In 2026, the Miami Dolphins added 13 players in the NFL Draft. It was the most out of every NFL team, as Miami wanted to build a foundation and a young core.
History suggests that not every player will turn out as Miami hopes, but the idea is that enough of them will develop into important contributors for the Dolphins. Miami’s draft class also marked the first for general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, who replaced Chris Grier after the latter held that role for 10 seasons.
Grier’s time with the Dolphins had its ups and downs. Among those downs is the 2020 NFL Draft, which similarly to 2026 was supposed to lay the foundation for the Dolphins. Now, one of those first-round picks in 2020 has found a new NFL team.
Former Miami Dolphins First-Round Pick Signs With Cleveland Browns
The Ringer NFL insider Tom Pelissero posted on X: “Veteran CB Noah Igbinoghene is signing with the Browns 53-man roster, per source.”
After the Dolphins embraced a rebuild in 2019, they traded away key pieces like Laremy Tunsil and Minkah Fitzpatrick, which led to the team having three first-round picks in the 2020 NFL Draft.
With those three selections, Miami drafted Tua Tagovailoa, Austin Jackson and Noah Igbinoghene. Igbinoghene, who was selected with the No. 30 overall pick, was the first to leave the Dolphins as he was traded to the Dallas Cowboys for Kelvin Joseph prior to the 2023 season. Joseph was later released by Miami that same season.
Miami originally held the No. 26 overall pick in that year’s draft, but moved down after a trade with the Green Bay Packers. The Packers drafted franchise quarterback Jordan Love, while the Dolphins ended up with Igbinoghene and fourth-round selection Solomon Kindley, who did not appear in an NFL game after 2021.
Noah Igbinoghene’s Career
With the Dolphins, Igbinoghene appeared in 32 games while starting five. Despite being a first-round bust, he did secure a game-winning interception against the Pittsburgh Steelers. In total, Igbinoghene registered 29 tackles, two fumble recoveries and one interception with the Dolphins.
After his brief stint with the Dallas Cowboys, the former Dolphins cornerback became a key part of the Washington Commanders 2024 defense as he started 10 games. Igbinoghene also started two playoff games for Washington during their run to the NFC Championship.
Dolphins Wire’s Mike Masala wrote of Igbinoghene’s career: “It’s somewhat impressive that a player who seemed destined for a career outside of football just a few years ago has carved out a decent career for himself.”
This offseason, Igbinoghene joined the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks on a one-year contract, but he failed to make their 53-man roster as he was released during final roster cuts. He will now get another opportunity with the Cleveland Browns.
While Igbinoghene has had a decent NFL career, it has not been what Miami envisioned when they selected him in the first round. The team will hope for a better outcome for this year’s first-round rookie cornerback Chris Johnson, who is expected to start for the Dolphins in their Week 1 opener against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Ex-Dolphins First-Round Pick Finds New Home Before Week 1