Miami Dolphins Trade Jaylen Waddle: 3 Draft Targets for New First-Round Pick

MIAMI — The Dolphins are tearing it down to the studs. On Wednesday, the front office sent shockwaves through the AFC by shipping star receiver Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos for a haul of draft picks. Coming on the heels of the team releasing Tyreek Hill and Tua Tagovailoa, the move signals a total scorched-earth rebuild under new head coach Jeff Hafley. Miami now holds the 11th and 30th overall picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, giving them a massive stash of capital to fix a roster that looks more like a blank canvas than a professional football team.

Building the Edge: Keldric Faulk, Auburn

Chop Robinson is currently the lone threat in Miami’s pass-rushing room after the team cut Bradley Chubb in February. Hafley needs a physical freak to anchor his aggressive 4-3 front, and Keldric Faulk fits the bill. Standing 6-foot-6 and weighing 276 pounds, Faulk is a mountain of a man who bullies tackles with a devastating bull rush. He isn’t just a pass-rush specialist; he eats double teams in the run game, a trait Hafley specifically highlighted during his introductory press conference.

While some analysts wonder if Faulk lasts until 30, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. recently slotted the Auburn standout to Denver at that exact spot. Since Miami now owns that pick, they can jump on the 21-year-old defender to bookend Robinson for the next decade. Rebuilding teams don’t just need talent; they need foundational pieces with high floors. Faulk is the safest bet on the board.

The Island Specialist: Colton Hood, Tennessee

Miami’s current cornerback room is a disaster. With JuJu Brents and Jason Marshall Jr. slated to start in a nickel-heavy AFC East, the Dolphins are begging to be torched. Colton Hood is the solution. The Tennessee star skyrocketed up draft boards after a dominant 2025 season where he essentially erased opposing WR1s.

Hood is a man-coverage technician. He uses his 40.5-inch vertical and elite length to disrupt catches at the high point. Most scouts see him as a specialist who can thrive in the press-man looks Hafley brought over from his time with the Packers. If the Dolphins want to move away from the “Country Club” reputation of years past, adding a gritty, trash-talking corner like Hood is the perfect cultural shift.

The Mid-Field Enforcer: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo

If the Dolphins want to become a defensive juggernaut, they need a “green dot” leader in the secondary. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren is a 6-foot-3, 201-pound heat-seeking missile. The Toledo safety turned heads at the Combine with a 4.52 40-yard dash, but his tape shows he plays even faster.

McNeil-Warren is a First-Team All-American who lives for the big hit. He’s the type of player who dreams of meeting Derrick Henry in the hole. While Miami has Dante Trader Jr., they lack a true enforcer who can force turnovers through sheer physicality. Mock drafts are split on his value, with some seeing him as a top-20 lock and others like Mike Renner placing him at the tail end of Round 1. If he is there at 30, the Dolphins shouldn’t hesitate.

“We aren’t just looking for bodies to fill a depth chart. We are looking for an identity shift. We want guys who are big, tough, and resilient from the inside out. This draft is where that starts.”
— Jeff Hafley, Miami Dolphins Head Coach

Draft Prep / What’s Next

The Waddle trade gives Miami a rare “war chest” of picks, but the clock is ticking. With only a month until the 2026 NFL Draft, the scouting department is reportedly working overtime to finalize their big board. Having two picks in the top 30 allows them to go Best Player Available (BPA) at 11—likely a quarterback or a tackle—and then secure a defensive cornerstone at 30. The roster is currently a sea of dead money and unproven talent, but by the end of April, the direction of this franchise will finally be clear.