The Miami Dolphins took another step forward in 2023, finishing 11-6 under the stewardship of head coach Mike McDaniel. Unfortunately, this season brought the same finish as the last: an AFC Wild Card loss.
After a 9-3 start, the Dolphins dropped three of their final five contests. They’ve hired Anthony Weaver, most recently the assistant head coach and defensive line coach with the Baltimore Ravens, to be their defensive coordinator after parting ways with Vic Fangio.
With some elite pieces already in place, Miami could make another leap into the NFL’s top tier with a productive draft class.
Dolphins NFL Draft Picks 2024
- Round 1, Pick 21
- Round 2, Pick 53
- Round 5, Pick 155
- Round 6, Pick 186
- Round 6, Pick 199
- Round 7, Pick 239
Dolphins NFL Draft Round 1 Mock 2024
- Round 1, Pick 21: Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State
As of Feb. 6, Michael Rochman says:
“Detrimental injuries will sideline both Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb for large parts of next year, and there is no guarantee they will play 100% when they return.
Adding Verse into the rotation is a nice way of ensuring they get production from their pass-rush with a chance to have a menacing rotation come postseason."
Find more draft insights in our full NFL Mock Draft 2024.
Dolphins NFL Futures Odds
Get ready for the 2024-25 NFL season with the latest Miami Dolphins odds and futures betting markets.
Dolphins Draft Team Needs 2024
Note: The following information was written prior to the 2024 NFL Draft.
1. Interior offensive line
Isaiah Wynn, Connor Williams, and Robert Hunt are all unrestricted free agents this offseason. Even if all return, the position requires help from this draft class as players like Liam Eichenberg and Robert Jones mostly underperformed.
This unit played better than the sum total of their parts and dealt with injuries throughout the year. Ultimately, the group demands draft capital be spent to maximize its surrounding playmakers’ talents.
2. Edge pass rusher
The Dolphins have nine outside linebackers on their active roster, but most of that depth is easily replaced. Jaelen Phillips finished the season on injured reserve and Bradley Chubb tore his ACL in Week 17.
Melvin Ingram, Justin Houston, and Bruce Irvin are on expiring contracts and should be moved on from.
Emmanuel Ogbah is on the hook for a $17.7M cap hit this year and is looking like a post-6/1 release, which would save Miami $15.7M in 2024 cap. Jerome Baker is also a potential cap casualty with a $14.8M cap hit and a post-6/1 release would save Miami $11.1M in cap space.
3. Cornerback
The Dolphins have $53,173,281 tied up between Jalen Ramsey and Xavien Howard in 2024. That’s nearly 21% of their salary cap!
It would be prudent to use a mid-round pick on a corner who could marinade on the bench for a year or two and soften the blow should the team need to move on from either player.
Eli Apple, Nik Needham, and Justin Bethel will be UFAs. Last year, the Dolphins selected Cam Smith out of South Carolina in the second round and he barely played.
More position needs: Safety, Nose tackle, Slot receiver, Inside linebacker
Offseason re-sign priorities: DL Christian Wilkins, QB Tua Tagovailoa, WR Jaylen Waddle
Dolphins Draft Grade 2024
Grade: Coming soon
Read the evaluations in our full 2023 report card of NFL Draft Grades. 2024 grades will be published soon after the draft.
Team by Team Draft Recaps
| AFC EAST | BUF | MIA | NE | NYJ |
| AFC NORTH | BAL | CIN | CLE | PIT |
| AFC SOUTH | HOU | IND | JAC | TEN |
| AFC WEST | DEN | KC | LAC | LV |
| NFC EAST | DAL | NYG | PHI | WAS |
| NFC NORTH | CHI | DET | GB | MIN |
| NFC SOUTH | ATL | CAR | NO | TB |
| NFC WEST | ARI | LAR | SF | SEA |
Dolphins NFL Draft Pick History
2023
- Round 2, Pick 51: Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina
- Round 3, Pick 84: Devon Achane, RB, Texas A&M
- Round 6, Pick 197: Elijah Higgins, WR, Stanford
- Round 7, Pick 238: Ryan Hayes, OT, Michigan
2022
- Round 3, Pick 102: Channing Tindall, LB, Georgia
- Round 4, Pick 125: Erik Ezukanma, WR, Texas Tech
- Round 7, Pick 224: Cameron Goode, OLB, California
- Round 7, Pick 247: Skylar Thompson, QB, Kansas State
