The Miami Dolphins completed their 2026 NFL draft and rookie general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan helped create a new mindset in this foundational team build. With the theme of the draft being youthful leadership with versatility and physicality to help create a new culture and identity of Dolphins football, Sullivan did rather well.

He made multiple trades moving up and down the board and ended up with 13 players, which is the most in any Dolphins draft class since 1997.

Here’s how the individual picks and the overall class graded out.

After moving back one spot with the Dallas Cowboys, Sullivan selected a mammoth tackle in Proctor, who could actually play four positions across the offensive line. He could move inside to guard and eventually find a home as a right tackle of the future.

It will be interesting to see where he immediately lines up, and there is intrigue to project him as a left guard next to left tackle Patrick Paul to create a terrific blindside protection for quarterback Malik Willis, as well as an outstanding blocking duo for running back De’Von Achane.

Although some say talented players were passed on, Proctor can help create a power, smashmouth component for a Miami line that has been rather soft, especially in short-yardage run blocking.

This time, moving up a few picks in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers, Sullivan selected scheme, versatile, lockdown cornerback Chris Johnson, out of San Diego State. While he projects to be an outside cornerback, Sullivan stated that there could even be slot potential for the fluid and smooth defensive back.

He was the NFL Scouting Combine’s top-rated corner in Athletic Score and created nightmares for quarterbacks and receivers last year as the Mountain West Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year. Went targeted against, Johnson held passers to a dismal 16.1 quarterback rating in 2025 and didn’t allow a touchdown against, while recording a coverage grade of 92.8. He picked of four passes, taking two for touchdowns last season.

Perhaps the most popular pick among the fanbase and celebrated by football analysts as potentially the best linebacker in the class, Jacob Rodriguez was a well-decorated award winner and a captain out of Texas Tech. Playing a year at Virginia and as a quarterback as well as other offensive roles, he transferred to Texas Tech and spent four years with the Red Raiders. He was a turnover machine, forcing seven fumbles and intercepting four passes in his 2025 All-American season on the way to being Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.

He has given fans vibes of former Dolphins Hall of Fame linebacker and Texas Tech standout Zach Thomas. He also joins another Texas Tech alum, Jordyn Brooks, in the Miami linebacker’s room. Rodriguez can start his career as a weak-side linebacker and eventually move inside. He has superstar written all over him.

Staying in-state and in school, with another Texas Tech prospect, Sullivan selected wide receiver Caleb Douglas, which was a surprise to many at this point in the draft. Although there were several more popular names at the position on the board, he has a good profile.

Douglas is nearly 6-foot-4 with 4.39 speed and has a 79-inch wingspan, which helps his catch radius and ability to go up and get 50/50 balls. He is also a very willing and able blocker who can help downfield in the run game. He is an outside receiver who can stretch the field and will compete for depth positioning as a rookie, but could eventually become a starter.

Another pick that created a bit of surprise, but makes a lot of sense when jumping into Sullivan’s mindset in what he is trying to do, is Ohio State's 6-foot-6 tight end, Will Kacmarek. As an old school style inline “Y”, he is the best blocking tight end in this year’s draft class, and extremely physical and dominant in that area of play.

He also has outstanding hands and will pretty much catch anything thrown his way.  He is an extension of the offensive line and could help bring that power component to South Florida that first-round pick Kadyn Proctor referenced in his introductory press conference.

Despite there being plenty of bigger names and popular players at other positions of need, this was a pick that went against a traditional league-wide best player available mindset, and was more so Sullivan’s best player available for his vision.

Perhaps the pick with the most upside and that could be considered a massive steal is wide receiver Chris Bell out of Louisville. Although rebounding from an ACL tear, which was the reason for his fall to the third round, Bell is an outstanding target with flexibility at the “X” or “Z”. He was a First-Team All ACC player last season despite the late injury, and caught 72 passes for 917 yards and six touchdowns.

He has good size at 6-foot-2, and keeping to the theme of what the Dolphins are trying to implement, has a physicality that will be one of his top attributes when he gets fully healthy and on the field.

Sullivan’s first pick of Day 3 was a savvy one in versatile linebacker, Trey Moore of Texas. Although not the biggest, he makes up for that with his intelligence and outstanding spin move to make him a quality pass rusher who is very productive collegiately. He started his college career at the University of Texas-San Antonio, where he was a conference leader in tackles for loss in 2022 with 18, as well as 2023 with 17.5, while also leading in sacks with 14, before transferring to Texas for his final two seasons.

A role model type of a player, and highly intelligent, he was a finalist for the William Campbell Trophy, which is otherwise known as the Academic Heisman. He finished his two seasons at Texas with 8.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss, along with four passes defensed, two forced fumbles, and three recoveries.

One of the more outstanding picks in this class and a steal in the fourth round, Kyle Louis of Pittsburgh, was a team captain and has the versatility to be a nickel linebacker with safety traits for head coach Jeff Hafley. At just 6-foot-0, he makes up for his size with his 4.53 speed, athleticism, physicality, and football IQ, who can be great against the run as well as in coverage, and displays well-timed blitzing.