Dolphins Shouldn’t be Married to Any One Draft Strategy

Dolphins Shouldn’t be Married to Any One Draft Strategy

The Miami Dolphins are in a unique situation right now. In my mind, they are a glorified expansion team given the number of holes on this roster.

And because that is the reality Miami is in, I don’t think you can screw up this year’s draft, as there are many strategies and avenues you can take.

We have heard Jon-Eric Sullivan say numerous times that he wants to build from the “inside-out,” and I believe him, as that strategy makes total sense.

With that said, though, if the top wide receiver in Carnell Tate falls to pick #11, will you stick with the inside-out strategy or pivot, stick with BPA (best player available), and take the wide receiver at pick number eleven?

In my opinion, given where Miami is as a franchise today in March 2026, I’m less concerned with the “inside-out” strategy and more about going BPA with every pick.

Because outside of running back, Miami has a need at literally every other position.

This is not a year where you try to marry BPA with need.

This is not a year where you draft for need.

I think if you just draft BPA this year (which you can make the case you should do that most, if not all, years), that is the only approach to take.

I get it fundamentally. You want to build the trenches before you go after the skill-position players.

But at what cost?

And I am only using Tate as an example; you can punch in other names here to make this same point.

If the top rated offensive tackles and cornerbacks are off the board at Pick #11, and Miami is unable to trade down, I don’t want to see them reach on an edge who isn’t worthy of being picked at 11 or the next offensive linemen who shouldn’t be picked at 11, instead give me the WR who fell and has a Top 10 grade.

Does it go against the inside-out strategy?

YES!

And so what?

This is about building the best football team in the big picture, not being so stuck in the mud to stick to a philosophy, especially if the draft board doesn’t fall the way you hope it falls.

We don’t know much about Jon-Eric Sullivan beyond the few press conferences he has had, so this is new to all of us as we see how he navigates this free-agency period and this year’s draft in April.

So, it will be interesting to see whether, unlike the last general manager, Sullivan has a plan that is both fluid and willing to adjust and pivot when needed.

If he is open-minded enough to know what he wanted to do isn’t there, so let’s go to “PLAN B.”

And the fact that Miami’s roster is void of talent at so many positions, and the fact that they are going to be unable to fill every hole this offseason, I hope and pray that he just adds as many good players as possible.

And doesn’t reach for guys, or only looks at guys at certain positions, because his “inside-out” strategy is what he wants to do, no matter if the board falls in a way that it doesn’t fit that strategy.

Sullivan has a blank canvas with this Dolphins roster, and how he puts the pieces together over the next two offseasons will be very interesting to see.

And for Dolphins fans’ sake, hopefully, he doesn’t have blinders on and is married to just one way of doing business.

What do people say at the draft, “let the draft come to you.”

Sullivan just needs to let the draft come to him, because with so many needs, the only way you can screw it up is reaching for guys and overdrafting them just to meet your “philosophy.”