When the Miami Dolphins hired general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley, the new regime made it clear that the team would now focus on drafting and developing players.
While Hafley preached wanting to be competitive, he also stated that the Dolphins would not be judged by wins and losses, but more so on their improvement.
Sunday’s 27-13 loss against the Las Vegas Raiders definitely showed that there are areas of improvement for the Dolphins. The team’s inexperience was on full display, as some rookies struggled and were picked on by Las Vegas’ veteran players. However, there was one rookie who turned heads in his debut.
Miami Dolphins Rookie Linebacker Jacob Rodriguez Turns Heads in Season Opener
Miami Dolphins rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez led the team with 14 total tackles while also serving as Miami’s defensive playcaller. After the game, Rodriguez said of his experience calling his first NFL game, “I think it felt clean. It’s constant communication between me and Coach Hafley… I think it was pretty clean for the first time.”
Adam Carter posted on X: “Dolphins LB Jacob Rodriguez (LB3-Tier 2/High level NFL starter) has been the highest graded rookie defender in week 1 with an outstanding 90.3 PFF grade. He had 5 run stops, just 1 missed tackle, and a 56.3 passer rating when targeted.”
Rodriguez’s strong debut was likely not a surprise to Miami Dolphins All-Pro linebacker Jordyn Brooks, who had high praise for Rodriguez prior to the game. Entering Week 1, Brooks said of the rookie linebacker, “Whatever he was doing at Texas Tech, he was doing the right things. [He] came in very knowledgeable of the game, very mature and just ready to go. He’s just gotten better and better since OTAs, honestly. I’m excited to see his growth and what he does this year.”
Rodriguez impressed in training camp, which resulted in him being named a starter over veteran Tyrel Dodson, who was later released. Despite the tough result, Miami getting a solid game out of Rodriguez is encouraging.
Jacob Rodriguez’s Debut
Despite the impressive tackle numbers and PFF grade, there are some areas where the rookie linebacker can improve going forward. The Palm Beach Post’s Joe Schad gave Rodriguez a C+ grade in his debut. Schad wrote:
“Jacob was involved in stopping a 4th-and-1 run by the Raiders in the first quarter. But the stop was overturned on replay review and Las Vegas was awarded a first down.
Rodriguez was in coverage and made a tackle after a short completion in the second quarter. Rodriguez led the Dolphins with 14 tackles, which would put him on pace for 238 in 2026.”
Miami did struggle to contain Las Vegas’ run game; however, that may have been due to the poor play from the Dolphins’ defensive line. After the game, Rodriguez said of the team’s run defense, “A lot of it was self-inflicted. We got to set the edge, we got to play with good pad level, just basic football… we got to be able to stop the run.”
Dolphins’ Jacob Rodriguez Turns Head in NFL Debut vs Raiders