Miami Dolphins acquire difference maker in the secondary following extremely turbulent offseason in latest 2026 NFL mock draft 

It has been a turbulent offseason for the Miami Dolphins, offloading All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Pittsburgh Steelers and safety Jevon Holland to the New York Giants. The secondary has had some insane star power over the last several years, including cornerbacks Xavien Howard and Byron Jones as well in the not so distant past. The organization has definitely prioritized the back end defensively over the years. 

In the blink of an eye, that secondary has become a major issue. Without googling it, who are the projected starters at outside cornerback for the Dolphins? The answer: Storm Duck and Jack Jones, with Cam Smith and Jason Marshall Jr. as the backup options behind them. 

Obviously, it goes without saying, but that isn’t the most inspiring group of all time. If you look at the latest Super Bowl odds from ESPN, there is also an expectation that the Dolphins might underwhelm as a team as well. If you don’t like the Dolphins’ slot, blame ESPN for the projection, or GM Chris Grier for letting the roster get to this point. 

In a recent 2026 NFL mock draft that featured myself, as well as fellow A to Z Sports analyst Destin Adams, I had the chance to add an outstanding talent to the Miami secondary with the No. 10 overall selection. 

With that selection, I had the Dolphins select Tennessee All-American cornerback Jermod McCoy. Here is how I see McCoy potentially fitting in the teal and orange. 

10. Miami Dolphins: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee  

Without googling, who are the projected starting cornerbacks for the Dolphins heading into the 2025 season? Maybe a combination of Storm Duck, Jack Jones, and Cam Smith gets some sickos excited, but I’m not one of them. If not for the leg injury this offseason, people would be talking about McCoy a lot more. He is a press man cornerback who is extremely physical, and can run. There may not be an easier evaluation in this class if McCoy fully recovers, especially with how he dominated the SEC last season at just 19 years old. 

McCoy was originally a member of the Oregon State program, but opted to enter the transfer portal prior to the 2024 season. He ended up with the Volunteers, and proceeded to dominate the SEC conference at only 19 years old. In 13 games, the 6-0, 194-pound cover man managed to collect 44 total tackles, four interceptions, and 13 pass breakups. 

If you love physical press man cornerbacks who can run, you are sure to love McCoy as a football player. He’s coming off of a preseason knee injury, but he is expected to return pretty early on in the 2025 season. The minute he gets to Miami, McCoy would become the best cornerback in the room instantly. 

There is a good argument that McCoy is a top five overall player in the 2026 class.