Entering the 2026 NFL Draft, many expected the Miami Dolphins to address their glaring need at the wide receiver position.
After releasing Tyreek Hill and trading Jaylen Waddle for a first-round pick, the team lacked wide receivers for new quarterback Malik Willis. Despite this, the Dolphins did not select a wide receiver with any of their first three selections in the draft.
Instead, they waited until the third-round where they selected two wide receivers.While the second of those selections, Chris Bell, was praised despite recovering from an injury, the first, Caleb Douglas, was largely viewed as a reach.
Unfortunately, the Miami Dolphins’ minicamp has not proven the doubters of Douglas’ selection wrong.
Miami Dolphins Rookie Struggles in Minicamp
Dolphins On SI’s Alain Poupart released his latest observations from Dolphins minicamp. Regarding rookie wide receiver Caleb Douglas, Poupart wrote: “Third-round pick Caleb Douglas didn’t catch a pass in offense-vs.-defense work and wasn’t targeted.”
In Poupart’s previous set of observations, Douglas did not earn a glowing review either as Poupart said, “It also wasn’t a great day for rookie wide receiver Caleb Douglas, who failed to come up with a contested catch over the middle and later another one that was low to the ground.”
After Miami drafted Douglas, Jon-Eric Sullivan said of him, “He’s got a long, rangy body. He’s got some very raw athleticism. I think what you’ll see for a tall, long-limbed receiver, long legs, long arms, he can really drop his weight. He’s got great flexibility. He’s got good athleticism and ball skills to adjust the ball in the air. He’s got to get stronger. If you were going to try to knock him on something, he’s got to get stronger, be able to get off press and some of the contested balls, but if you just said, hey, what’s one thing that jumps out? I thought you could really see it at his pro day and his workout, he’s pretty sudden and flexible to be able to drop his weight and snap down getting in and out of breaks for a long limb athlete.”
Caleb Douglas Prospect Profile
Despite Sullivan’s evaluation, Douglas was not viewed by draft analysts as a Day 2 selection. NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein projected him to be selected in the fifth or sixth round. Regarding him as a prospect, Zierlein wrote:
“Douglas is a long, slender outside target with good production but uneven tape. He has enticing moments, showcasing his catch radius/ball skills on fades and deep throws. Douglas’ focus drops and an inability to win contested catches at a high enough rate can’t be overlooked, though. He shows quick acceleration for a tall receiver, but his top-end speed is relatively non-threatening to defenses. Douglas can expect to be crowded by NFL cornerbacks and forced to prove he can uncover. There are flashes to build on, but he’ll have to battle to make a roster as a backup.”
Unfortunately, the early returns on the rookie wide receiver have not been favorable to the Miami Dolphins, and it seems the team is still lacking at the position.
Dolphins Rookie Gets Off to Rough Start at Minicamp: ‘Didn’t Catch a Pass’