CBS Sports Says All 13 Dolphins Rookies Are Under Pressure and the Rebuild Depends on It
The Miami Dolphins selected 13 players in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Apparently, all of them are under pressure to produce right away.
CBS Sports' Josh Edwards ranked the NFL's top 10 rookies facing the most pressure to succeed immediately. His takeaway: Every member of Miami's draft class will be expected to contribute in 2026.
"Miami's depth chart leaves a lot to be desired following its offseason moves," Edwards wrote. "The Dolphins drafted 13 players and several of them will be competing for meaningful roles this summer.
"One would assume first-round picks Kadyn Proctor and Chris Johnson will start immediately, but Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech wide receiver Caleb Douglas and Ohio State tight end Will Kacmarek should factor in the equation."
Miami's rookies have no safety net
Miami is entering the first year of an intentional rebuild under general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and new head coach Jeff Hafley. After releasing Tyreek Hill and Tua Tagovailoa and trading Jaylen Waddle, the Dolphins enter the season as one of the NFL's youngest teams.
Miami signed Malik Willis to a three-year, $67.5 million contract in March, and he'll be tasked with leading one of the league's youngest offenses. Outside of running back De'Von Achane, the Dolphins lack proven playmakers at the skill positions.
Malik Washington is the Dolphins' leading returning wide receiver and is expected to take on a much larger role. But rookies Caleb Douglas, Will Kacmarek and Kevin Coleman Jr. will also need to contribute immediately to an offense that ranked 26th last season despite having Hill, Tagovailoa and Waddle.
Miami has just as many questions on defense
First-round pick Chris Johnson is expected to open the season as the Dolphins' No. 1 cornerback. Behind him, there isn't much proven production with Storm Duck, Jason Marshall Jr., JuJu Brents and Alex Austin rounding out the cornerback room.
After a disappointing sophomore season, edge rusher Chop Robinson enters a pivotal 2026 campaign. Fourth-round pick Trey Moore is also expected to carve out a role as a situational pass rusher.
Edwards believes the Dolphins' rookie class will need to make an immediate impact if Miami hopes to be competitive this season. While expecting all 13 draft picks to contribute is unrealistic, the Dolphins will need several of them to accelerate the rebuild and avoid finishing among the NFL's worst teams once again.
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This story was originally published July 11, 2026 at 9:09 AM.