NFL Mock Draft 2026: Our third Miami Dolphins seven-round projection to scout players

We move on to week three of our Miami Dolphins scouting mock draft. This seven-round projection for the Dolphins is not necessarily about finding the right selection at each pick, but about finding names who might be under consideration. We then take a closer look at what is being said about that player.

As such, I also rule out players who were picked during the last two mocks, because there is no reason to take a second look at a player yet. After the NFL Scouting Combine, I will add those players back into the pool to get an updated look at them with their combine results.

I use Pro Football and Sports Network’s mock draft simulator to give me the structure of the projection, using the consensus rankings to see who will be on the board for each of Miami’s selections. Trades are allowed during this mock – but I do not create the trade, only respond if one is offered to me.

With that, let’s get into this week’s scouting mock draft:

2026 NFL Miami Dolphins Mock Draft Results – 3rd Edition

(I made picks using the PFSN Mock Draft Simulator)

Pick 11 – Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

The Dolphins released wide receiver Tyreek Hill on Monday, a move that was expected but does leave the wide receiver depth chart wanting. Tate, who is widely considered the number one receiver on the board this year, falling to Miami at 11 seems ideal. He brings size to the position group immediately, adding a 6-foot-3, 200-pound target to the Dolphins’ offense. I do not know if he could actually be a consideration at 11, or if a team would try to jump up to grab him if he is falling like this, but if he is there, Miami might need not need to think about whose name should be on their draft card.

Lance Zierlein, NFL.com: Ascending “Z” receiver who continues to step out from the shadow of Ohio State teammate Jeremiah Smith. Tate has good size but would benefit from more play strength. He builds momentum quickly on intermediate and deep routes, utilizing speed and tempo to pressure cornerbacks. He can win over the top on verticals or separate over the first two levels with route savvy and separation burst. Tate tracks throws at top speed and makes his adjustments to run under them. He combines timing, body control and catch radius to dominate air space and consistently lands on the winning side of contested catches. Pass catching comes effortlessly with soft, strong hands and he consistently works back on throws to keep ballhawks from hawking. Tate displays rare polish for a player his age and has the talent to become a heralded pro within his first three seasons. –

NFL Draft Buzz: Watch Tate’s tape and you see a receiver who wins with precision, body control, and an understanding of how to attack coverage rather than pure athleticism. Tate profiles as a classic X or movement-Z receiver who will thrive in the intermediate areas where timing and route discipline matter most. His ability to manipulate defenders at the stem, track deep throws, and come down with contested catches gives him a clear path to starting snaps early in his career. The question scouts will debate is whether he represents a true alpha receiver or an elite complementary piece.

Scheme fit matters here. West Coast systems and timing-based offenses will get the most out of what he does well. Tate excels in that 10-to-20-yard range where he can work against zone coverage, find soft spots, and convert third downs. His game reminds me more of Chris Olave than Garrett Wilson when looking at recent Ohio State products. He is a technician who separates with nuance, not a receiver who is going to run past NFL corners consistently. That is not necessarily a limitation, but it does define his role. The combine and pro day will be massive for his draft stock. If that 4.6 number holds up in Indianapolis, it could push him out of the top 15. But if he runs in the low 4.5s and proves the stopwatch wrong, watch his name climb boards in a hurry.

The production, the pedigree, and the polish are all there. Tate played opposite elite talent throughout his college career and still commanded targets when defenses had every reason to take him away. His championship experience, academic profile, and leadership qualities add to the package. There is a floor here that should comfort any team selecting him, even if the ceiling may not quite reach the special category. He is a Day 1 contributor with third-down value who should settle in as a productive starter for years. –

Damian Parson, Bleacher Report: Carnell Tate is next in the Ohio State pipeline of secondary wide receivers capable of emerging as a primary target at the NFL level.

Tate’s height and wingspan offer a quarterback-friendly target. He extends the catch point away from his frame and plucks the ball from the air. Tate is a bouncy athlete who can climb the ladder over defenders at the catch point. He has soft, reliable hands and excellent ball tracking skills.

Mike Renner, CBS Sports: Tate joined Ohio State’s program as a 5-star recruit in the 2023 class, per 247Sports. Tate thrives in the WR2 role in the Ohio State Buckeyes’ offense.

Carnell Tate is a ready-made deep threat with the most effortless ball skills in the class. He didn’t drop a single pass this season and hauled in 12 of 14 contested catches, according to PFF. –

Pick 43 – Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State

I did not include an offensive line prospect in last week’s scouting mock draft until the seventh round. This week, I start early with the first of two players to add to the line for Miami. Iheanachor might be a developmental project who needs a little time before he hits his full potential, having only started playing football in college, but he has shown flashes that might make him a first-round pick and a Week 1 starter. If Miami were to select him here with the idea that he competes for the starting right tackle position with Austin Jackson and, if he does not win the spot, they are happy with him sitting for a year to continue to grow into the job. This might be a really strong canidadte if he is on the board in the second round.

Lance Zierlein, NFL.com: An ascending, traits-heavy tackle prospect, Iheanachor is a former high school hooper and late-comer to football. He has good length and excellent lean mass. His hands and footwork need refinement, but his range and play strength should translate to any run scheme. There is work to do with pass-protection technique, but strong performances against Texas Tech’s rush duo last season and at the Senior Bowl suggest Iheanachor might be more game-ready than I previously anticipated. In a year light on high-end tackles, Iheanachor’s measurables, athleticism and upside could push him up the board.

NFL Draft Buzz: Watch any Arizona State game and you’ll see it within the first five plays: Iheanachor moves like no 325-pound tackle should be allowed to move. The feet are light, the hips are loose, and there is a natural athleticism baked into everything he does that you simply cannot teach. His pass protection numbers from 2025 tell you he’s already figured out enough to survive at a high level, and the Senior Bowl week confirmed that this wasn’t just a product of Big 12 competition. He held his own against legitimate NFL-caliber rushers in Mobile, and the buzz around him afterwards was well-earned. This is a player whose ceiling is genuinely scary in the best possible way.

Here’s the deal, though. The run blocking is a tier below the pass protection right now, and the technique still has stretches where it looks like a guy who’s only been playing football for five years. Because that’s exactly what he is. The hand placement wanders, the recognition against complex fronts wavers, and there will be possessions where he looks lost before snapping back into dominance on the very next series. That inconsistency is the cost of betting on upside over polish, and whichever team invests in him needs to understand that the bad reps are going to come, especially early. He had a 97.6% career pressure efficiency rate, which is strong, but the 16 penalties and occasional protection breakdowns remind you that the floor can dip when the processing slows down.

The ideal landing spot is a zone-heavy offense with a strong offensive line coach and enough veteran presence on the line that Iheanachor doesn’t have to carry the unit from day one. If he can sit behind an established starter or at least split time during his rookie year while refining his hand technique and protection calls, the payoff could be enormous. His physical tools and competitive fire put him in rare company among the tackles in this class. He is not the most polished blocker available, but he might have the highest ceiling of any of them. In a draft cycle thin on blue-chip tackle talent, that combination of traits and trajectory makes him a legitimate value pick.

Brandon Thorn, Bleacher Report: Max Iheanachor is a relative newcomer to football and his lack of experience shows up in unrefined footwork, inconsistent leverage and some glaring losses. However, he has the frame and quickness to develop into a swing tackle and starter during his rookie contract inside a veteran-led NFL offensive line room.

Iheanachor is a 6’6”, 330-pound offensive line prospect, who entered the Arizona State program as a 3-star JUCO recruit in the 2023 class.

Iheanachor started 14 games at right tackle last season and five during the 2023 campaign. He was born in Nigeria where he played soccer and eventually excelled in basketball during high school. Iheanachor did not start playing football until his time at East Los Angeles College (JUCO) in 2021.

Chris Pflum, Big Blue View: Iheanachor projects as a starting offensive lineman at the NFL level.

The big question is just how much development he will need to take a starting job. He’s only been playing football for five years and just three of those years are in a major college program. It’s possible that Iheanachor can win a starting job right away, but he may also need a year or two before he’s ready to start. While more old school evaluators will want to convert him to left tackle due to his athleticism, teams should view him as a right tackle prospect. Iheanachor has only played right tackle in college, and it isn’t worth it to try and reconstruct his technique for the left side. Instead, teams should keep him where he’s familiar and shorten his learning curve as much as possible.

Regardless, he has “first round” traits that border on “elite.” He might be viewed as a second round pick purely due to his inexperience, but his upside could well get him drafted in the first round. There’s a real chance that Iheanachor becomes the best tackle to come out of this draft class if he lands in a good situation with the right development.

Pick 75 – Derrick Moore, Edge, Michigan

Moore might not be the flashy, top prospect as an edge rusher this year, but he should be a solid contributor who can continue to develop as he gets more playing time. He is a better pass rusher than a run stopper, but he is not horrible against the run. He uses his explosion off the line as his primary pass rush move, but may find NFL offensive linemen are prepared for that. Getting playing time as a rotational edge while continuing development may be the right answer here.

Lance Zierlein, NFL.com: Edge prospect with good size and length. Moore is far more active and engaged as a rusher than he is as a run defender. He has the ability to set firm edges, but his approach against the run can lack urgency. Against the pass, Moore is a bull-rush aficionado, piling up pressures and sacks. He’s strong through the top of the rush but needs to prove he can consistently stress long, well-anchored tackles. When it’s time to finish, he tackles with reliable technique and timing. If Moore cranks up the fire on all three downs, he can become a good full-time player. Either way, he projects as a starter capable of racking up pressures.

K.C. Martinez, NFL Draft Buzz: Raw power matched with lightning quickness off the edge defines Moore’s game, but technical refinement stands between him and consistent production at the next level. His pass rush approach often hits a wall when initial burst doesn’t win, leaving him without counters when tackles anchor against his primary moves. The motor never quits, though. Moore runs with the kind of relentless energy that defensive coaches covet, chasing down plays from the backside and fighting through trash to affect quarterbacks. This effort partially masks technique deficiencies, particularly against the run where his pad level rises and compromises his leverage advantage. What makes Moore tantalizing is the foundation of physical gifts that can’t be taught – the bend, the burst, the frame. These traits will earn him early opportunities as a designated pass rusher while his every-down skillset develops. Creative defensive schemes will maximize his versatility by moving him around the formation, creating favorable matchups that leverage his athletic testing against less mobile blockers. Moore’s ceiling ultimately depends on how quickly he can translate his natural tools into refined technique – something that will determine whether he becomes an impact starter or remains a situational player at the next level.

Matt Holder, Bleacher Report: Derrick Moore is a well-put-together pass-rusher who did an excellent job of expanding his repertoire this season to have an impressive senior year. The 6’3”, 260-pound edge defender went from winning almost exclusively with speed to power to adding a nice inside counter move and becoming more explosive this season.

Moore went to Michigan as a 4-star recruit in the 2022 class and was a contributor off the bench, collecting a couple of sacks as a true freshman.

He got more playing time in Year 2, becoming an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection with 34 tackles, six tackles for loss, five sacks and two passes defended for the National Champs.

As a junior, the Baltimore, Maryland native became a starter and received honorable mention All-Big Ten honors again, collecting 23 tackles, six TFLs, four sacks and two PDs. This year, he cracked double digits in sacks (10), had 30 tackles, 10.5 TFLs and 3 PDs.

Chris Pflum, Big Blue View: Moore projects as a rotational edge defender with scheme diversity at the NFL level.

Moore is the type of player that a defensive coordinator should feel good about having on the field in just about any circumstance. He can impact the run and pass, and is disciplined enough to avoid hurting your team. Moore also understands who he is and has tailored his game to fit. He doesn’t throw a huge variety of moves at blockers only to have few of them work. Instead, he’s a tight, focused rusher and a reliable run defender.

However, he is also somewhat limited as an athlete – at least compared to the elite at the position. That could prevent him from ever becoming a truly feared pass rusher, which might be enough to keep him from being a starter. That said, he should still be a very valuable player as a third edge who plays a high volume of snaps to both spell and play alongside starters.

Pick 87 – Zakee Wheatley, S, Penn State

The Dolphins’ defense under new head coach Jeff Hafley is likely going to run a lot of single-high safety looks, letting a free safety play center field while the strong safety is moved around the defense to create different looks and mismatches. Wheatley’s strong suit is playing as a single-high free safety. He is not pigeon-holed in that role, however, and could be used in coverage and as a run-supporter at times as well. He is not Minkah Fitzpatrick, but he does have some of the Swiss Army Knife traits.

NFL Draft Buzz: Wheatley has all the tools NFL defensive coordinators covet in today’s passing league – the speed to erase mistakes, the instincts to create turnovers, and the versatility to handle multiple assignments. Watch him trigger from his deep alignment and close on intermediate routes, and you see a player who understands leverage and spacing at an advanced level.

His 6’2”, 200-pound frame combined with that blazing speed gives him the physical toolkit to match up with the league’s new breed of athletic tight ends and slot receivers. The film shows a player who processes information quickly, rarely gets fooled by misdirection, and consistently finds himself around the football. When he commits to being physical in run support, he can absolutely stone runners at the second level. The key word there is “commits” because the aggression comes and goes.

This is a solid starting safety prospect who should develop into a reliable contributor at the next level. The team that drafts Wheatley gets a versatile defensive back who can play strong or free, drop into the slot in dime packages, and occasionally roll down as a robber. He’s already shown the mental toughness to handle big stages, evidenced by his monster performance against Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl. Give him a position coach who demands consistent physicality and a defensive coordinator who understands how to maximize his range and ball skills, and you’re looking at someone who can anchor a secondary for years.

Pick 90 – Sam Hecht, C, Kansas State

Hecht is a solid center. That is a great statement, and would give Miami a depth option for the position. They could look to use him at guard while serving as the backup center to Aaron Brewer, and he has the athleticism to pull from that position. He will need to add muscle to his build for the NFL level, but a solid interior offensive lineman here is a solid option for the Dolphins.

Lance Zierlein, NFL.com: Hecht lacks ideal mass and length but it will be hard to find a center in this year’s draft with better technique. He plays with well-placed inside hands that help maximize his leverage and core strength. All schemes are available to him but his athleticism will shine when activated in space. He stays sticky to blocks once he connects, but his lack of length will put him on the wrong side of the battle from time to time in both the run and pass phases. Hecht needs to add more muscle mass to his frame but he has the consistency and tape of a future starter.

Brandon Thorn, Bleacher Report: Sam Hecht is a thickly built, sturdy, and alert presence at the pivot who won’t overwhelm or wow in space but has solid play strength and clear eyes to hold ground, sort movement, and keep the offense on schedule. Hecht’s mediocre power and recovery skills cap his ceiling, but his consistency on tape this year signals a high floor swing interior backup who can earn a starting job during his rookie contract.

Hecht is a 6’4”, 300-pound interior line prospect who entered the Kansas State program as an unranked recruit in the 2021 class.

Hecht is a two-year starting center who earned All-Big 12 Second Team honors from the coaches after 13 starts in 2024. He was born on April 3, 2003, and accepted his invite to the 2026 Senior Bowl.

Pick 111 – Eli Raridon, TE, Notre Dame

Some will hate considering Raridon here because he has a major injury history – two ACL tears to the same knee in 2021 and 2022. But, he has performed well since those injuries and he could be a developmental option who will find early success if used the right way. He is a willing blocker who will get better with added strength. He makes his money as an inline tight end who can get into the seam and be a threat over the middle of the field. The tight end position has been a work in progress over the past several seasons, which could bring Raridon into consideration here.

Lance Zierlein, NFL.com: Projects as a “Y” tight end with the ability to play and produce on all three downs. In the pros, Raridon might spend more time with his hand in the ground than he did at Notre Dame. He blocks with solid technique and good tenacity but still needs to add muscle mass to his long frame. The Notre Dame passing attack opened him up on intermediate hash throws against zone but he also has sneaky build-up speed and ball skills to make catches down the field. Raridon needs more experience but is an ascending talent who should become the seventh Notre Dame tight end drafted over the last nine years.

NFL Draft Buzz: Watch enough tape on Raridon and you see a tight end who can contribute right away in specific packages while developing into something more substantial with proper coaching and strength work. His length and ball skills create real matchup problems attacking the middle of the field against zone coverage, exactly the type of weapon coordinators love deploying on second-and-six to generate explosive plays. The blocking has come far enough that he won’t hurt you out there, though asking him to consistently stone defensive ends one-on-one right now might be asking too much. Medical evaluation determines everything with this kid, but assuming doctors sign off on those knees, you’re getting a tight end who can handle three-down work within a couple years.

Raridon fits best in offenses that value vertical passing concepts and deploy multiple tight end sets where his blocking doesn’t need to be elite every snap. Teams running heavy play-action will love how he threatens safeties deep and opens up underneath throwing windows. That size and catch radius make him a legit red zone weapon who can win contested catches, though he’s more effective running past linebackers than boxing out defensive backs in tight quarters. Organizations that use athletic tight ends primarily as receiving weapons while mixing in enough blocking to stay balanced will maximize what he brings. Needs patience early to add functional strength and expand his route repertoire, but the athletic foundation and competitive streak suggest the investment pays off.

Can’t ignore the injury history during evaluations, and some teams will simply pass because two ACL tears on the same knee represent too much risk regardless of what the medical staff says. For organizations comfortable with the reports, Raridon represents solid value as a developmental Y tight end with slot versatility who provides immediate contributions as a receiving weapon. His ceiling depends entirely on how much quality weight he can add without losing his movement skills and whether those knees hold up under NFL punishment. The tape shows enough to warrant a selection somewhere in the fourth or fifth round range, understanding that patience will be required before he becomes a true every-down player. Basketball background suggests the body control and spatial awareness needed at the position, while his football bloodlines indicate he understands offensive line nuances better than most tight ends. Won’t be a star, but he can absolutely carve out a productive NFL career if the medical checks clear and he commits to the weight room work required to maximize that unique frame.

Daniel Harms, Bleacher Report: Eli Raridon has legitimate three-down ability, with a well-rounded game that will help offenses in the run game and add explosives through the air. He’s got the size and speed to be a mismatch against most defenders down the field, and he’s improving his functional strength to create movement on them.

Raridon is a former 4-star recruit who has spent his entire four-year career with the Fighting Irish and is seeing his role in the offense expand in the offense.

Coming into the season, Raridon amassed 16 catches for 141 yards and three touchdowns, but he’s been used as a seam weapon and mismatch for Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr this season. His length and frame give him a leg up on defenders with the ball in the air and as he continues to improve his blocking technique, he’ll be a useful tool in an NFL offensive arsenal.

Pick 149 – Josh Cameron, WR, Baylor

Under Mike McDaniel, Cameron probably would never even appear on the board. At 6-foot-1, 223 pounds, he is not the dynamic, sharp route runner who uses his speed to create separation. He is a bulldozer who is going to give the quarterback a giant target when needed. Cameron is not a number one receiver in the NFL, but he sure could be a major piece of an offense needing a possession receiver to make catches and fight for yardage. He could immediately be a major part of the special teams for the Dolphins, and he could be moved around the offense to take advantage of his size as a wide out, tight end, or running back.

Lance Zierlein, NFL.com: Cameron is built like a big running back and is not shy about using that size, strength and body control to rack up touchdowns in the red zone. He’s smooth in tracking and adjusting to throws. Drops are a rarity. However, he lacks suddenness to beat press and needs plenty of route work to avoid seeing a heavy percentage of contested targets. Proving he can move beyond the relatively simple asks of the Baylor offense will be critical if he is to become more than a backup. Cameron has traits but the development could take some time.

Damian Parson, Bleacher Report: Josh Cameron emerged as Baylor’s top threat in the passing game during the last two season. He combines impressive play-strength, contact balance and yards-after-catch creation to transition into an effective NFL playmaker.

The two-time first-team All-Big 12 wide receiver is a physical route-runner with elusiveness in the open field.

Cameron is a former 0-star recruit who developed into an NFL-caliber target and playmaker. He is a densely-built receiver, who resembles a running back. He projects as a WR2 or third option at the next level.

Nick Falato, New York Giants on SI: Josh Cameron possesses an important blend of short area explosiveness in a dense frame. Cameron uses his frame well at the catch point with solid adjustment ability outside his frame, especially on throws behind him on the horizontal plane.

He’s crafty after the catch with the necessary physical traits to run through arm-tackles. Baylor often used Cameron on deep overs and crossing routes and his football IQ allowed him to find vulnerabilities in zone coverage.

Cameron is also an elite special teams asset as a punt returner; he averaged 20.7 yards per punt return in 2024 and finished his college career with a 14-yard return average.

Cameron’s baseline special team traits will provide value to any team. His upside as a receiver, though, remains questionable due to his lack of elite athletic traits and questions about his ability to defeat press and run a multitude of routes. Still, there’s enough to roll the dice on when it comes to Cameron.

Pick 227 – Jadon Canady, CB, Oregon

The Dolphins need cornerbacks, so waiting until the seventh round to add someone to the position is not ideal – but again, this is not about making the right pick for Miami, but finding out who might be available at each pick. Canady is an interesting prospect because he might just be able to play everywhere in the defensive secondary. He is not the biggest cornerback, but he is extremely athletic and has the versatility to play boundary, field, and nickel or move back to play safety. He could be a chess piece moving around the defense and using his athleticism to make an impact.

Daniel Harms, Bleacher Report: Jadon Canady builds his game around whatever the defense needs from him. Canady likely sticks at nickel cornerback in the NFL, but his versatility will be valuable at the next level.

He’s a highly versatile player bringing experience at safety, nickel, and cornerback to the defensive back room, along with his jitterbug energy level and physicality. He’s played for three colleges in his career and has made impacts at each stop along the way, and his experience made him a mainstay in Oregon’s defense in his redshirt senior year.

The former 3-star recruit and 3-star transfer is coming off an impressive 2024 at Ole Miss, where he put up a career high in passes defensed with 12. While he didn’t play every down for the Ducks, they wanted him on the field as much as possible to infuse the defense with his energy, football IQ, and toughness.

Angela Miele, Oregon Ducks on SI: With Canady’s performance through the 2025 season, the defensive back could have already boosted his draft stock. On top of his performance this season, Canady has been showing off his skills in the Shrine Bowl, and can continue to prove to the NFL why a team should select him.

Canady’s size, standing at 5-foot-11, could make him undervalued, but he could become an early pick on day three of the NFL Draft. What will make him a key asset to whichever team selects him is his versatility. Being able to rotate around the secondary and with his speed, he can be a steal for a team.