Heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins have holes to fill all over the roster. With the team cutting ties with most of their highest-paid players, Miami is filled with question marks. Fortunately, a strong end to this year’s offseason could set the team up for success after 2026 as they are also set to have the third-most cap space during the 2027 offseason.
However, Miami’s focus remains on building through the draft, and aftertrading away star receiver Jaylen Waddle, they have set themselves up nicely to do just that. The team has seven picks inside of the first three rounds. Now, a new mock draft has predicted the Dolphins will add a player, who has been compared to Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens.
Miami Dolphins Predicted to Draft Carnell Tate
ESPN’s Peter Schrager released his mock draft, which he did after gathering intel from his sources around the NFL. He predicted the Dolphins would select Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate with the team’s No. 11 selection.
Schrager wrote:
“Miami has seven picks in the first three rounds, becoming just the second NFL team to have such a haul (2024 Cardinals). And with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle gone, and the sizable investment under center in Malik Willis, the Dolphins have to address the WR room. New coach Jeff Hafley (who coached with Ryan Day in San Francisco and at Ohio State) and GM Jon-Eric Sullivan have countless contacts at Ohio State, and the whole program raves about Tate. He could bring some juice to Miami.”
Tate has drawn comparisons to Dallas All-Pro receiver George Pickens. “There’s reminiscence of George Pickens in his game, that the long, lengthy and body control and the way that he can track a football,”Dan Orlovsky said on ESPN. “He’s not necessarily this route-running savant; I don’t believe that he’s just going to torch people vertically with his speed, but when you think of George Pickens, it’s the contested catches, make the strong-handed catches with the defender draping over you, the leaping ability with the ball while the ball is in the air, I think Carnell showed that this past season.”
Miami Dolphins’ Second Selection
With the team’s second selection of the first round, Schrager predicted the Dolphins would draft Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman.
Schrager wrote:
“I thought about Georgia linebacker CJ Allen here, but I went with one of the fastest players at this year’s combine in Thieneman. But he’s much more than just that 4.35 speed. His film reveals a versatile player who can cover, tackle and lead a defense. It’s a new era in Miami, and Jeff Hafley has expertise in coaching up defensive backs.”
Thieneman was ranked as the 17th-best prospect by NFL Network’s draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah.Jeremiah wrote:
“Thieneman was a versatile chess piece in Oregon’s defense. He lined up in the box, in the deep half and over the slot. When he’s aligned in the back end, he can anticipate and range over the top to find and play the ball. He has excellent closing speed and takes good routes. He shows a fluid, smooth pedal when aligned in the slot. He’s quick to plant/drive on throws in front of him and he’s a reliable tackler most of the time. He will occasionally fail to break down and have a fly-by missed tackle. Against the run, he trusts his eyes and explodes into the alley. Overall, Thieneman does a lot of different tasks at a very high level. His skill set is highly coveted around the NFL.”