The Miami Dolphins are one of the favorites to claim the No. 1 overall pick for the 2027 NFL Draft.
They are paying more money against the salary cap for players not on their team than for players that they have actually on the field.
They also don’t have their best player, RB De’Von Achane, after a Week 3 torn ACL ended their season.
So there’s been plenty of reason to believe that the Dolphins can work their way up to that top spot in the draft.
If Miami gets there, the target would potentially be Jeremiah Smith. The Ohio State WR is the best wideout in the country by far, and he’s also a Miami native. If the Dolphins felt OK about giving QB Malik Willis another season, they could draft a franchise cornerstone in Smith.
But on Sunday, Caleb Douglas showed how he could potentially ruin the Dolphins’ chances at getting Smith. The rookie wide receiver led Miami to a win over the New York Jets, and at least for now, the Dolphins don’t have the worst record in the NFL anymore.
Caleb Douglas Stats
Douglas caught just two passes on Sunday. They were both touchdowns.
The first was a 7-yarder as Douglas found himself in the end zone on the end of a good pass from Willis.
The second was all Douglas, a 63-yard catch-and-run where Douglas made a man miss, tip-toed along the sideline and flew all the way for a score.
Douglas was just returning from an injury absence, and he made his presence felt immediately.
As a rookie wideout drafted in the third round, Douglas won’t necessarily be super consistent, but he has game-winning potential, and he showed it on Sunday.
NFL Draft Order
The Dolphins entered Sunday holding the second pick in the active NFL Draft order. They won’t be moving up after Week 7, though.
The win improved the Dolphins to 1-5. They’ll either have the second or third spot in the live order, depending on what the Tennessee Titans do in a close game against the Cleveland Browns.
The Los Angeles Chargers remain No. 1 overall through Week 7, because they’re on a bye and are already 0-6. They’re now the last winless team in the NFL.
The Dolphins can’t move lower than No. 3 this week. The fourth pick is currently held by the 1-4-1 Washington Commanders, so their record can’t be worse than Miami at the end of this week thanks to that unusual tie.
It’s a long season, and the Dolphins’ players clearly aren’t playing for such a spot in the standings. Miami’s fans will be paying attention, though.
NFL Draft Order: Dolphins Chances at Jeremiah Smith Depend on Caleb Douglas