Payton'S MOCK DRAFT
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Payton'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON FEB 25, 2026

Cole

  • Payton DRAFTING FOR THE
    Dolphins
Draft Selections
Spencer Fano Head Shot
PICK: 11 RND: 1 (MIA)
Spencer Fano
OT Utah
A.J. Haulcy Head Shot
PICK: 43 RND: 2 (MIA)
A.J. Haulcy
S LSU
Caleb Tiernan Head Shot
PICK: 75 RND: 3 (MIA)
Caleb Tiernan
OT Northwestern
Omar Cooper Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 87 RND: 3 (MIA)
Omar Cooper Jr.
WR Indiana
Michael Taaffe Head Shot
PICK: 90 RND: 3 (MIA)
Michael Taaffe
S Texas
Bryce Lance Head Shot
PICK: 111 RND: 4 (MIA)
Bryce Lance
WR North Dakota State
Malik Benson Head Shot
PICK: 149 RND: 5 (MIA)
Malik Benson
WR Oregon
Cole Payton Head Shot
PICK: 227 RND: 7 (MIA)
Cole Payton
QB North Dakota State
Draft Grade — Dolphins
Overall B-
ValueB NeedB TradesB- FutureB-
The Dolphins robbed the room for Taaffe. Final grade: B-.

The Dolphins did not reach, did not trade up, did not blink. They just waited, and Michael Taaffe fell into pick No. 90. Nothing here to lose sleep over; call it a B-.

If this class has a fault line, it runs straight through edge rusher. The Taaffe pick reads as want over need, and the roster will feel it at edge rusher, interior defensive lineman and other spots.

The cost of the Payton reach is exactly the players who went right after him.

In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the edge rusher spot they never got to.

Pick Analysis
Pick11 Rnd1 Spencer Fano
They took Spencer Fano at par in Round 1, Pick 11, which is nothing to complain about. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Pick43 Rnd2 A.J. Haulcy
A reach for A.J. Haulcy in the Round 2 slot; a little patience would have been rewarded. It adds depth where they could use a little.
Pick75 Rnd3 Caleb Tiernan
Caleb Tiernan is a better player than pick No. 75 suggests; smart patience, rewarded. The roster fit checks out.
Pick87 Rnd3 Omar Cooper Jr.
Quietly one of the better values of the day, Omar Cooper Jr. at pick 87. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Pick90 Rnd3 Michael Taaffe
They zigged when the board said zag, taking Michael Taaffe at safety with edge rusher, interior defensive lineman and other spots open.
Pick111 Rnd4 Bryce Lance
A market-rate wide receiver, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Bryce Lance. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Pick149 Rnd5 Malik Benson
Value with a capital V on Malik Benson in the 149th overall pick, a genuine coup. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Pick227 Rnd7 Cole Payton
They went early on Cole Payton in No. 227, and the value did not follow. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.