Who the national evaluators have Dolphins selecting in their final mock drafts
This week’s NFL Draft will usher in a new group of Dolphins who ideally will become the nucleus of the new regime’s reincarnation of the team.
It also, thankfully, will mark the end of the way-too-protracted mock draft season.
Here’s how the evaluators with national platforms (or brands) forecast the Dolphins’ picks early in this draft, in what each deemed as their final mock drafts:
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.:
▪ 11th overall: UM offensive tackle/guard Francis Mauigoa: Kiper’s thinking: “Miami figures to have a run-heavy offense next season behind mobile quarterback Malik Willis and talented running back De’Von Achane, and Mauigoa would plow open some rushing lanes. If the Dolphins preferred, they could kick him inside, where I think he has a Pro Bowl ceiling.”
▪ 30th overall: Kiper has Miami trading the selection to Arizona and acquiring the 34th pick, which he has the Dolphins using on Alabama receiver Germie Bernard.
Kiper’s take: “Bernard has underrated speed [4.48] and superb hands, and new offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik could get creative in how he uses him. Bernard had 862 yards and seven TDs as a pass catcher last season, but he also ran for 101 yards and two scores.”
▪ 43rd overall: San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson: Kiper notes “Johnson has 4.4 speed and posted four interceptions and nine pass breakups last season. He is probably going to be my CB3 in the class, so this could end up being a steal for the Dolphins. They would love to find a starter in the middle of Round 2; they are in particularly rough shape at corner.”
ESPN’s Jordan Reid:
▪ At 11: Utah tackle/guard Spencer Fano. Reid has said that Miami likes Fano and justifies the pick this way: “A new regime typically likes to go QB with its first draft pick, but there isn’t one who makes sense for the Dolphins here. So, offensive tackle is the play, and Fano makes way too much sense as Miami looks to bolster its trenches.
“With Austin Jackson entering the final year of his contract and having durability concerns, Fano would provide a clear long-term option at right tackle. If GM Jon-Eric Sullivan stays true to his Packers roots, he’ll want a lineman with versatility. That’s Fano, who is capable of playing any spot up front.”
▪ At 30: Auburn edge player Keldric Faulk. Reid says he’s “another prospect who has a wide range of where he could get drafted. I wouldn’t be shocked if Miami took him with its earlier first-round pick, but he goes here in this projection.
“The Dolphins want to start their rebuild in the trenches and have a long enough runway to give the young Faulk [he turns 22 in September] time to develop. At 6-foot-6, 276 pounds, Faulk is NFL-ready as a run defender but will need further development to scratch his ceiling as a pass rusher.”
▪ At 43: Georgia Tech guard Keylan Rutledge: “Few blockers play with more forcefulness and intensity than Rutledge, who would bring an edge to a Jets team that needs it. He’s capable of playing all three positions on the line, and his physicality flashes on tape.”
▪ Four third-rounders: 1). North Dakota State receiver Bryce Lance at 75: “Lance is a long-striding, speedy target who averaged 21.2 yards per reception last season. He would track with Sullivan’s tendency to draft receivers on Day 2.”
2). South Carolina safety Jalon Kilgore at 87: “Kilgore is an interchangeable player who projects best in a STAR type of role on a Dolphins team that’s rebuilding from the ground up.”
3). Texas Tech edge player Romello Height at 90: “Height projects as a designated pass rusher who has excellent bend to accelerate around blockers. He finished with 10 sacks last season.”
4). Indiana receiver Elijah Surratt at 94: “Surratt won’t impress anyone with his vertical speed, but he understands how to put his body in position to haul in passes. He could contribute right away for a Dolphins team without Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle this season.”
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler:
▪ 11th overall: Auburn edge player Faulk. Brugler’s thinking: “First-year general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan spent the past 20 years in the Green Bay organization, and there is plenty about Faulk’s profile that screams ‘Packers.’ His speed and length on the edge at 275 pounds would make for a promising building block on a rebuilding roster.”
▪ 30th overall: San Diego State’s Johnson: Brugler: “I don’t think anyone expects this pick to be a quarterback or running back, but every other position might be on the table as the Dolphins facelift their roster. Cornerback certainly falls in the ‘need’ category, and Johnson has the talent and intangibles to be a cornerstone player on defense.”
▪ 43rd overall: Louisville receiver Chris Bell. He’s a big (6-1), physical target but is coming off a late-season ACL tear.
▪ The Dolphins’ four third-round picks: Northwestern offensive tackle Caleb Tiernan (75th), Stanford tight end Sam Roush (87th), TCU safety Bud Clark (90th) and Florida defensive tackle Darrell Jackson Jr. (94th).
SI.com’s Albert Breer and Connor Orr:
▪ Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane at 11 and Texas A&M receiver KC Concepcion at 30.
“There are people who think [Ioane] the best lineman in the draft, but he’s a guard,” Breer said. “How do you feel about taking a guard that high? The comp I heard on him is Tyler Booker, who was dynamite in Dallas as a rookie. A bully of a guard, clean character. The idea of building from the inside out makes sense.”
ESPN’s Peter Schrager:
▪ At 11: UM’s Mauigoa: Schrager said “ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Mauigoa has a herniated disk in his back, and teams will have to be comfortable with that. I still think he’s a high pick. Mauigoa is an immediate starter, and new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan needs to find a bunch of those.”
▪ At 30, Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy: Schrager said “the concerns around McCoy’s knee are real, so I think he does go a little later than previously thought. But ... I don’t think he falls out of the first round. The Dolphins have 11 picks in this draft, and considering the state of their cornerback room, this is a swing worth taking. When healthy, McCoy can be a difference-maker.”
NFL.com’s Chad Reuter:
▪ At 11: Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate: Reuter says: “Though Tate lacks the elite physical traits typically associated with a top-10 pick, he is the top receiver in this draft. Miami’s new quarterback,Malik Willis, will love throwing to this former Buckeye, who runs crisp routes and possesses downfield playmaking skills.”
Reuter has Miami trading the 30th pick.
▪ At No. 43: Indiana cornerback D’Angelo Ponds. He’s a ball-hawk with two interceptions, a forced fumble and a blocked kick for the national champs last season.
▪ The four third-rounders: 75th (traded), 87th (Georgia tight end Oscar Delp), 89th via hypothetical trade (Arizona safety Genesis Smith), 90th (Penn State running back Kaytron Allen) and 94th (Kentucky guard Jalen Farmer).
Per NFL rules, the Dolphins can bring in as many as 30 draft prospects to their headquarters (not including players who attended high school or college in South Florida). I’ve confirmed 23 of the Dolphins’ 30; here’s a look at those 23.
This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 1:07 PM.
