Mock My Words: 2026 Dolphins Draft

[Sunstroke]

OK, I am bored and Fanspeak.com came out with a new layout for their mock drafting tool this past week, so...I ran a 4 rounder (6 phins' picks)

I didn't pay for the premium this year, so no trades at all.

Fanspeak has Miami's need positions as:  OT - Edge - QB - CB - TE - C - S. 

I waited on QB, as the only 1st rounder I could get was Ty Simpson, who I am not sure is any better than Quinn Ewers at this point.

And away we go...

Rd 1 (11):  Spencer Fano, OT, Utah  -  From what I've seen, he's a good one.
Rd 2 (43):  Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon  -  Wasn't planning on mocking TE this early, but didn't expect the top TE in this class to fall to this spot.
Rd 3 (75):  Connor Lew, OC,  Auburn  -  If I'm focusing a little on the line, the top C in the class here makes a lot of sense
Rd 3 (87):  Julian Neal, CB, Arkansas  -  Best CB left on my board. This is where I pay for focusing on the OL early.
Rd 3 (90):  Malachi Lawrence, EDGE, UCF  -  Happy to see him here, doubt he'll last this long in April. UCF didn't have a great year, but Lawrence sure did...
Rd 4 (111):  Drew Allar, QB, Penn St  -  Someone to give a little comp to Ewers.

Thoughts, opinions? Are there other positions you guys feel should be more highly prioritized? Any specific players you're lighting candles for?

[Sibster]

I went to Profootballnetwork.com.   Free trades and all seven rounds.   I traded down 12 spots with Philly, and then traded Philly's pick to Chicago, picking up a second, a third and a fourth in the process.   I then traded down ten spots in the seventh with Minnesota picking up an extra seventh.  Here's my results:

25. (from CHI) Monroe Freeling- OT Georgia

43. Denzel Boston- WR Washington

55. Colton Hood- CB Tennessee

68. (from PHI) Trinidad Chambliss- QB Ole Miss

75. Derrick Moore- EDGE Michigan

87. Gracen Halton- DT Oklahoma

90. Sam Roush- TE Stanford

149. Febechi Nwaiwu- OG Oklahoma

163. (from CHI) Mike Washington Jr.- RB Arkansas

202. Kyle Louis- LB Pittsburgh

234. (from MIN) Cole Wisniewski- S Texas Tech

244. (from MIN) Reggie Virgil- WR Texas Tech

Not a bad haul if I say so myself.   I filled every single need, shored up the O-Line as well as the entire defense.   Plus got a QB that can sling it and take off to give Ewers competition.   Also reinforced the receiving corps since Hill is on his last legs (no pun intended) and Waddle is disgruntled and wants out.   

[Pappy13]

Rd 1 (11):  Spencer Fano, OT, Utah  -  From what I've seen, he's a good one.
Rd 2 (43):  Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon  -  Wasn't planning on mocking TE this early, but didn't expect the top TE in this class to fall to this spot.
Rd 3 (75):  Connor Lew, OC,  Auburn  -  If I'm focusing a little on the line, the top C in the class here makes a lot of sense
Rd 3 (87):  Julian Neal, CB, Arkansas  -  Best CB left on my board. This is where I pay for focusing on the OL early.
Rd 3 (90):  Malachi Lawrence, EDGE, UCF  -  Happy to see him here, doubt he'll last this long in April. UCF didn't have a great year, but Lawrence sure did...
Rd 4 (111):  Drew Allar, QB, Penn St  -  Someone to give a little comp to Ewers.

You're a little light defensively for my taste, but like you said, if you are going to focus on the line, you are going to have to take it in the shorts somewhere else, so I'm ok with this especially if you pick up a few more defensive players (maybe a safety) in rounds 5-7.

[Sunstroke]

The Waddle trade means that Miami now has 8 picks in the first 4 rounds. For mock draft junkies, this makes me feel like a kid in a draft candy store.

New mock...

1-11  OT  Spencer Fano  (good OT class, but I really like the first rounders)
1-30  OG  Olaivavega Ioane  (adding the best IOL in this class just feels good, even if 95% of phins fans will never learn how to say or spell his name right)
2-11  DE  Cashius Howell  (hey, those trenches won't fill themselves)
3-11  WR  Chris Bell  (6'2" possession type that can play inside or out)
3-23   S   Genesis Smith  (big athletic db to develop)
3-26  CB  Malik Muhammad  (day one starter who shouldn't have slid this far)
3-30  LB  Kyle Louis  (either a small-ish off-ball LB or possibly a strong safety)
4-11  QB  Drew Allar (another warm body to fill the QB room and...well, cross your fingers...)

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

You must really like Fano and Allar you picked them in the same spots in both mocks. 

[Sunstroke]

You must really like Fano and Allar you picked them in the same spots in both mocks. 

Yeah, Fano is good at that spot. Wish Miami could get Mauigoa at #11, but it's unlikely.  Allar, just because I addressed other need positions with the first 7 picks, and I think you should draft a late round QB every year, just because...  Other QBs in that area are Carson Beck and Garrett Nussmeier...and I think Allar is a little better.

[Sibster]

The Waddle trade means that Miami now has 8 picks in the first 4 rounds. For mock draft junkies, this makes me feel like a kid in a draft candy store.

New mock...

1-11  OT  Spencer Fano  (good OT class, but I really like the first rounders)
1-30  OG  Olaivavega Ioane  (adding the best IOL in this class just feels good, even if 95% of phins fans will never learn how to say or spell his name right)
2-11  DE  Cashius Howell  (hey, those trenches won't fill themselves)
3-11  WR  Chris Bell  (6'2" possession type that can play inside or out)
3-23   S   Genesis Smith  (big athletic db to develop)
3-26  CB  Malik Muhammad  (day one starter who shouldn't have slid this far)
3-30  LB  Kyle Louis  (either a small-ish off-ball LB or possibly a strong safety)
4-11  QB  Drew Allar (another warm body to fill the QB room and...well, cross your fingers...)

Howell is projected as a mid to late first rounder.   Bell is targeted in the late second round as is Muhammad.   I think you're rating them a bit low.

[Phishfan]

Howell is projected as a mid to late first rounder.   Bell is targeted in the late second round as is Muhammad.   I think you're rating them a bit low.

I'm pretty sure that he is using a draft simulator (is that what you call it) so the tool is rating them low or your sources too high.

[Sunstroke]

Yes, there are 9-10 different media sources that provide the draft rankings. The average of these is called "Average All Mocks" which include all of their databases.  Additionally, you dictate where on the scale between "player ranking" and "team needs".  I lean about 3/4 toward team needs.

but yeah, there are a ton of the individual player projections that boggle my mind...

[CF DolFan]

Wish Miami could get Mauigoa at #11, but it's unlikely.

That's who I'm hoping for as well. Would love to see him stay in South Florida. I'm also am holding out a little hope for either Akheem Mesidor or Keionte Scott.

[Sibster]

Wish Miami could get Mauigoa at #11, but it's unlikely. 

That's who I'm hoping for as well. Would love to see him stay in South Florida. I'm also am holding out a little hope for either Akheem Mesidor or Keionte Scott.

Unlikely at 11, but if they really see him as their guy, they have extra picks to play with.  They could package one or more of those with their #11 pick to move up a few spots to get him.   

[Sibster]

Did another one on Pro Football Network using ESPN's rankings.   I traded up with Cleveland to move up to #6 in the first round, parting with my earliest third round pick in the process, then traded my late first round pick (#30) to Arizona for their second round pick (#34) and their third round pick.   I also traded back with Buffalo in the third round as well picking up a later rounder.  Here is my results:


6.  Francis Mauigoa  OT Miami (FL)  (from Cleveland)

34. Kayden McDonald DT Ohio State (from Arizona)

75. Malachi Lawrence EDGE UCF

90. Sam Hecht OC Kansas State

91. Ja'Kobi Lane  WR USC (from Buffalo)

94. Dallen Bentley TE Utah

104. Jadon Canady CB Oregon  (from Arizona)

130. Keith Abney II CB Arizona State

151. Bryson Eason DT Tennessee

165. Fernando Carmona Jr. OG Arkansas (from Buffalo)

227. Anthony Lucas  EDGE USC

238. Red Murdock  LB Buffalo
Pretty good haul if you ask me.  Got the stud tackle in Mauigoa, addressed the trenches heavily as well as the defensive secondary.   Also added two big pass catching targets the new coach likes to have.   What do you think, Sunstroke?

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Unlikely at 11, but if they really see him as their guy, they have extra picks to play with.  They could package one or more of those with their #11 pick to move up a few spots to get him.   

If you have very few holes you trade up to get the guy you are certain to fill that one hole.  If you have many holes you trade down, try to fill as many holes as possible.  Once you are at a point where you have only a few holes you can start getting strategic at filling specific spots. 

[Sunstroke]

I'm usually a "go up to get your guy" draft philosopher, but Hood's got a good point. Miami really is in full-on rebuild mode, and those 4 picks in round 3 look like excellent bricks to build with.

Still, Mauigoa sure would look great in a Phins uniform...

[Sibster]

If you have very few holes you trade up to get the guy you are certain to fill that one hole.  If you have many holes you trade down, try to fill as many holes as possible.  Once you are at a point where you have only a few holes you can start getting strategic at filling specific spots. 

I'm usually a "go up to get your guy" draft philosopher, but Hood's got a good point. Miami really is in full-on rebuild mode, and those 4 picks in round 3 look like excellent bricks to build with.

Still, Mauigoa sure would look great in a Phins uniform...

Normally I would agree with Hood's point, but a guy like Mauigoa is going to be a stud left tackle for the next 10 years.   He could be the second coming of Orlando Pace.  You know what that guy did for the Rams.