Miami Dolphins Already Linked to Top Prospect in Next Year's NFL Draft

What’s going on in South Beach?

The Miami Dolphins are in one of the more peculiar positions in all of football.

There are teams we know are positioned for now and working towards making the playoffs in 2026.

And then there are the teams that are already side-eyeing the 2027 NFL Draft and licking their lips at the potential gold mine that is the quarterback class of Arch Manning, Dante Moore, and others.

The Dolphins are neither of those two groups. They’re nowhere near in a position to compete for a division title or a serious playoff berth, but Miami also committed to free agent QB Malik Willis, whom they signed to a three-year, $67.5 million deal this offseason.

So, where does that lead them moving forward?

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Well, in ESPN’s latest mock draft predicting what will go down in next year’s prospect selections, the Dolphins might be set up perfectly to grab a once-in-a-generation wideout talent while everyone else around them is jumping for a QB.

“Quarterback would be a consideration if the Dolphins pick this high, but getting a truly elite receiver would be hard to pass up, especially with the Dolphins moving on from Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle this offseason,” wrote ESPN’s Jordan Reid.

“Smith has a great blend of size and speed. He’s a swift vertical mover who eats up coverages in a hurry while showing exceptional strength at the catch point. Eight of Smith’s 12 receiving touchdowns last season came in the red zone, as he’s an upper-echelon player in that area. But he can also make big plays down the field. Andre Johnson and Julio Jones come to mind as easy NFL comparisons.”

For a franchise with arguably the weakest wide receiver room in football heading into the new season, Smith would instantly change the dynamic of a stagnant Dolphins offense.

In a QB-centric draft, Miami might come out looking the best with the most talented player we’ve seen come out of college in ages.

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This story was originally published April 30, 2026 at 1:12 PM.