The 2025 college football season is officially in the books, which means the NFL season is soon to follow. That means that whether we like it or not, Mock Draft Szn is right around the corner.
Personally, I don’t like mock drafts too much. I once said, and I quote, that they were “equivalent to b-holes”, in which “we all have them, and most of them stink.” I wasn’t too far off with that, I don’t think, anyway. And yet, we can’t get enough of them.
I’m just as guilty!
For years, I’ve kept track of what the experts and analysts were thinking about our beloved Miami Dolphins, and as sad as it may be for you to hear, I’m doing it once again.
ESPN has always been one of the best in the country at covering the NFL draft. It makes sense; they were the primary source of most sports and, to this day, remain a primary hub for college football. ALL OF US grew up listening to Mel Kiper and Todd McShay talk NFL Draft. Nowadays, they have guys like Matt Miller and Jordan Reid more involved, but whether they like it or not, there’s still one OG.
In Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft, he has Dolphins GM Jon Eric-Sullivan and new head coach Jeff Hafley targeting the defensive side of the football. However, before we get into the Dolphins’ pick, let’s take a look at what happened in the ten picks prior…
The Las Vegas Raiders get their quarterback of the future.
In one of the least surprising moves of the offseason, the Las Vegas Raiders get their franchise quarterback — and make no mistake about it, that’s exactly what Fernando Mendoza is. He’s the QB1 of this class. He won the Heisman and followed it up with a National Championship. And we all saw that 4th down play. He’s QB1 and should change the Raiders franchise for many years to come.
The rest of the top-10 is as follows:
- 1:02 | New York Jets | Arvell Reese | EDGE | Ohio State
- 1:03 | Arizona Cardinals | Francis Mauigoa | OT | Miami
- 1:04 | Tennessee Titans | David Bailey | EDGE | Texas Tech
- 1:05 | New York Giants | Carnell Tate | WR| Ohio State
- 1:06 | Cleveland Browns | Spencer Fano | OT | Utah
- 1:07 | Washington Commanders | Rueben Bain Jr. | EDGE | Miami
- 1:08 | New Orleans Saints | Jordyn Tyson | WR | Arizona State
- 1:09 | Kansas City Chiefs | Jeremiyah Love | RB | Notre Dame
- 1:10 | Cincinnati Bengals | Caleb Downs | SAF | Ohio State
With the 11th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins select:::
Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn
We don’t know if Tua Tagovailoa will still be Miami’s quarterback next season, but either way, it’s probably too early for Alabama’s Ty Simpson. We do know the defense could use some work, though, and new coach Jeff Hafley’s background is on that side of the ball. I thought about cornerback here, and Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy might make sense, but I just wasn’t ready to pull the first CB off the board.
Miami could use this pick to reload on the edge. The Dolphins traded Jaelan Phillips at the deadline, and Bradley Chubb could be a cap-saving release this offseason, since he has no guaranteed money left on his deal. Mixing Chop Robinson’s burst with Faulk’s power could be a long-term solution.
MY TAKE:::
The Miami Dolphins have needs all throughout the roster, so it makes sense for the team to stand pat and take the best available player at a premium position. Here, the Dolphins add a dynamic EDGE opposite of Chop Robinson that could be the foundation of Miami’s defensive line for years to come.
During his three seasons at Auburn, Fualk appeared in 37 games for the Tigers, recording 109 total tackles (73 solo), 19.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. He had 24 pressures and two sacks in 2025. Now, Faulk looks to be one of the top prospects selected in the 2026 NFL Draft and would certainly be a game-changer for Miami’s defense.
That said, I can’t help but remember just a year or two ago when the Dolphins had a plethora of guys on the EDGE — even after the team let Andrew Van Ginkel walk for pennies. Having to retool the defensive line, after years of investing in the group, is half the reason Miami is in this mess. The same can be said about the cornerback room, which is where Kiper also considered going at 11 overall.
In a previous mock draft done by his colleague, Matt Miller, the Dolphins did select Jermod McCoy, the shutdown cornerback from Tennessee. Here’s what Miller had to say back in November:::
“Before the 2025 season even started, the Dolphins lost their entire starting secondary from 2024 due to free agency, trades and injuries. And while some of the new additions have been positive, this defense could still use a true No. 1 outside cornerback. McCoy hasn’t played yet in 2025 after suffering an ACL tear in January but put enough great tape out in 2024 that scouts still consider him the top corner in the class. And while the Dolphins could consider a quarterback here, there isn’t one on the board that would be a serious threat to push Tua Tagovailoa in 2026.“
Worth noting, in Kiper’s most recent mock draft (1/20), the NEW YORK JETS selected Alabama QB Ty Simpson with the 16th overall pick. This, to me, is the perfect fit for Simpson and something I hope we continue to speak into existence between now and April’s draft. After all, the other option was Oregon’s Dante Moore or Lanorris Sellers, but both players decided to return to school. What. A. Shame.
What are your thoughts on the Miami Dolphins selecting Auburn pass-rusher Keldric Faulk with the 11th-overall pick? Would you have preferred a defensive back? How do you feel about Alabama QB Ty Simpson? Let us know in the comments section below!
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