Dolphins 2026 3-Round Mock Draft Before NFL Combine

The 2026 NFL combine begins this week, with new Miami Dolphins GM Jon-Eric Sullivan and HC Jeff Hafley scheduled to meet with the media on Tuesday in Indianapolis.

Then, the main event — athletic testing — will kick off Thursday, sparking all types of debate and reports about how the 2026 NFL draft will shake out. Before all of that happens, we’re taking a shot at predicting what the top three rounds might look like for the Dolphins.

In the interest of variety, we’re doing our best not to repeat selections from our post-Senior Bowl mock draft. We also covered 10 "under the radar" players the team should keep an eye on this week.

As always, the StickToTheModel mock simulator was used for this draft.

3-Round Miami Dolphins 2026 Mock

Round 1, Pick 11: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

If the Dolphins truly are committed to taking the best player on the board at pick 11, there’s a chance it’s Styles. The Ohio State linebacker is a top 5 player on my board, and Hafley needs good linebacker play to make his defense work.

Linebacker is not the team’s biggest need, but pairing Styles with Jordyn Brooks would give Miami’s defense an identity — one of toughness, speed and disruption. That’s the type of team the Dolphins say they want to be, and Styles would help with that.

At 6-5, 243 pounds, don’t be surprised if Styles tears up the athletic testing this week.

Round 2, Pick 43: Gabe Jacas, Edge, Illinois

Miami needs pass-rush help in a big way, and getting Jacas at pick 43 feels like great value. The Illinois product was a Senior Bowl standout, arguably the best performer among those in attendance.

He’s got enough size (6-3, 260, with 32 3/4-inch arms) to meet the team’s likely size threshold, and his play style is perfectly in line with what Hafley likes. Jacas is a power rusher with good hands, and he plays consistent run defense.

He probably won’t dominate the combine testing portion of the week, but even an average performance is enough for him to justify this selection.

Round 3, Pick 75: Will Lee, CB, Texas A&M

Cornerback is another glaring need for the Dolphins since both of the team’s starters from last season (Rasul Douglas and Jack Jones) are set to hit free agency. Selecting Lee this high is a bit of a reach against my personal board, but I can’t deny that he fits the “Packers mold” that Sullivan and Hafley are likely to use.

At 6-1, 189, Lee is a long, physical coverage cornerback who likes to get in receivers’ faces early in reps and disrupt their routes. He can be overaggressive and isn’t the most fluid player, but he’s got starter-level traits in the right scheme.

Lee testing well this week could alleviate some of the concerns that surround just how well he can mirror and match at all three levels of the field.

Round 3, Pick 87: Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State

Hurst is one of the few small-school standouts with a chance to go in the top 100 this season. Right now, he’s mostly viewed as a Day 3 player, but he’s expected to perform well at the combine.

At 6-3, 207 pounds, Hurst is exactly what the Dolphins need to complement Jaylen Waddle in their undermanned receiver room. The Georgia State product stood out at the Senior Bowl because he moves way better than someone should for his size.

If he can back that up with some impressive performances this week, it’ll be pretty easy to imagine him going inside the top 100.

Round 3, Pick 90: Jalen Farmer, IOL, Kentucky

Lastly, we’re getting the Dolphins a guard to help replace James Daniels. Farmer has two seasons of starting experience at right guard, which means he’d be plug-and-play without needing to learn a new position.

Additionally, Farmer is built like a tackle. He’s 6-4, 322 pounds with 34-inch arms, which is way above average for his position. He also fits the play style the Dolphins say they want: He’s super aggressive and has a ton of strength to create running lanes upfront.

Farmer also had a strong Senior Bowl, so he’s got some momentum coming into this week. He probably won’t blow anyone away with his testing numbers, but he should check all the boxes.