What a Trade-Heavy Dolphins Draft Might Look Like

The Miami Dolphins need to hit on their picks during the 2026 NFL draft as it represents one of the biggest opportunities to rebuild a roster that underwent a massive shake-up in the offseason.

But the Dolphins likely will need more than the 2026 draft to get back to contender status, and one way to achieve that objective would be by picking additional 2027 draft capital with some maneuvering next weekend.

With seven picks in the first three rounds, a number matching the highest in NFL history, the Dolphins are well positioned to make some trades if other teams are interested in moving up for specific prospects.

Because this is being viewed as a draft without a high number of top-end prospects and because they have needs throughout the roster, the Dolphins realistically could move down a few times over those first three rounds and still come up with core pieces for the rebuild.

So what could it look like?

Conducting a few mock drafts using the Pro Football Network simulator that includes trades, we came up with several scenarios where the Dolphins wind up with exactly the same number of prospects through the first three rounds but also pick up extra picks for 2027.

A TRADE-INFLUENCED DOLPHINS MOCK DRAFT

On one of those mocks, we had the Dolphins winding up with DE Kelric Faulk in the first round; CB Colton Hood, G Chase Bisontis and DT Caleb Banks in the second round; WR Chris Brazzell II, LB Kyle Louis, S Bud Clark and WR De'Zhaun Stribling in the third round.

That's seven total prospects, but Miami also landed extra 2027 picks in the second, third and fifth rounds.

That involved four trades:

-- The Dolphins trade pick 11 to the Minnesota Vikings for pick 18 and pick 49 in the second round
-- The Dolphins trade pick 30 and pick 238 in the seventh round to the Houston Texans for pick 38 in the second round and a 2027 second-round pick
-- The Dolphins trade pick 43 in the second round and pick 151 in the fifth round to the Baltimore Ravens for pick 45 (just two spots later) and a 2027 third-round pick
-- The Dolphins trade pick 87 in the third round for pick 88 (the very next pick) and a 2027 fifth-round pick

History suggests that expecting four trades by one team during the draft might be a stretch, but this most definitely is a different draft for the Dolphins.

In another mock we conducted, we had the Dolphins making five trades, one of which involved trading the 41st overall pick in the second round plus a seventh-round pick to the Arizona Cardinals for a 2027 first-round selection and a 2026 fifth-round pick.

That's the kind of trade a rebuilding team makes because waiting a year for a first-round pick is something it can afford.

The bottom line for the Dolphins is that they need to look at their rebuilding project through a two-year lense as opposed to being hyper focused on 2026.

It's why if they have the opportunity they definitely could be active during this draft.

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