The Miami Dolphins’ Week 3 loss to the Chiefs did more than sting in the standings. It also reinforced a simple truth about where this roster is headed: the 2027 draft board needs to be watched closely, because Miami is likely to be picking near the top and could have several very different paths to choose from.
The easy assumption is that the Dolphins will chase the obvious headline names - Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith or a quarterback the front office likes best. But that’s not the whole picture. With a roster described as paper-thin and a rebuild already in motion, Miami could be hunting for help all over the draft, especially in the first round and again throughout Day 2.
One name that jumps out immediately is Colin Simmons, the Texas edge rusher who looks like the kind of player teams dream about landing early. Against Tennessee, Simmons turned in a wrecking-ball performance, piling up 5.5 sacks in Texas’ 20-17 win and overwhelming the Volunteers’ offensive line all afternoon.
He even drew attention for a celebration that mimicked peeing on an opponent, but the production is the real story here. Simmons already had nine sacks as a freshman and 12 last season, which makes him the kind of pass-rushing problem that rarely lasts long on draft boards.
That kind of edge talent is exactly what Miami could use. Jeff Hafley said in September, "There's not many edge rushers that are just going to pop up and be available if they're 12-plus sack guys. Those guys usually are really hard to find and there aren't many of them in free agency and if you have an early pick maybe you can get one in the draft."
That logic lands hard for the Dolphins. If Chop Robinson doesn’t suddenly become a star, or if the rest of Miami’s edge group doesn’t produce, Simmons would be hard to pass up. He would have been especially useful in Sunday’s matchup with Patrick Mahomes, where the Dolphins could have used another disruptive force off the edge.
Another name to keep on the radar is Charlie Becker, the Indiana wideout who could be positioned as the next receiver behind Jeremiah Smith in the class. Even after Miami drafted three receivers this year, Becker still makes sense as a target if the board breaks a certain way. He has averaged 19.8 yards on 53 receptions at Indiana, and the big-play profile fits what Miami could use.
Becker’s speed jumps off the page. A Week 3 tracking note showed him hitting 20.3 mph, and the clip attached to that report highlighted how quickly he can turn a broken play into something explosive.
At 6-foot-4, with strong ball-tracking ability and legitimate long speed, he brings the kind of downfield threat that pairs naturally with Malik Willis’ arm strength. That matters after the Kansas City game, where Willis struggled on throws of 20 or more yards without Caleb Douglas in the lineup.
Becker’s production has been easy to miss because he played in the shadow of Jets first-rounder Omar Cooper Jr. and Ravens rookie Elijah Sarratt on Indiana’s national championship team. But this season, through four games, he has accounted for more than 43% of Indiana’s total receiving yards, and the Hoosiers are ranked sixth in the country.
The third prospect is Clemson cornerback Ashton Hampton, and he might fit Miami’s needs as well as anyone on this list. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound defender could be a fit late in the first round if the Dolphins trade back up, or in the early second round if they let the board come to them. His profile suggests a player who can work in zone, but he looks especially dangerous in press-man coverage, where his size and physicality can throw receivers off their routes.
Hampton also brings the kind of attitude Miami’s secondary could use. He’s a willing tackler, and the source material points to a missed tackle rate that lines up with Chris Johnson’s 5.6% clip at San Diego State in 2025.
There’s also a 2024 interception in the mix that featured an outrageous one-handed grab. Put Hampton with Johnson on the boundary, and the Dolphins would have a young, cheap cornerback pairing that fits Hafley’s defensive approach.
For a team trying to survive in a division with quarterbacks like Mahomes and Josh Allen, that matters. The Dolphins need impact players, and these three prospects - Simmons, Becker and Hampton - all bring something Miami can build around if the draft falls the right way.
In Other News...
Jeff Hafleys Awkward Dolphins Moment Says A Lot About Miami Right Now
Jeff Hafley stepped to the podium after Miamis loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and found a room that looked a little emptier than a coach would prefer. The reason had less to do with the result on the field than with the local sports calendar, as the Heat were holding media day and the arrival of Giannis Antetokounmpo naturally pulled plenty of attention across town. For a Dolphins team trying to steady itself through a rebuilding season, it was a fitting snapshot of where things stand right now.
The Dolphins have dealt with key injuries, including to running back DeVon Achane, and the on-field frustration has been matched by a broader sense that Miamis football story is sharing the stage more than usual. In a market where the next big thing can change by the hour, the contrast between the Dolphins current grind and the Heats new spotlight was hard to miss. [Read more 🡒]
Andy Reid Just Validated What Dolphins Fans Have Been Hoping
The Dolphins rebuild has been about more than just adding talent. With Jeff Hafley guiding a young roster that has had to absorb plenty of growing pains, the emphasis has been on habits, effort and steady work while general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan reshapes the roster in a way that mirrors the patient, foundational approach Detroit used under Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes.
Andy Reids recent praise offered a little outside validation for that direction, with the Chiefs coach singling out Miamis effort even while acknowledging how often the Dolphins are outmatched. For a team trying to establish a new identity, it matters when one of the leagues most respected voices notices the grind, because the wins may not come all at once, but the standard is beginning to look more real. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Hit A New Low As Miamis Momentum Completely Vanishes
Jeff Hafleys latest media availability arrived on a day when the Dolphins were already fighting for attention, and the scene around it said plenty about where Miami sports stands right now. With many local reporters across town for the Heats media day and the buzz around new arrival Giannis Antetokounmpo, the room around Miamis coach was sparse as the Dolphins tried to move on from a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and keep their early-season momentum from slipping any further.
The timing has made the backdrop even tougher for Miami, which is dealing with a roster that is thinning in all the wrong places, including the season-ending injury to running back DeVon Achane. While Antetokounmpo was talking through his adjustment to a new team and city, the Dolphins were left to answer more familiar questions about resilience, health and whether they can regain traction before the slide becomes something bigger. [Read more 🡒]