Who did the Miami Dolphins select in the latest Yahoo! Sports 2025 NFL Mock Draft?
This has been a busy week around the NFL. The league’s negotiating period began on Monday, allowing teams to start working with expected free agents on the terms of a contract. Those contracts and any other roster moves, including trades and post-June 1 roster cuts, began to be executed when the new league year began at 4 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday. Players agreeing to contracts dominated the news around the league throughout the week.
However, another announcement was made, which could also have a huge impact on the league. NFL teams were awarded compensatory draft picks this week, adding 35 additional selections to the college prospect selection process. These picks were awarded to teams who lost free agents in 2024, with a formula adjudicating who received picks and which signings countered a loss as free agency progressed. Picks were awarded starting in the third round and continuing into the seventh round.
The awarding of compensatory picks finalized the draft order – at least until trades are made to shuffle them around again.
Having the initial round of free agent signings, along with a finalized draft order, tees up the continuation of the 2025 mock draft season. At Yahoo! Sports, Nate Tice and Charles McDonald released the sixth version of their first-round projection, updating their predictions that began back in October. Who do they see the Miami Dolphins selecting with the 13th pick?
Previous Yahoo! Spots Mock Draft Miami Dolphins Picks
Mock Draft 1.0: Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado (2nd pick, October 2)
Mock Draft 2.0: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon (12th pick, November 28)
Mock Draft 3.0: Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia (13th pick, December 26)
Mock Draft 4.0: Josh Simmons, OL, Ohio State (13th pick, January 12)
Mock Draft 5.0: Kelvin Banks, OL, Texas (13th pick, February 11)
Yahoo! Sports 2025 NFL Mock Draft 6.0 – Miami Dolphins pick
The picks in this version of the Yahoo! mock had McDonald making the odd picks while Tice made the even selections. University of Miami fans will enjoy McDonald’s first-overall selection, with the Tennessee Titans using the selection to add quarterback Cam Ward. The mock continued with the Cleveland Browns selecting Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter with the second pick, followed by the New York Giants using the third selection on Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter. The draft order was then shaken up as the Las Vegas Raiders traded up into the fourth position, gaining the New England Patriots’ selection to pick Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. The Jacksonville Jaguars rounded out the top five picks with Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham.
Jumping to the Dolphins’ 13th pick, McDonald provided the Dolphins with a presumed day-one starter at a position they have targeted early in free agency but still could use the additional move. McDonald used Miami’s selection to add Georgia safety Malaki Starks. Of the pick, he wrote:
Jevon Holland out, Starks in. Starks is a supremely talented defensive back who, at his best, can be a dominant tackler and coverage player on the back end — the exact player the Dolphins need in their secondary right now.
How would you feel about the Dolphins using the 13th pick on a safety? Is Starks the right pick for Miami? What player or position would you prefer they target if they did not select Starks?
