SerpApi.Org
With training camp practices on the horizon, the Miami Dolphins' rookies reported to camp on Tuesday.
Miami selected a league-high 13 players in the 2026 NFL Draft.
After undergoing a regime change and massive rebuild under first-year general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley, several of those draft picks are expected to contribute immediately.
Most of the attention will be on the Dolphins' two first-round picks: offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor and cornerback Chris Johnson. Proctor is expected to start at left guard after playing left tackle at Alabama.
Johnson will give the Dolphins versatility in the secondary. He is expected to be a chess piece in Hafley's multiple-look defense. Outside of quarterback Malik Willis, Johnson could become one of the most important players on the Dolphins' defense. Last season's starting cornerbacks, Jack Jones, Rasul Douglas and Kader Kohou, all departed in free agency.
Chris Johnson steps into an empty secondary
While Proctor and Johnson are expected to see the field early, others will have to compete for playing time. Jacob Rodriguez was selected in the second round and is viewed as the eventual replacement for Tyrel Dodson, who is entering the final year of the two-year contract he signed in 2025.
Rodriguez was one of the best linebackers in college football last season at Texas Tech, recording 128 tackles, four interceptions and 11 tackles for loss.
Wide receivers Caleb Douglas, Chris Bell and Kevin Coleman Jr. were drafted to help replace the production the Dolphins lost after significant offseason changes. Gone are Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, Miami's top two receivers from last season.
Tight end Darren Waller, who caught six touchdown passes last year, was also not re-signed. Third-round pick Will Kacmarek is expected to help replenish some of that production.
National expectations for the Dolphins are at rock bottom. Their over/under win total at BetMGM is 4.5. If the Dolphins are going to surprise people in 2026, they'll need several members of this rookie class to produce and develop during Year 1 under Hafley.
