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The Miami Dolphins finished 7-10 on the 2025 NFL season, which isn’t good, but when you consider they started 1-6, there were some positives down the stretch to build on next year. So, with that, the Dolphins turn their attention to the 2026 NFL Draft.
With Mike McDaniel seemingly staying and a new general manager coming in to replace Chris Grier, who will Miami take? We asked the PFF 2026 NFL mock draft simulator, and here’s what it came back with for the first three rounds.
The Dolphins need to replace Jaelen Phillips for sure, as the team finished T-15 (39) in sacks and T-20 in pressure rate (21.3%) this season. So, taking an edge rusher in the first round is not a bad idea.
However, Auburn defensive end Keldric Faulk is a risky pick at No. 11, especially when there are safer options still on the board.
Faulk looks like a superstar DE getting off the bus. He is 6-foot-6, 285 pounds with long arms and strength. That said, his production hasn’t quite measured up to his physical abilities yet.
As a sophomore in 2024, Faulk had a breakout season with 11.0 tackles for a loss and 7.0 sacks. Those numbers dropped to 5.0 and 2.0, respectively, in 2025, though, which is not what you want to see from an NFL prospect.
While Rueben Bain Jr. and David Bailey were gone at this point, according to the PFF 2026 NFL mock draft simulator, pass rushers like Romello Height, Cashius Howell, and T.J. Parker were still on the board. It may make sense for the Dolphins to go after one of these players, but Faulk is a high-risk, high-reward pick, who has more superstar potential than any edge rushers outside of Bain and Bailey.
One thing we learned in 2025 is that Tua Tagovailoa is not the long-term answer at quarterback for the Dolphins, and while Quinn Ewers had some intriguing moments, he probably isn’t either.
That means it is back to the drawing board at QB for Mike McDaniel, and taking one in the 2026 NFL Draft is probably on the menu.
After Fernando Mendoza and Dante Moore, the 2026 QB class falls off dramatically. Alabama’s Ty Simpson is likely in the next tier by himself, as the rest of the signal-callers likely won’t come off the board until the third round or later.
Simpson is a pocket passer with smarts, poise, accuracy, and pocket awareness. He isn’t a dynamic athlete, nor does he have a cannon for an arm. The Crimson Tide passer could develop into a high-end (though likely not elite) starter in the league.
So, while this pick makes sense, the question is, how much different is Simpson really from Tagovailoa and Ewers?
The Dolphins passed on tight end Tyler Warren in the 2025 NFL Draft in favor of...
