It’s that time of year again, Ladies and Gentlemen. It’s time for Mike’s first Miami Dolphins Mock Draft of 2025.

As I type this, it is March 23rd, and I am going off the information I have today and what information is out there in NFL circles. I will update this mock draft between now and the week of the draft when I put out my Final Miami Dolphins Mock draft.

I want to remind people I don’t have a crystal ball; the draft process is fluid.

As we approach the draft, more information becomes available on which players are rising and which are falling, what I am hearing and seeing what other teams are doing from a free agency perspective that may change their approach, and I will get a clearer picture of who will and won’t be available, at least with picks 13 and 48.

So, without any further Ado, here is my 2025 Miami Dolphins Mock Draft 1.0 (and remember, I make no trades in these mock drafts; I pick as is)

 

Round 1, Pick #13: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan

This is a total Chris Grier pick on many levels. Cornerback is a premium position that Grier puts a big emphasis on in Rounds one and two. Second, it is cornerback, and Grier values players in the secondary above players on the line of scrimmage. Third, it fills a big need for the Miami Dolphins.

If Johnson hadn’t missed games with a turf toe last season and had injured his hamstring the past few weeks, causing him to not participate in his pro day and to cause him to have a private workout on April 14th for scouts, I think Johnson would probably be a Top 10 pick. If he is healthy and runs a 4.4 at that private workout, then in future mocks, I probably won’t have him here as he will be long gone by Pick #13. Heck, he still may be a Top 10 pick even if he isn’t 100% healthy because he is so stinking talented, but there is some risk here that has to be factored in. I have no fear and think these are just run-of-the-mill injuries top-level athletes have, so I am not worried. However, the teams picking in the T0p 10 analyze and overanalyze everything, so he could fall to 13. He is a 6’2″ cornerback who can run a 4.4 40 when healthy; there isn’t much to think about here.

You put Will Johnson opposite Jalen Ramsey with Kader Kohou in the slot, and Miami’s CB room looks a lot better. Yes, they still need depth because I don’t trust Cam Smith or Ethan Bonner, but if Johnson is on the board, Miami must turn that card in ASAP and don’t overthink it.

Round 2, Pick #48: Donovan Jackson, G, Ohio St

Yes, Dolphins fans, you get your offensive lineman here who can hopefully come in and start right away. Jackson has the ability to play tackle as well, but he is a plug-and-play guard in year 1, most likely for the Dolphins. He is 6’4″, 315 lbs, and he is a total athlete who can move and who is a perfect fit for the Miami Dolphins running game, where Mike McDaniel loves his guards to pull and get to the outside and block and be light on their feet.

He had 31 starts at left guard since 2022, where he excelled. When Ohio St needed a left tackle in November of this year due to a teammate going down with an injury, Jackson moved out to left tackle and finished the season, and Ohio St won the national title with him at tackle.

Put Jackson next to Patrick Paul, and hopefully, you have the left side of your offensive line set for many years to come. And if Patrick Paul fails, you can give Jackson a shot at left tackle to see if he can fill that spot. Win-Win!

I know some Mock Drafts have him going late Round 1 or early Round 2, but I think he can (and will) fall to pick 48, at least as of now. He is a guard, and while mock drafts are fun when push comes to shove on draft night when teams are actually making selections, guards aren’t valued like OT, WR, CB, QB, and Edge Rushers.

Round 3, Pick #98: Marques Sigle, S, Kansas St

The Dolphins lost Jevon Holland and did not replace him. Ashtyn Davis and Ifeatu Melifonwu are nothing more than career backups and cannot and should not be starters in this league. Sigle has 4.3 speed and is a very aggressive player. He is sometimes too aggressive, so he falls to the late 3rd round, but he is a prototypical NFL-strong safety guy. He is essentially a carbon copy of Brandon Jones, who Grier and Miami drafted back in 2020.

Round 4, Pick #116: Emory Jones Jr., OT, LSU

 

That’s right, two offensive linemen in the first four rounds. Jones is a right tackle who Miami needs because Austin Jackson is the only player injured more than Tua Tagovailoa. It’s time for Miami to have some insurance behind Jackson in the short-term and the long-term if Jackson continues to miss games and cannot stay on the field.  At 6’5″ and 315 lbs, he is, like Donovan Jackson, who I have Miami selecting above, a total athlete who is smooth on his feet and has good lateral movement. This, again, is needed for an offensive lineman in a Mike McDaniel scheme. And if Miami decides to move on from Austin Jackson in a year or two for salary cap reasons or for the fact he can’t stay healthy, you have his replacement ready to go in-house (hopefully).

Round 4, Pick #135: Ty Hamilton, DT, Ohio St

The defensive line is a disaster for Miami, and the only reason I have put it off this far is because, in this mock, talent at CB, S, and the offensive line was just too good to pass up. With Hamilton, though, Grier decided to finally address the defensive line. At just under 300 lbs, he is a bit of an undersized defensive lineman, but he is someone who can beat blockers and get to the quarterback from the DT position. Miami will have to coach him up some, but I think as a rookie, he can give you some snaps each week and have a small part in a rotation.

He isn’t going to eat up blockers and free up space for linebackers to make plays. That isn’t his game. You get him on the field on passing downs to see if he can find a gap and get to the quarterback.

Round 5, Pick #150: LeQuint Allen, RB, Syracuse

 

Out of all of the names from Syracuse who have been mocked to Miami in numerous mock drafts, it’s not Kyle McCord, Oronde Gadsden II, or even Fadil Diggs who Miami ends up selecting. It’s the tough-nosed running back LeQuint Allen. Miami needs someone to pick up yards on 3rd and 4th and short, and Allen is your man.

I am not sure Alexander Mattison has a long-term future in Miami beyond this year. Hell, if he was cut in training camp, I wouldn’t be shocked. Allen wants to run over you, not around you. He runs angry. He runs like he wants to hit the defender before the defender hits him.

On top of that, he has super soft hands and can help you in the passing game. He won’t win any foot races, but on 3rd and 2 or 4th and 1, give this guy the ball and just get out of his way.

Round 5, Pick #155: Thomas Fidone II, TE, Nebraska

The Dolphins need to continue adding to their tight end room, and Fidone is a little bit of a project but one that may pay off in a year or two. This is a guy you want to learn under Jonnu Smith, as Fidone is a total athlete with the ability to leap and make catches from the tight end position. He is an adequate blocker, not bad by any means, but he does need to bulk up some. So, a year or two in an NFL weight room and program will help here.

As a rookie, he may not have a role, in year two, he may be a guy who is on the field a lot, and for pick #155, that is a steal.

Round 7, Pick #224: Cameron Jackson, DT, Florida

This is ONE BIG SONOFABITCH! At 6’6″ and 328 lbs, Jackson is a true nose tackle in every sense of the word. He is someone who will eat blockers on the defensive line. This kid was born to play nose tackle in the NFL. But….he gives you no pass-rushing ability at all. His play was very inconsistent at Florida, and for a guy his size, he can get pushed around too often, which should never happen.

Your drafting traits here, and hoping you can develop him. He needs to be coached up on the fundamentals and to have a fire light under him where he can use those traits and become a beast (hopefully).

Round 7, Pick #231: Jah Joyner, EDGE, Minnesota

Not a run defender in any way, shape, or form and probably never will be. He is someone you just unleash to get after the quarterback and play on special teams. Which at pick #231, you will take in a heartbeat. In the NFL, he is a one-trick pony and not an every-down player or even a 2-down player. You only want him on the field to rush the quarterback. If teams run at him, there is zero chance he is going to stop the run.

His length makes him difficult to block at times, and when he gets to the quarterback, he has a knack for stripping the ball or knocking it loose. He is an athlete who can help on special teams and eventually become a pass-rushing specialist.

Round 7, Pick #253: Mac McWilliams, CB, UCF

Mac doesn’t have ideal traits and has short arms and small hands, but he plays with no fear. On deep balls, he doesn’t get his head around quickly enough, but his toughness and motor make him an ideal player at the end of Round 7 to take a flyer on. He can help on special teams and coach him up at CB, and maybe in a year or two, he is someone on your depth chart who is active on game days.