Dolphins select Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez in second round of 2026 NFL Draft
The Miami Dolphins picked Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez with the No. 43 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
A leader on the Red Raider’s top-rated defense, Rodriguez was undoubtedly the best linebacker in college football during the 2025 season, winning the Chuck Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Award, Lombardi Award and Butkus Awards in addition to being named a first-team unanimous All-American and Big-12 Defensive Player of the Year.
“I’m a very versatile player; I can play kind of all around the field and do whatever the team needs for me,” Rodriguez, 23, said Friday evening, making sure to acknowledge the talent that he played with — the New York Jets picked one of his teammates in David Bailey No. 2 overall while Carolina Panthers snagged Lee Hunter in the second round — that made his job “fun.”
“It was fun for me to just be able to set them up for success,” the 6-foot-1-inch, 231-pound linebacker continued. “If we get those guys going and playing hard, all I have to do is do my job.”
Rodriguez finished his senior year with 122 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, four picks and a FBS-high seven forced fumbles. He followed that up with a dominant Senior Bowl performance in which he showcased his coverage chops.
For a team that needs tough players that can begin to change the team’s culture, the Dolphins expect Rodriguez to help in that area.
“He’s a flag-bearer, captain and is going to walk in day one and be that type of guy,” said Dolphins assistant general manager Kyle Smith. “He takes the ball away, run game, pass game, three-down player. Go down the list of every single attribute that you want at an inside linebacker and that’s what this guy is.”
A former quarterback who converted to linebacker after his freshman year, Rodriguez uses his days as a signal caller to “see the field” differently.
“At first, you’re really just trying to understand how to play coverage and how to play defense in general,” Rodriguez said. “A lot of it started it with middle close, play your gap and then run to the ball. There was never really any overlap or playing within the scheme of the defense. It took me about a year to finally understand scheme and with my back to coverage, how to play and move around with people and communicate.”
With fellow former Red Raider Jordyn Brooks coming off an All-Pro season in which he led the league in tackles, one of the linebacker spots is already solidified. That means Rodriguez will have to challenge Tyrel Dodson to potentially start next to Brooks.
This story was originally published April 24, 2026 at 7:58 PM.
