The Miami Dolphins are staring down one of their most critical offseasons in recent memory. After a disappointing 2025 campaign, the franchise is hitting the reset button-with a new general manager, a new head coach, and a roster that’s in need of some serious retooling. And with Tyreek Hill likely on his way out, the Dolphins’ wide receiver room suddenly looks a lot thinner than it did just a year ago.
That leaves Jaylen Waddle as the lone proven weapon on the outside, and Miami knows it can’t go into 2026 banking on just one elite target. That’s why wide receiver is firmly on the radar for the Dolphins in this year’s NFL Draft-and according to ESPN’s Matt Miller, help could be on the way early on Day 2.
In Miller’s latest two-round mock draft, he has Miami using its second-round pick (No. 43 overall) to select Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr., a dynamic playmaker who’s coming off a breakout season catching passes from Fernando Mendoza.
“Cooper is one of the best ball-tracing receivers in the class and can make an immediate impact from the slot,” Miller writes.
That’s exactly the kind of skill set the Dolphins could use. Cooper Jr. brings a smoothness to his game-he tracks the ball effortlessly, creates separation with sharp route-running, and has the kind of short-area quickness that makes him dangerous in the slot. And with defenses likely to key in on Waddle, Cooper could feast on matchups underneath and in space.
Cooper’s 2025 numbers tell the story: 69 catches, 937 yards, and 13 touchdowns. He was Mendoza’s go-to target at Indiana, and that chemistry helped fuel one of the most productive seasons of any receiver in the Big Ten. Now, he’s heading to the NFL with momentum and a skill set that fits perfectly into what Miami is trying to build.
Miller’s mock also has the Dolphins addressing the other side of the ball in Round 1, projecting them to take shutdown cornerback Jerod McCoy. If that scenario plays out-McCoy in the first, Cooper Jr. in the second-Miami could walk away from the draft with two starters at premium positions. That’s how you accelerate a rebuild.
Of course, Cooper Jr. isn’t the only wideout in this class with big-time production. Elijah Sarratt is also drawing interest after a strong season of his own-65 catches, 830 yards, and 15 touchdowns. But Cooper, a bit younger and perhaps a more natural complement to Waddle’s speed and explosiveness, might be the better long-term fit in Miami’s offense.
Bottom line: with Tyreek Hill’s time in South Florida likely coming to an end, the Dolphins need to find their next big-play threat. Omar Cooper Jr. checks a lot of boxes-he’s productive, polished, and poised to contribute right away. If he’s still on the board at 43, don’t be surprised if Miami pounces.