The team at ProFootballNetwork has released their latest seven–round mock draft. The focus of this draft is fixing the Dolphins’ offensive line both in the short term and long term. For additional insights and discussions on such draft strategies, viewers can tune into BetUS sports TV shows, which frequently analyze team needs and potential draft picks.

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Round 1, Pick #13: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas

“With Tua Tagovailoa’s injury history, protecting him has to be the Miami Dolphins’ top priority. They could address that early in the NFL Draft.

Kelvin Banks Jr. has one of the highest ceilings in this offensive tackle class. He’s well-built with long arms, a strong anchor, and impressive agility. His hand usage still needs refining, but if he cleans that up, he could be a long-term starter anywhere on the line.“

NFL.com Draft Profile

Overview

Three-year starter who has gone to battle in the trenches with current and future pros. Banks will come into the league as an early starter but his run blocking is more pro-ready than his pass protection. He’s technically sound and scrappy in the ground game, with the quickness and athleticism to get to all move blocks. He has the leverage and strain to hold his own at the point. Banks has the slide quickness to deal with speed, but he must become more proactive in attacking power rushers and long-limbed attackers to prevent them from dictating the terms. He needs to improve his anchor and hand placement but he should become a long-time NFL starter at either tackle or guard.

Strengths

  • Plays with good initial quickness and easy athleticism.
  • Tracks rushers with smooth slides and a steady pace.
  • Refuses to overset and unnecessarily open an inside lane.
  • Feet are active and light to mirror counter movements.
  • Has a feel for his punch range and when to throw his hands.
  • Dips and drives hips into the opponent, creating leverage.
  • Runs feet into down blocks and kick-outs, and keeps them chopping.
  • Centers up man-on-man blocks and strains to neutralize.
  • Athletic in space with basketball feet to adjust and connect.

Weaknesses

  • Lacks desired thickness in his limbs.
  • Pass protection features excessive forward lean into punch.
  • Needs to expand set depth to create a wider corner for rusher.
  • Labors to keep power from compressing his edges.
  • Athletic but body control can get away from him in protection.
  • Sloppy hand placement and tardy resets impact block sustain.
  • Needs to play with more consistent clinch and control at the point.

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

“They might have beefed up the offensive line in Round 1, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the Dolphins end up double-dipping there with another one of their early picks.

Donovan Jackson’s ability to kick outside to left tackle immediately after Simmons’ injury is genuinely impressive. The former is definitely more of a guard in the pros, but his power and agility didn’t look too out of place outside, either.”

NFL.com Draft Profile

Overview

Broad-framed three-year starter with core power and leg drive to hold the line of scrimmage or change it. He can stick and sustain in-line or on the second level and is a plus finisher. Jackson has the athleticism for all tasks as an outside-zone blocker. He is also able to accelerate and lead the way on long pulls or counters. He leans against stunting/slanting fronts, and he can be tardy in opening his hips and activating his feet for recoveries. He’s long but punches with wider hands and struggles to consistently maintain his edges when mirroring. Overall, Jackson has the measurables, power and movement for any scheme as a starting guard.

Strengths

  • Guard prototype with thick chest, broad hips, long arms and big hands.
  • Able to punch and stay clinched from a distance.
  • Uses core power, hip flexion and hand resets to thwart bull rush.
  • Uses length and upper-body power to thump gap shooters.
  • Displays above average “hit and stick” for longer sustain.
  • Strain and leg drive to push double-team blocks vertically.
  • Moves fluidly and with good acceleration for stretch blocks and pulls.
  • He looks for physical block finishes once he’s locked in.

Weaknesses

  • Wide protection hands leave his frame wide open.
  • Forward lean diminishes ability to widen and defend his edges.
  • Below-average agility and lateral quickness in recovery mode.
  • Quicker defenders can beat him with quick wins heads-up.
  • Becomes hurried getting off secure block and up to linebacker.

Round 3, Pick #98: D.J. Giddens, RB, Kansas State

“With Raheem Mostert gone, the Dolphins add a big-bodied runner with impressive contact balance in D.J. Giddens in this 2025 NFL Mock Draft.”

NFL.com Draft Profile

Overview

A productive runner with good size, Giddens lacks explosive elements in his game. He defies expectations as a big back who doesn’t run with heavy power. He’s a long-strider with wiggle between the tackles. He’s patient behind his blocks and quickly processes run-lane development. He’s not sudden and lacks the burst to outflank defenses, so running behind his pads and picking up the tough yardage inside might have to be his ticket into a rotation.

Strengths

  • Workhorse with good size and strong production.
  • Runs with patience, allowing bigs to get to their blocks.
  • Vision to see and cut into developing run lanes.
  • More elusive than he should be in tight quarters.
  • Only one fumble over his last two seasons (428 carries), per PFF.

Weaknesses

  • Runs with long strides, making it tougher to find quick cuts.
  • Lacks lateral quicks and long speed to create chunk runs.
  • Inconsistent knee bend and power as a run finisher.
  • Struggles to bring in off-frame throws.
  • Will get the quarterback hit too often in protection.

Round 4, Pick #116: Billy Bowman, S, Oklahoma

NFL.com Draft Profile

Overview

The only things keeping Bowman from a higher grade is a lack of NFL size and his inconsistencies as a tackler. He’s fluid and athletic to man up over the slot. He’s meddlesome to float around looking for playmaking opportunities in zone coverage. He’ll struggle matching on big bodies and will get beat on jump balls downfield. He loves to rocket downhill to support the run but he lacks stopping power and will miss his share of tackles. His size and tackling inconsistency might be a concern for some teams, but he’s too instinctive and versatile to overlook as a safety/corner hybrid with starting talent.

Strengths

  • Instinctive and opportunistic with 11 career interceptions, including three returned for scores.
  • Versatility to move around in a variety of coverages.
  • Speed and quickness allows for more pre-snap disguises.
  • Above-average recognition and eye balance in all forms of zone.
  • Hips and feet for smooth transitions in man coverage from the slot.
  • Determined to pull free from blocks and make tackles.
  • Instant diagnosis and trigger to meet run plays near the line.

Weaknesses

  • Lacks height and weight associated with the safety spot.
  • Can get big-bodied by receivers posting him up.
  • Tall targets can play over the top of him on jump balls.
  • Active in run support but results are uneven.
  • Comes in hot and fails to break down as an open-field tackler.
  • Drag-down tackler lacking functional play strength as a solo stopper.

Round 4, Pick #135: Jackson Slater, OG, Sacramento State

NFL.com Draft Profile

Overview

Slater plays with good core strength and firmness into contact. He’s well-schooled but might lack the desired foot quickness to keep defenders in front of him once he makes the jump in competition. Slater is smooth in his sets and utilizes independent hands but will have trouble recovering once he’s behind. Proving he has position flexibility at guard and center will help, but Slater appears to have a limited ceiling.

Strengths

  • Easy out of his stance and into action on skip pulls.
  • Fits up blocks with low pads and wide base.
  • Hip-to-hip double teams generate good movement at the point.
  • Upper-body power and strong hands allow him to latch longer.
  • Punches and resets with independent hands in protection.
  • Scans his gaps and finds protection work when uncovered.

Weaknesses

  • Grass-stomper when moving laterally to zone landmarks.
  • Has trouble turning heads-up blocks out of the gap.
  • Below-average adjustments to second-level movement.
  • Can become impatient and lunge with his punch.
  • Lacks functional agility for NFL protection scrambles.

Round 5, Pick #150: Elijah Roberts, DT, SMU

NFL.com Draft Profile

Overview

Productive base end with good play strength who continues to add weight to his frame. Roberts has chalked up stats as a standing defender but isn’t athletic enough to play as a 3-4 outside ‘backer in the NFL and might not have the brutality to play inside at three-technique despite his size. Roberts won’t win the rush with speed or quickness but he can collapse the pocket with a finesse-to-power rush transition. He is slow to read and react to mesh points and counters. He’s also a wildly inconsistent arm tackler. The production could earn him an opportunity, but it might not be translatable as a base defensive end in the pros.

Strengths

  • Compiled 23.5 TFL, 17.5 sacks and four forced fumbles in the last two seasons.
  • Changes up his rush plan to keep protectors off-balance.
  • Able to roll tackles deep into the pocket with speed-to-power.
  • Capable of stacking his moves as a pass rusher.
  • Beats run blocker into the gap with an effective arm-over.
  • Can brace and hold the edge with leverage, length and strength.

Weaknesses

  • Needs to play past blocks with his eyes and diagnose the action.
  • Foot quickness and change of direction are below average.
  • Can be mirrored and controlled by an anchor-strong tackle.
  • Straight-legged rush gets him knocked off track by redirect blocks.
  • Will pull up short of full-body contact and default to arm tackles.

Round 5, Pick #155: Tommi Hill, CB, Nebraska

NFL.com Draft Profile

Overview

A big cornerback with impressive athletic traits, Hill suffered through plantar fasciitis issues in 2024. He has good top-end speed but sticky transitions and average short-area burst, which limits his man-cover effectiveness. He plays with excellent route awareness in zone, with the ball skills and length to squeeze and close throwing windows around him. A heavy dose of 2023 tape is necessary to get the best feel for Hill, but he’s always been reliable in run support. Hill projects as a zone corner with good backup potential and a chance to climb the ranks with more experience.

Strengths

  • Big check marks for height, weight, speed and length.
  • Possesses above-average build-up and top-end speed deep.
  • Efficient lateral and downhill transitions from his backpedal.
  • Plays with good awareness of route combinations near him.
  • Former wideout with explosive vertical and above-average ball skills.
  • Just needs to be in the neighborhood to swat throws away.
  • Plays to his size and shines in run support with consistent tackling.

Weaknesses

  • Relatively small number of career snaps at cornerback.
  • Can be fooled at press release and by stem fakes in man coverage.
  • Below-average early acceleration in recovery and downhill burst on throws.
  • Needs to become more dialed into the quarterback’s intentions.
  • Missed six games in 2024 due to plantar fasciitis.

Round 7, Pick #224: Luke Lachey, TE, Iowa

NFL.com Draft Profile

Overview

Combination tight end capable of lining up in-line or as a move tight end. While Lachey can do both, he lacks the core strength and consistency of a typical “Y” tight end and has average quickness to escape man coverage on the next level. He has experience operating underneath and as an intermediate target, using proper leverage in his routes and good body control, along with strong hands, when contested. He has NFL size but needs to prove he can more consistently sustain as a run blocker in order to become a trustworthy, three-down player in the league. Unless that happens, he’s likely to be fighting for a role as a TE3 or TE4.

Strengths

  • Possesses adequate build and length.
  • Gives quality effort as a positional blocker in zone.
  • Has ability to activate hands quickly as a pass catcher.
  • Able to dig out low throws or pluck it at the high point.
  • Does a nice job of bodying defenders on contested catches.
  • Uses the entirety of catch radius to bring in off-frame throws.

Weaknesses

  • Feet are a little heavy getting upfield and into his breaks.
  • Fails to find separation burst at the top of the route.
  • Needs to become more physical inside his routes.
  • Below-average core power and grip strength to sustain blocks.
  • Not built for one-on-one pass-pro duties.

Round 7, Pick #231: Isaiah Neyor, WR, Nebraska

NFL.com Draft Profile

Overview

Height, weight, speed prospect who finished five years of college with just two seasons of double-digit catches. Neyor is a long-strider with the ability to separate in his stems and turns. His nearly seven-foot wingspan is on display with catch-radius grabs, but he lacks the toughness and hand strength to finish when contested. His blend of size, speed and separation potential is valuable, but his skill level still needs to be developed, which could make him a practice squad candidate.

Strengths

  • Great size with an outlandish wingspan.
  • Able to pluck throws from way outside his frame.
  • Agility and stride length are keys to his separation.
  • Has access to build-up gear to run down the deep ball.

Weaknesses

  • Doesn’t always play to his size advantage.
  • Inconsistent gauging speed as a deep-ball tracker.
  • Needs to fight earlier and harder for his catch space.
  • Hurries his routes, creating early, rounded breaks.

Round 7, Pick #253: Jay Higgins, LB, Iowa

NFL.com Draft Profile

Overview

Despite physical and athletic limitations, Higgins racked up tackles and awards over the last two seasons. He’s built like a downhill running back and delivers power behind his pads like one. Instincts feed his gaudy production, but a lack of length and twitch lead to him getting stuck on blocks when he’s not playing downhill. He lacks change-of-direction quickness and isn’t fast enough to capture outside runners. Higgins shouldn’t be asked to handle man coverage as a pro, but he’s above average as a zone defender. He has three-down talent and coverage value but his limitations create small margins for error and large obstacles to overcome.

Strengths

  • Tackle monster and team captain.
  • Instant reaction time to post-snap movement from blockers.
  • Recognizes play design and is determined to get there.
  • Runs through tackle targets with heavy pads.
  • Navigates zone space very effectively in coverage.
  • Swoops in and tackles pass catcher to eliminate additional yards.

Weaknesses

  • Squatty build, short arms and lacks speed.
  • Unable to punch and shed incoming blockers.
  • Sits on his perch instead of taking chances downhill.
  • Lacks pursuit burst and loses ground to the ball-carrier.
  • Not fast enough for man coverage duties as a pro.