Dolphins Draft Picture Now Clear

The divisional round of the playoffs cemented the Dolphins' draft outlook for 2026.

With the Houston Texans losing against the New England Patriots on Sunday, they cemented their spot in the draft order and will rotate between 26th and 28th in each round with the San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills, who also went 12-5 in the regular season and lost in the divisional round.

For the Dolphins, this means the Dolphins will have the 26th pick in the third round (the 90th overall) as a result of the 2025 draft-day trade they made with Houston when they gave up a fourth-round pick.

The Dolphins found out the previous week that the third-round pick they're set to receive from the Jaelan Phillips trade will be the 23rd in that round as the result of the Philadelphia Eagles' loss against San Francisco in the wild-card round.

The Dolphins' own pick in the third round, as it will be in every round because they were the only team to finish the 2025 season with a 7-10 record, will be the 11th.

So now Miami will have five picks among the first 90, with one in the first round, one in the second and the three in the third.

For historical reference, the Dolphins have selected 11th overall twice, taking Minkah Fitzpatrick in 2018 and defensive end Bill Stanfill in 1969.

The Dolphins have had the 43rd overall pick three times, selecting FB Rob Konrad in 1999, DL Eddie Blake in 1992 and LB Rick Graf in 1987.

The Dolphins have made the 75th pick twice — DE Bill Barnett in 1980 and LB Gerald Hill in 1975.

The Dolphins also have made the 87th pick twice — WR Patrick Turner in 2009 and G Taylor Whitley in 2003.

Lastly, the Dolphins have made the 90th pick once, selecting center Seth McKinney in the third round of the 2002 draft with their first pick of that draft.

The Dolphins entered the season finale holding the 11th spot in the 2026 NFL draft and they ended the day in the exact same spot after the three teams they could have jumped all also lost. Those teams were the New Orleans Saints, who dropped a 19-17 decision against the Atlanta Falcons; the Cincinnati Bengals, who lost on a last-second field goal against the Cleveland Browns; and lastly the Kansas City Chiefs, who lost against the Las Vegas Raiders on a 60-yard field goal in the final seconds.

THE DOLPHINS' 2026 DRAFT PICKS

Round 1 — 11th overall

Round 2 — 43rd overall (11th in round)

Round 3 — 75th overall (11th in round), 87th overall (23rd in round, from Philadelphia), 90th overall (26th in round, from Houston)

Round 4 — 11th in round

Round 5 — 11th in round

Round 6 — No pick (traded to N.Y. Giants for TE Darren Waller)

Round 7 — 11th in round