The Miami Dolphins started Day 3 of the 2026 NFL draft strong on the defensive side of the ball, as they selected LB/EDGE Trey Moore at No. 130 and followed up at No. 138 with another versatile defender in hybrid linebacker who could play safety in Pittsburgh’s Kyle Louis.

However, the Dolphins revealed that they took Louis to play linebacker, and not safety, as Louis can fare very well up in the box. Spending four years at Pittsburgh, Louis was a standout at the Senior Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine.

Louis had a productive 2024 and 2025 in college and in those seasons totaled 182 combined tackles, 24 for loss, 10 sacks, six interceptions, a touchdown, six passes defensed, two forced fumbles and two recoveries. He was a second-team ALL-ACC player in 2025, and in those 11 games had 81 tackles, 8.5 for loss, three sacks and three passes defensed.

Another pick that truly fits Jon-Eric Sullivan’s tendencies, Louis has the versatility and athleticism to thrive, especially in a Jeff Hafley system that needs field flexibility. Louis has a Relative Athletic Score of 8.83 and could truly be a “robber” or star option for Hafley’s defense.

Louis can thrive in coverage as well as against the run, making him a very good fit for Hafley, and one the defensive-minded head coach will love to mold. Although not the biggest, he makes up for it with his athletic ability and speed, where his 4.53-second 40-yard dash was top-four among linebackers.

"He’s not very big, so durability against the run is probably my biggest concern long term. I really like how he plays, though. Will fit great for teams with a stout front who like to sit in nickel the entire game,” an NFC scout said of Louis.

More Dolphins: Dolphins 2026 NFL Draft tracker: Pick-by-pick analysis

This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: NFL draft: Dolphins LB Kyle Louis fits what Miami GM is looking for