Dolphins Need to Stick to BPA Draft Approach

Dolphins Need to Stick to BPA Draft Approach

There is no sugarcoating it.

The Dolphins are headed toward a lengthy rebuild.

With John-Eric Sullivan and Jeff Hafley in the first year of their respective roles, there is no need for the Dolphins to select a player at a position of need just because they need an immediate starter there.

No, instead, Miami should just take the best player available regardless of their position.

Drafting for need is how teams get in trouble.

Yes, we all know that Miami needs a franchise quarterback after the failed Tua Tagovailoa era.

While it would be intriguing for the Dolphins to take Ty Simpson or push up another quarterback in the first round, this would be a mistake.

For one, there is no evidence that Simpson or someone else is even worthy of being a first-round quarterback.

And second, Miami does not have the infrastructure in place to support someone like Simpson so he can play right away in 2026.

I would be fine if they traded back and grabbed him or even tabbed him with their second-round selection.

But, with their first pick and frankly with their entire 2026 draft class, Miami should be selecting the top players on their board regardless of where they play.

The Dolphins do not have a lot of solid starters anyway at a litany of positions so, a lot of rookies should come in for competition purposes.

Secondly, taking a player just simply on their position will cost the team a chance at a truly generational player.

For example, in 2020, the team drafted Austin Jackson to secure Tua’s blindside.

Do you know who some of the players were who were selected just a few picks later?

Justin Jefferson, K’Lavon Chaisson, Jordyn Brooks, Brandon Aiyuk, and Patrick Queen.

Those are some of the best players in the entire league.

Miami could have one of them, sans Brooks, who they acquired via free agency, as franchise cornerstones in a pivotal 2020 draft where they had 12 selections.

Instead, nearly six years later, a lot of players from that class are already off the roster, and Tagovailoa and Jackson are nearing the end of their terms as well.

So whether it is Caleb Downs, Francis Mauigoa, Mansoor Delane, Carnell Tate, Jordyn Tyson, or Kenyon Sadiq, the Dolphins just need to draft good football players and figure out the rest later.

The same should be said for the latter six rounds of the draft.

Find franchise cornerstones and build around them.

Do not force it and let the elite players fall to you.

Follow this blueprint, and the wins will follow suit.