Ranking Dolphins' Best Receiver Options in Round 1

The Miami Dolphins always needed help at wide receiver this offseason, but the recent trade of Jaylen Waddle has made that need a lot more dire.

With free agency mostly behind us, we’re turning to the NFL draft to see what the Dolphins’ best options could be at pick 11 and pick 30. We’re not saying the Dolphins should take a receiver at either of those picks. But if they decide to go that route, these would be options.

Dolphins WR Options at 11th Overall

Carnell Tate, Ohio State

Tate is probably the draft’s most well-rounded receiver. He’s 6-3, 195 pounds, and runs a pretty expansive route tree. He specialized in making downfield plays for the Buckeyes this past season, but not with speed.

Tate wins with good routes, releases against press coverage, and the ability to make contested catches above the rim. He had an 85.7% contested catch rate this past season, according to Pro Football Focus.

That’s wildly above average, and it’s something the Dolphins’ receiver room could use.

The downsides of Tate are that he’s not an elite athlete. He’s not a blazer on the vertical plane, and he doesn’t have above-average quickness out of his breaks. Tate isn’t a “bad” athlete by any means, but he wins with precision and size.

The other thing to consider is that he only had one above-average season with Ohio State. It’s always a crowded receiver room there, but he didn’t make a jump in play till this past season.

Tate profiles as a three-level threat who can line up on the outside for an entire game and be the focal point of a good passing offense.

Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State

Tyson is basically the opposite of Tate. The Arizona State product is 6-2, 200 pounds, and relies on his elite athletic ability to win. He’s exceptionally quick in tight spaces and super explosive in the open field.

That makes it incredibly easy for Tyson to generate space against man and zone coverage. Once he’s got the ball in his hands, he’s a threat to make defenders miss and create a lot of extra yards.

Tyson’s athletic ability translates to his downfield prowess, too. Although his contested catch rate was just 43.8% this past season, there are impressive reps where he skies into the air and makes a tough catch.

On tape, Tyson’s biggest downside is that he’s not a polished route runner. He’s got all the skills to develop into one, but he needs a little more refinement in how he attacks cornerbacks at the top of the break.

The real problem for Tyson is his medicals. He’s missed time due to injury in all four of his collegiate seasons, and those injuries range from knee surgeries to broken collarbones.

Tyson projects well inside or outside, but his injuries make him a risky pick, especially for the first one of this Dolphins’ rebuild.

Makai Lemon, USC

The last option in this category is USC’s Makai Lemon. Unlike Tate and Tyson, Lemon is a little undersized at 5-11, 195. Despite that size, Lemon is an excellent jump-ball receiver.

He had a 66.7% contested rate this past season, and so many of those plays feature him fighting through contact and contorting his body to high point the ball. That toughness translates to the rest of his game.

He works through contact in the middle of the field incredibly well and is a savvy route runner. Lemon isn’t a blazer, so he has to win with technique, and he does it probably better than any other receiver in the class.

Lemon understands how to get open, and if he’s capable of getting his hands on the ball, it’s pretty much a guaranteed catch.

His smaller size and lack of high-end athletic tools do make him somewhat of a risk. There’s a chance his best skills won’t translate with the increase in competition.

Ranking Dolphins’ Options

Carnell Tate, Ohio State
Makai Lemon, USC
Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State

Dolphins WR Options at 30th Overall

KC Conception, Texas A&M

Conception is the class “speed slot” archetype. He’s 5-11, 190 pounds, and relies on his awesome athletic profile to get open. He’s got great straight-line speed and impressive start-stop ability.

This allows him to separate from man coverage at all three levels of the field with little issue. He can get in and out of breaks with the best of them and run by unsuspecting cornerbacks on vertical concepts.

Conception is the type of receiver the last regime would’ve loved, but Jon-Eric Sullivan and Jeff Hafley might prefer a different prototype. Conception projects as a much more complete player than Tutu Atwell, but both players' best skills are their vertical ability.

The other concern with Conception is consistency in catching the football. He had seven drops in 2025, which is well above average. Drops are a notoriously unreliable metric, but seven is a number that merits some concern.

There’s a good chance Conception doesn’t make it to 30, but there are enough limitations in his game that it’s possible.

Denzel Boston, WR, Washington

Like Conception, it would be a surprise to see Boston fall to 30th overall. Never say never with the draft, though.

Boston is 6-4, 209 pounds, and he moves incredibly smoothly for that size. He gets in and out of his breaks like a player who is 6-2. This allows him to create a level of natural separation that is rare for his prototype.

Don’t worry, Boston is still good at the things tall receivers should be good at. He’s capable of making acrobatic catches above the rim, both downfield and in the red zone. He had a 76.9% contested catch rate and dropped just two passes in 2025.

There are a few issues with Boston. The main one is that his route tree at Washington was a little limited. When they let him run more complicated routes, he looked good, but it’s a small sample size.

The other concern is just how fast he is. Boston didn’t run a 40-yard dash at the NFL combine or his pro day. He doesn’t look “slow” on tape; he just looks like a player with long strides. Still, it’s a question mark in his profile.

If the Dolphins want a dominant, outside receiver, Boston would make a lot of sense.

Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana

Of the receivers in this category, Cooper Jr. is the one most likely to be on the board at pick 30. The Indiana product has seen his stock rise quite a bit this offseason, but not quite to the level of Conception and Boston.

Cooper is a unique entry on this list, as he’s more of a “tough slot” archetype. Cooper has a thick build at 6 feet, 204 pounds, and he uses it to play through contact at all three levels of the field.

He does his best work with the ball in his hands. He can break tackles incredibly well and generate a ton of YAC with his good open-field vision and speed.

Cooper is also a solid route runner, capable of creating space out of his breaks and running away from defensive backs on vertical or crossing concepts.

The only real question worth asking about Cooper is how high his ceiling can go. He’s good at a lot of things and absolutely projects as a highly effective player, but is he good enough to be the focal point of an offense?

Perhaps the Dolphins don’t need that with the 30th pick, but it’s a question worth considering.

Ranking Dolphins’ Options

Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana
Denzel Boston, Washington
KC Conception, Texas A&M