Dolphins select Texas Tech WR Caleb Douglas in third-round of 2026 NFL Draft
The Miami Dolphins selected Texas Tech wide receiver Caleb Douglas in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
This will be their first of three selections (No. 75, 87, 94) in the third round.
A 6-foot-4-inch receiver who ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, Douglas has above average size and a large catch radius, something that will surely help quarterback Malik Willis. The Dolphins had a huge hole at receiver following the trade of Jaylen Waddle which will allow Douglas to compete for a starting role from day one thanks to his 79-inch wingspan.
“It’s a great opportunity for real,” Douglas, 22, said of being drafted to the Dolphins, later adding that his ability to “stretch the field” and “play in small spaces despite my size” will be huge assets in Miami.
The issue: many draft analysts and evaluators had him pegged as a day three pick due to his several drops and struggles to separate on underneath routes.
Douglas spent the first two years of his collegiate career at Florida, where he racked up 21 catches for 318 yards and three touchdowns in a limited role. He subsequently transferred to Texas Tech and flourished. In 2024, he caught 60 balls for 877 yards and six touchdowns.
Arguably his best season came in 2025 when he finished with 54 catches for 846 yards and seven touchdowns enroute to the Red Raiders’ first College Football Playoff bid in program history.
“Caleb obviously brings some size to the room,” said Matt Winston, the Dolphins’ director of college scouting, who called Douglas a “good athlete” with a “big catch radius” that “can really get outside his frame” and “can run the full route tree.”
Added Winston: “As we build out this wide receiver room, he checks a lot of boxes.”
This was their second pick from Texas Tech after previously selecting linebacker Jacob Rodriguez in the second round. Douglas, for one, was ecstatic about the opportunity to reunite with his former teammate.
“Man, hey, I told J-Rod, ‘Hey, I can’t wait to be teammates again!’” Douglas said.
This story was originally published April 24, 2026 at 9:58 PM.
