Ranking the Most Important Dolphins, No. 25: Where Gordon Could Make a Difference

The Miami Dolphins will head into training camp at the end of July with a totally different roster than the one that ended the 2025 season after an offseason overhaul that saw the departure of several significant veterans and the arrival of newcomers young and old.

After their roster moves Monday, followed by the signing of former UFL tackle Gottlieb Ayedze on Wednesday, the Dolphins have 91 players on their roster with the exemption they have for England-born rookie tight end Seydou Traore, a participant of the International Player Pathway Program.

As life goes in the NFL, no every player on the roster is equal, so we decided to rank all of them in terms of their importance to the Dolphins' success in the 2026 season. The list was determined on the basis of not just ability but also expected role and significance to the overall progress of the organization as it continues the rebuilding project that began with the hiring of Jon-Eric Sullivan as GM and Jeff Hafley as head coach.

This is part of a series that will run in the lead-up to start of training camp.

NUMBER 25: RB OLLIE GORDON II

How he joined the Dolphins

Gordon was a sixth-round pick (179th overall) out of Oklahoma State in the 2025 NFL draft. He was selected with a pick obtained in a draft-day trade with the Houston Texans.

Contract status

Gordon is headed into the second year of his four-year rookie contract and will make a little over $1 million in 2026. His cap number for this year is $1.1 million. He is scheduled to become an urestricted free agent in 2029.

His 2025 season

Gordon played in all 17 games with one start, finishing with 199 rushing yards on 70 attempts (2.8 average) with three touchdowns. He also caught seven passes for 32 yards and a touchdown. His first NFL touchdown was a 1-yard run in the Week 3 Thursday night loss against the Buffalo Bills. His receiving touchdown was a 20-yarder from Tua Tagovailoa in the 34-10 victory against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 8.

His projected role

The Dolphins experienced their greatest success last season when the running game was humming and it figures they'll look for the same formula in 2026, particularly with an unproven wide receiver corps. De'Von Achane will be the featured back without question, but having a second dependable runner would be huge for the offense. Gordon had a few flashes as a rookie last season, but he wasn't helped by some shaky run blocking along with some of his own shortcomings, both as a runner and a blocker. There is potential there, clearly, as evidenced by his days at Oklahoma State when he led college football in rushing. Gordon will have to beat out Jaylen Wright for the No. 2 job behind Achane, but we've got him ahead in this countdown because we expect him to do just that and take a big step forward.

THE PREVIOUS PLAYERS ON THE COUNTDOWN

90. G James Ester
89. T Kevin Cline
88. QB Mark Gronowski
87. DT Keith Cooper Jr.
86. EDGE Seth Coleman
85. RB Anthony Hankerson
84. WR Donaven McCulley
83. FB D.J. Herman
82. C Jim Bonitas
81. LS Tucker Addington
80. DT Alex Huntley
79. T Marques Cox
78. EDGE Rodney McGraw
77. TE Cole Turner
76. DT Khalil Saunders
75. CB Miles Battle
74. S Major Burns
73. RB Carlos Washington Jr.
72. EDGE Robert Beal Jr.
71. WR A.J. Henning
70. RB Donovan Edwards
69. DB Omar Brown
68. EDGE Cameron Goode
67. WR Jalen Reagor
66. EDGE Max Llewellyn
65. WR Terrace Marshall Jr.
64. CB Ethan Robinson
63. G/T Josh Priebe
62. DT Rene Konga
61. WR Tahj Washington
60. QB Cam Miller
59. CB A.J. Green III
58. EDGE Mason Reiger
57. CB Alex Austin
56. P Bradley Pinion
55. LB Jackson Woodard
54. K Zane Gonzalez
53. S Louis Moore
52. DT Matthew Butler
51. CB Marco Wilson
50. CB Darrell Baker Jr.
49. LB Ronnie Harrison Jr.
48. T Charlie Heck
47. WR Chris Bell
46. CB Storm Duck
45. WR Theo Wease Jr.
44. TE Seydou Traore
43. G DJ Campbell
42. G/C Andrew Meyer
41. K Riley Patterson
40. S Michael Taaffe
39. CB Ethan Bonner
38. TE Ben Sims
37. EDGE David Ojabo
36. S Lonnie Johnson Jr.
35. Zayne Anderson
34. EDGE Josh Uche
33. WR Jalen Tolbert
32. EDGE/LB Trey Moore
31. LB Willie Gay Jr.
30. RB Jaylen Wright
29. WR Kevin Coleman Jr.
28. G Jonah Savaiinaea
27. DT Zeek Biggers
26. LB Kyle Louis

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