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The Miami Dolphins agreed to a massive trade on Tuesday, sending wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos in a move that kick-starts the South Florida franchise’s rebuild under new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and new head coach Jeff Hafley. Along with Waddle, the Dolphins sent a fourth-round draft pick to the Broncos in exchange for a first-round pick (30th overall), a third-round pick (94th), and a fourth-round pick (130th overall).
The Dolphins are now set to make two picks in the first round, with Denver’s 30th-overall pick adding to Miami’s 11th selection. There are a lot of needs on Miami’s roster as the team sheds salary cap space this offseason. What could they do with those first two of 11 picks the team now holds? NFL Media’s Daniel Jeremiah updated his 2026 NFL Mock Draft on Tuesday to reflect the Dolphins-Broncos trade.
Jeremiah sees the Dolphins using their first selection to add LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane. Miami has a definite need at cornerback, despite the team signing several free agents over the past week, and Delane would give Miami an immediate starter to work on one side of the defensive secondary. Of the pick, Jeremiah explains:
There are still a lot of holes to fill on Miami’s roster. The Dolphins solve a corner spot with Delane, one of the draft’s most consistent players on tape.
Delane is a press-coverage cornerback who brings good size to the position, but has the speed to keep up with quicker receivers. He could be the perfect pick for Miami at 11.
After addressing a major need on defense, Jeremiah keeps the Dolphins there for their second first-round pick. Hafley, coming to the Dolphins after being the defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers for two year, will enjoy adding pieces to the defense. Jeremiah projects Miami to add Auburn edge rusher Keldric Faulk with the 30th pick. He explains:
The Dolphins will need to address wide receiver after dealing away Jaylen Waddle, but they are armed with a lot of Day 2 picks to find value at that spot in a year with a deep class at the position. Miami fills another major need with Faulk, who has the versatility and athleticism to fit well in Jeff Hafley’s defense.
Faulk is not a finished product yet, probably needing some time at the NFL level to fully reach his potential, but there is plenty of potential there. He can be moved around the defense, working inside and outside as a pass rusher – though he may need to add some muscle if the Dolphins plan for him to be working regularly inside. He is coming off a seven-sack season, and he does well in chasing quarterbacks when they scramble.
What do you think of a Delane-Faulk duo of picks for the Dolphins? Is this the right direction the team needs to take? Head to the comments to let us know.
