The Miami Dolphins addressed the tight end position in the 2026 NFL Draft, selecting Will Kacmarek 87th overall in the third round. He spent his first three collegiate seasons at Ohio and the final two at Ohio State, totaling 65 receptions for 761 yards and four touchdowns across 55 games. Kacmarek had a solid senior campaign, hauling in 15 receptions for 168 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games. He had an 88% catch rate, posted zero drops, gained 86 yards after the catch, and went 1-for-2 on contested catches.
Kacmarek projects as a traditional in-line “Y” tight end thanks to his blocking skills and size at 6-foot-5 1/2 and 261 pounds. He is expected to serve as the No. 2 tight end behind Greg Dulcich, with most of his playing time likely coming on early running downs rather than obvious passing downs.
The Miami Dolphins tap a 261-pound offensive weapon
Ohio State Buckeyes, Will Kacmarek
Ohio State Buckeyes tight end Will Kacmarek catches a ball during Pro Day for NFL scouts at the Woody Hayes Athletics Center on March 25, 2026.
The Dolphins officially signed Will Kacmarek to a four-year rookie contract. Spotrac projects his deal to be worth $6.849 million with a $1.441 million signing bonus, prorated at $360,356 per year. In addition, they project Kacmarek’s cap hits to be $1.245 million in 2026, $1.556 million in 2027, $1.868 million in 2028, and $2.179 million in 2029.
Lance Zierlein
Mar 2, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; NFL Network Draft media analyst Lance Zierlein during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
“Kacmarek is an old-school, big-bodied ‘Y’ tight end with size, strength and a field demeanor for run blocking. He needs to improve his pad level and play with more consistent hand placement to continue sustaining blocks on the next level. He drives his feet on contact to create displacement on down blocks and washes defenders into the pile as a zone blocker. Catch production will be sparse and come primarily when schemed or on short zone-beaters. Kacmarek’s lack of receiving value could limit his draft stock, but teams looking to prioritize their run-game improvement should be interested on Day 3.”
He projects as a good backup with the potential to develop into a starter.