The Miami Dolphins have a pair of picks in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft on Thursday night after trading wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos earlier this offseason.
Those selections should help Miami fill some of the huge holes that they currently have up and down their roster with general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley making massive changes to the group of players since taking over.
On Wednesday, ESPN's Peter Schrager released his final mock draft of the year. At pick No. 11, he believes the Dolphins could grab offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa.
"ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Mauigoa has a herniated disk in his back, and teams will have to be comfortable with that," Schrager wrote. "I still think he's a high pick. Mauigoa is an immediate starter, and new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan needs to find a bunch of those. There are a lot of directions Miami could go at No. 11. Right tackle Austin Jackson missed significant time last season, and there are questions on the interior. I could absolutely see this new Dolphins regime shoring up the offensive line and building out from there."
Mauigoa, 20, played at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, and was a five-star recruit before committing to the University of Miami. Over the last three years, he's started 42 games at right tackle, earning All-ACC honors twice (second team in 2024 and first team in 2025) and All-American honors once (2025).
With their second pick in the first round (No. 30 overall), Schrager has the Dolphins snagging cornerback Jermod McCoy.
"The concerns around McCoy's knee are real, so I think he does go a little later than previously thought," Schrager wrote. "But ... I don't think he falls out of the first round. The Dolphins have 11 picks in this draft, and considering the state of their cornerback room, this is a swing worth taking. When healthy, McCoy can be a difference-maker."
McCoy, 20, was a three-star recruit out of Whitehouse High School in Whitehouse, Texas, before committing to Oregon State and transferring to Tennessee after just one year. In 25 games, McCoy recorded 75 tackles, 16 passes defensed, six interceptions and one fumble recovery. He earned All-SEC honors in 2024 and missed all of the 2025 season due to a torn ACL.
These two picks could be franchise-altering for the Dolphins and put them on a trajectory to compete for a playoff spot sooner than expected, but with both players having injury concerns, Sullivan may not want to risk it.
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This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: 2026 NFL draft: Dolphins take Francis Mauigoa, Jermod McCoy in mock