The 2026 NFL draft this April is probably the most highly anticipated set of dates for the Miami Dolphins this offseason. The Dolphins have 11 picks in this upcoming draft, including seven in the top 100. Miami added additional first and third-round selections in the trade that sent wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos.
The Dolphins have a plethora of holes to fill on their roster, primarily on defense and the offensive line. However, the Waddle trade has now opened an immediate need for playmakers in the passing game. It will be difficult for quarterback Malik Willis and running back De’Von Achane to play to their full potential in 2026 if the Miami offense presents no elite receiving threats.
The Dolphins currently own the pick Nos. 11 and 30 overall in the upcoming draft, along with the pick No. 43 (11th in the second round). While replacing Waddle with one of these picks is certainly possible, NFL analyst Bucky Brooks suggested the Dolphins could use one of them to address another offensive need.
“I would love to see them get a playmaking tight end,” Brooks said on his podcast. “If you look at their depth chart, they have no one at tight end that scares you… In Green Bay, they had multiple tight ends who could make the game easy for [Willis]. You want to make sure you replicate some of that.”
Last season, the Packers’ offense not only featured talent at the wide receiver position but also utilized the tight end position in the passing game. Tucker Kraft was on pace to have a career season before suffering a season-ending torn ACL. In eight games, Kraft totaled 449 yards and six touchdown receptions.
The role of tight end on the Dolphins offense has been inconsistent over the last couple of years with different players. In 2024, Jonnu Smith set franchise records for receptions, yards, and touchdowns by a tight end during his one-year stint with the franchise. Last season, the tight end group regressed in productivity as Darren Waller battled injuries. Waller’s absence opened the door for Greg Dulcich to emerge as the primary playmaker in the Dolphins’ tight end room.
The Dolphins re-signed Dulcich to maintain a pass-catcher in the tight end room, but he shouldn’t be viewed as a game-changer unless he produces a breakout season.
The top tight end candidate in this draft is Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq, who is projected to be selected in the first round. Sadiq is coming off a 2025 campaign where he totaled 560 yards and eight touchdowns. His 51 receptions set a school record by a tight end. Sadiq’s 4.39 40-yard dash made history as the fastest ever recorded by a tight end.
While pick No. 11 might be considered high to select a tight end, it might be wise to select Sadiq there if the Dolphins view him as their targeted first-round pick. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. projected Sadiq to be selected with pick No. 15 overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in his most recent mock draft.
The other highly touted tight end coming into this draft is Eli Stowers out of Vanderbilt. In 2025, Stowers totaled 62 receptions for 769 yards and four touchdowns. Despite being ranked below Sadiq in most mock drafts, Stowers has become a popular prospect after an impressive showing at the combine. Stowers’ 45.5-inch vertical set an NFL combine record by a tight end.
Unlike Sadiq, the Dolphins could address another need at pick No. 11 overall and look to select Stowers with one of their next two picks, pick No. 30 in the first round or No. 43 in the second round.
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