The Miami Dolphins’ youth movement is starting to show up in the national conversation.
After a roster overhaul under general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley, Miami has climbed from near the bottom of ESPN’s annual under-25 talent rankings all the way to No. 12 for the 2026 NFL season. That’s a huge jump from last year, when the Dolphins sat at No. 31 on the four-letter network’s list.
The rise reflects the direction Miami has taken this offseason: older, pricier veterans were moved out, and younger, less expensive players were brought in and handed a chance to carve out real roles in the NFL.
ESPN’s Aaron Schatz singled out guard Jonah Savaiinaea as the Dolphins’ only “blue-chip” player under 25, while also mentioning Patrick Paul, De’Von Achane, Kadyn Proctor, Chris Bell, Caleb Douglas, Kenneth Grant and Jordan Phillips. Savaiinaea’s placement is a notable one, especially after Pro Football Focus ranked him as the worst guard in the league last year. Still, ESPN appears encouraged by his move to the right side of the offensive line in 2026 and is betting he can take a step forward.
Even with the big leap, Miami is still trailing both of its AFC East rivals on the list. The New York Jets checked in at No. 7, while the New England Patriots landed at No.
- Schatz went even further with New England’s young quarterback, Drake Maye, calling him the NFL’s “most valuable young commodity” after he led the Patriots to the Super Bowl in just his second season as a pro.
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The episode centers on a Baton Rouge apartment and a loaded handgun that police say was kept under Moss pillow, a detail that has put the focus on how a child was left in harms way. Medical officials have not released the exact severity of the toddlers injuries, but the case has already underscored the kind of severe negligence investigators described and left a painful, unresolved question hanging over the former Dolphins future. [Read more 🡒]
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Packers Just Made A Risky Defensive Bet Fans Will Debate
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Green Bay, meanwhile, chose a different path by extending Devonte Wyatt for three years, a decision that will invite plenty of debate about risk and upside. With the Packers and Dolphins both making notable defensive moves before the pads come on, the early weeks of camp are already shaping up as a referendum on how much teams are willing to pay now for stability later. [Read more 🡒]