Jaylen Waddle—the Dolphins’ first-round pick in 2021 and consistently the team’s top pass-catcher since then—is now a Denver Bronco.
The Fins sent their prolific wideout (plus a 2026 fourth-rounder) to Sean Payton and co. late Tuesday morning in exchange for the Broncos' 2026 first-round pick, third-round pick, and fourth-round pick. As interest around Waddle heated up, Miami had "held firm" that the receiver was worth a first-round pick, per NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, and that hesitance has clearly paid off.
But with Waddle gone, the Dolphins are now quite thin at the receiver position, and will likely be looking to replace their star wideout in this year's draft. With that in mind, let's take a look at all 11 of the team's picks this year.
Dolphins 2026 draft picks
Miami now has the following picks in the upcoming draft:
| Round | Pick |
|---|---|
| 1 | No. 11 |
| 1 | No. 30* |
| 2 | No. 43 |
| 3 | No. 75 |
| 3 | No. 87 (via Eagles) |
| 3 | No. 90 (via Texans) |
| 3 | No. 94* |
| 4 | No. 130* |
| 5 | No. 151 |
| 7 | No. 227 |
| 7 | No. 238 (via Chargers from Titans and Jets) |
* denotes pick received as part of Waddle trade.
Miami is now one of five teams with two picks in the first round, including the Jets (2, 16); Browns (6, 24); Chiefs (9, 29); and Cowboys (12, 20).
Who could the Dolphins draft to replace Waddle?
We are still over a month out, but recent Sports Illustrated mock drafts count Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate, USC wideout Makai Lemon and Arizona State's Jordan Tyson among the top pass-catching options on the board. While it's likely Tate goes before the Dolphins pick at No. 11, Lemon and Tyson should still be there.
It is also possible the Dolphins opt to shore up their defense with their early first-rounder, and save the No. 30 overall pick for someone like Washington's Denzel Boston—less highly rated than the aforementioned options, but still in the first-round conversation.
Miami's current WR room
Post-trade, the Dolphins now have the following at receiver:
| WR | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tutu Atwell | Jalen Tolbert | Malik Washington |
| Terrace Marshall Jr. | Theo Wease Jr. | Tahj Washington |
| AJ Henning |
More NFL on Sports Illustrated
- Jaylen Waddle Trade Grades: Broncos Pay Premium for Star Receiver
- Maxx Crosby Got Brutally Honest About How Ravens Trade Broke Down
- Why Carson Towt, Colts' New Basketball Forward-Turned-Tight End, Can Skip NFL Draft
- We Talk Ourselves Into the Steelers Actually Being Good
- The Special Thing Jaylen Waddle Did Immediately After He’d Been Traded to Broncos
This article was originally published on www.si.com as All 11 of Dolphins' 2026 Draft Picks: How Can Miami Replace Jaylen Waddle?.
