Football

Three Prospects the Dolphins Should Avoid and Other Final Pre-Draft Thoughts

By Alain Poupart Sports Illustrated

The Miami Dolphins have done their prep work, gone through their own mock drafts and now it's time to get into the action of the 2026 NFL draft.

The Dolphins will head into the three-day event with as much draft capital as just about any other team with 11 picks overall and seven in the first three rounds, and they absolutely must ace this test if they are to head in the right direction in what is a significant rebuild.

One of new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan's most significant comments leading up to Thursday and the start of the draft referred to the Green Bay Packers philosophy dealing with prospects with character concerns that you need to try to go for a double off the wall rather than the home run because of the greatest risk of the latter.

With that in mind, there are a few prospects who very well might become great NFL players but who also carry the kind of risk a team in the Dolphins' position probably should avoid because wasted picks could set the franchise back way more than a franchise that has a strong roster with a hole here and there.

The best of those prospects would have to be, like it or not, Rueben Bain Jr., who had an exceptional season at the University of Miami but does lack ideal arm length.

Former NFL GM Mike Mayock explained on the Rich Eisen Show that he believes Bain has more than enough power and explosion to be able to overcome his short arms, and that very well may be the case and Bain very well might become a very good NFL player.

But the reality is that Bain will be going against precedent and it's safe to question whether the Dolphins can afford to bet that he will.

And let's face it, if it weren't for the short arms, Bain would be a slam dunk top 5 pick in this draft based on his skill set.

But it is a factor.

Then you have those prospects with legit injury concerns, and that brings us to Jermod McCoy and Jordyn Tyson.

The whispers about Tyson and his injury history in college have dissipated in recent days, but it doesn't change the fact he had an ACL tear in 2022, a broken collarbone in 2024, and recurring hamstring issues in 2025.

Now, it could be that Tyson just got very unlucky in college and that he'll stay relatively injury-free in the NFL, but it also could be a pattern that will continue.

And, again, the Dolphins can't afford to take that kind of risk.

With McCoy, it's just one knee injury, but it was significant enough to keep him from playing all of last season and there have been two reports since the combine that are problematic, one from Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports suggesting some teams have red-flagged him and another from NFL Network's Tom Pelissero suggesting he will need another surgery.

There's been more than one analyst suggest that if he's right physically, McCoy is the best cornerback in the draft, but again major question marks.

This is a player the Dolphins can't afford to swing for because a miss again is just so damaging.

OTHER FINAL PRE-DRAFT THOUGHTS

-- This might be the most uncertain top of the draft in recent memory, starting with whether the Jets go with David Bailey or Arvell Reese at number 2.

-- For the Dolphins' sake, let's hope for a run on wide receivers in the top 10 with at least Carnell Tate and Tyson going that high and throw in Makai Lemon for good measure. As stated before, it's a big no thank you on a wide receiver at 11 from this end.

-- Still don't see a universe where the Dolphins trade up from 11.

-- A trade down also is much more likely at 30 than at 11, and the key player obviously is Ty Simpson, who the Dolphins have to hope doesn't get picked before then.

-- At this point, it would seem pretty obvious the pick at 11 will be an offensive lineman or a defensive player, and here's a nugget to keep in mind: During Jon-Eric Sullivan's time with Green Bay, the Packers picked in the first half of the first round six times ... all six picks were used on a defensive player. Just saying.

-- While we mentioned our issue with Bain and his short arms, that doesn't mean the Dolphins should go against prototype later in the draft, and as such two of our favorite prospects for the second round and beyond are undersized: Pitt linebacker Kyle Louis and Indiana cornerback DeAngelo Ponds.

-- The Dolphins should not take a quarterback in this draft any time before Round 4 and, if they do, it should be somebody with a unique physical trait. It's why we keep coming back to Taylen Green from Arkansas and his rare combination of size and speed and arm - despite the fact his mechanics are pretty rough at this time.

-- Late-round prospect to watch: Kentucky running back Seth McGowan. Got into big trouble off the field at Oklahoma years back, but played for new Dolphins QB coach Bush Hamdan and maybe it was a matter of hanging with the wrong crowd when he was too immature to know better.

-- Finally, best guess as for the top 10:

1. Las Vegas: QB Fernando Mendoza

2. N.Y. Jets: LB Arvell Reese

3. Arizona: RB Jeremiyah Love (this might be about jazzing up the fan base)

4. Tennessee: EDGE David Bailey

5. N.Y. Giants: LB Sonny Styles

6. Cleveland: T Francis Mauigoa

7. Washington: S Caleb Downs

8. New Orleans: CB Mansoor Delane

9. Kansas City: DE Rueben Bain Jr.

10. N.Y. Giants: WR Carnell Tate

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This story was originally published April 23, 2026 at 5:46 PM.

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