
“Versatile fourth-round DB/LB Kyle Louis might also be a heist of a defensive weapon. Did the Fins get a talent comparable to Waddle? Probably not. Have they effectively found a replacement for LB Jordyn Brooks, and a player Sullivan claimed he wanted to build around five minutes ago? Yep. But the mission here was quantity and finding players who can immediately provide direct or indirect support for Malik Willis. Check and check.”
NFL.com’s Chad Reuter (B)
Reuter: “Chris Johnson [is] one of my favorite defenders in the draft due to his speed, smooth movement and ball skills.
“Miami added Rodriguez, an ultra-athletic gamer and the best player available, at No. 43, then grabbed two receivers in the third round: Caleb Douglas, a downfield threat, and Chris Bell, an AJ Brown-type receiver coming off a knee injury.
“Trey Moore moved from the edge at UTSA to the second level with Texas, raising questions about how his size and length might translate, but Miami picked him as an edge over several other worthy prospects. Kyle Louis and Michael Taafee will be effective nickel defenders at linebacker and safety and should provide special teams help, as well. Keydou Traore’s move from England to the U.S. to play football is a great story, but his athleticism is what will help Miami’s tight end depth chart.”
Pro Football Focus (B)
PFF praised the Proctor and Johnson picks, and said Rodriguez “has elite football IQ but lacks the physical tools to match. His instincts keep him in position, though his limited range and power cap his ceiling.”
The receiver Douglas, the Dolphins’ most scrutinized pick, “has the height and length to project as an NFL “X” receiver. However, concerns with his long speed and hands make it difficult to envision a consistent contributing role. He will need to add strength across the board to stick on a roster as a boundary receiver.”
PFF said Bell “offers an impressive blend of size — particularly weight — and explosiveness as a WR2 in a vertical offense.”
SI.com (B)
The publication said “Proctor, Johnson, Rodriguez and Douglas are all potential starters as rookies. Bell is the ultimate boom-or-bust pick.”
CBS’ Carter Bahns (B-plus)
“Kadyn Proctor was a polarizing prospect in the pre-draft process because of his size -- a major asset that could also limit him if he isn’t able to play at a manageable weight. If Miami gets the best version of him, he can stick at left tackle and become a building block of this rebuild.
“On defense, Chris Johnson could be a lockdown corner for years to come, while Jacob Rodriguez was the best defensive player in college football last year. That’s a pretty exciting pair of players.
“The only whiff of Miami’s draft came in Round 3 with the Caleb Douglas pick. [CBS’] Mike Renner called it ‘one of the biggest reaches of the draft so far, not only on my board, but also on the consensus board where he was outside the top-200.’”
Offensive lineman added
Boston College offensive lineman Kevin Cline, who went undrafted, announced Sunday he signed with the Dolphins, giving the team 11 identified undrafted rookie additions.
Cline, who attended Boca Raton Christian High, started 11 games at right tackle last season (his first year as a full-time starter) and allowed five sacks and 15 pressures in 429 pass blocking snaps, per PFF.
Cline, who’s 6-7 and 320 pounds, was coached last season by Matt Applebaum, the Dolphins’ former offensive line coach and current assistant offensive line coach.
Here’s my piece on the other 10 undrafted rookies added by the Dolphins.
