Examining How the Miami Dolphins' First Three Rounds Are Being Viewed Nationally

Draft Grades are starting to pile in, which begs the question as to how Jon-Eric Sullivan's first draft as general manager is viewed among those in the draft community

Jan 22, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan reacts during his introductory press conference at Baptist Health Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The NFL Draft is on its third day, with the Miami Dolphins getting ready to attempt to add some key pieces to their team as they dive face first into rebuilding mode under their new regime.

How is Miami’s draft being viewed nationally? From Kadyn Proctor all the way down, here is a look at some national perspectives on Jon-Eric Sullivan’s first draft as the man in charge.

NFL.com – Chad Reuter

Reuter gave the Dolphins a B for their first round which included offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor and defensive back Chris Johnson.

“The Dolphins continued hoarding draft picks, grabbing two fifth-rounders from Dallas to slide down one spot, from No. 11 to No. 12,” Reuter wrote.

“It was a smart move, because they would have known the defense-needy Cowboys were likely to leave the massive, powerful Proctor on the board to fill in at guard or right tackle for Miami. Proctor's final season at Alabama did not start out well, but he made enough progress through the season and evaluation process to earn fans among scouts.”

Of course, the opportunity cost for one spot cost the Dolphins to draft Caleb Downs, someone who was widely considered one of the best players in the draft. Reuter touched on that as well.

“Proctor's career will surely be compared to that of Downs,” Reuter said.

"Will the extra two fifth-rounders prove to be sufficient compensation for passing on one of the top defenders in college football over the past three years?”

Moving into the second day of the draft, Reuter was high on Miami’s choices of here pass catchers and linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, which also earned them a solid B grade form Reuter.

Of all the picks, he was most skeptical about Rodriguez, noting though that he is still a solid player to anchor the middle of their defense.

“Linebacker wasn't among the Dolphins' biggest needs, and taking a receiver like Germie Bernard or an edge like Derrick Moore could have improved those parts of the depth chart,” Reuter said. “That said, Rodriguez is an athletic playmaker who is all over the field and willing to take the ball away from running backs and receivers.”

CBS Sports – Carter Bahns

Of all the grades we evaluated, CBS was the highest on what Miami so far through the two days of the draft.

Carter Bahns gave the Dolphins an A- for their work, with each of their first three picks earning an A grade from him, and their most recent pick, wide receiver Chris Bell, earning high marks as well.

The only low mark they received was the 75th overall pick they used on Texas Tech wide receiver Caleb Douglas.

“The Dolphins signed what might be their franchise quarterback in Malik Willis in free agency, and now they have more protection for him in the form of Kadyn Proctor,” Bahns said. “He was a polarizing prospect in the pre-draft process because of his size -- a major asset that could also limit him if he isn't able to play at a manageable weight. If Miami gets the best version of him, he can stick at left tackle and become a building block of this rebuild.”

Bahns was equally as excited about what the Dolphins added to their defense early in the draft.

“On defense, Chris Johnson could be a lockdown corner for years to come, while Jacob Rodriguez was the best defensive player in college football last year. That's a pretty exciting pair of players,” Bahns said.

Of course, not everything is perfect, and the selection of Caleb Douglas looks polarizing.

“The first whiff of Miami's draft came in Round 3 with the Caleb Douglas pick. Renner called it "one of the biggest reaches of the draft so far, not only on my board, but also on the consensus board where he was outside the top-200,” Bahns said.

SI – Matt Verderame

Like each of the first two publications mentioned, Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame graded each individual pick, and it was a bit of a mixed bag from a Dolphins’ perspective.

In the first round, Verderame gave the Dolphins a B for the selection of Proctor.

“The Dolphins are in full rebuild mode, and Miami is trying to start that process in the trenches. Proctor will start immediately in front of newly acquired quarterback Malik Willis while creating run lanes for star back De’Von Achane. Provided he’s fully committed to being his best, Proctor has immense potential.” Verderame said.

He was higher on the Dolphins second first round pick, defensive back Chris Johnson, giving that pick an A-minus.

“After selecting Proctor with their first pick, the Dolphins began their defensive overhaul under coach Jeff Hafley with Johnson. The former Aztecs star joins what is arguably the worst defensive backs room in the league, giving Miami someone who can contend with Garrett Wilson and DJ Moore in the AFC East.” Verderame said.

Moving to Day two, while some publications were higher on the selection of Jacob Rodriguez in the second round, Verderame was not as high, giving that pick a C-plus.

“Miami added San Diego State corner Chris Johnson in the first round, and addressed the second level early on Day 2 with Rodriguez. The Dolphins now have a long-term piece to play alongside Jordyn Brooks, who registered a league-high 183 tackles (99 solo) last season.” Verderame said.

The last three picks of the second day earned a B, C-Plus, and A, respectively.

The pick that is the most interesting here is the selection of Caleb Douglas. That pick has been polarizing in the aftermath of the pick, but Verderame sees the vision that Jon-Eric Sullivan and his staff must see.

“Douglas will have a chance to play ample snaps. Miami released Tyreek Hill and traded Jaylen Waddle this offseason to start rebuilding the offense. After spending two productive years with the Red Raiders, Douglas will go to work with Malik Willis,” Verderame said.

ESPN – Mel Kiper Jr.

The godfather of NFL Draft coverage did not give out grades in a traditional sense. He did praise the Dolphins for some of their picks, notably second round choice Jacob Rodriguez, but mentioned the Dolphins as making a pick that he had some questions about.

That skepticism, to little surprise, went to third round pick Caleb Douglas.

I didn't have issues with most of Miami's picks on the night. Linebacker Jacob Rodriguez is going to be great for that defense, and Chris Bell has first-round traits if healthy. But the Dolphins' other receiver pick was a big, big reach,” Kiper said.

“Caleb Douglas went No. 75. He was my WR24. Thirteen receivers ranked above him were still out there. For a team with Malik Washington and Jalen Tolbert topping the depth chart right now, the Dolphins had to do better there. Bell can become an impact receiver, but he's coming off a torn ACL