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The Miami Dolphins have had a lot of roster turnover in the last year. There is bound to be a lot of new contributors emerging for Miami this upcoming season.
While the offense, led by new quarterback Malik Willis, will draw plenty of attention, the defense cannot be ignored. And on the defensive side of the ball, there is one position group that could be a fun unit this year.
ESPN's Field Yates predicted that a pair of Dolphins rookies who play the same position would make an immediate impact in 2026. Those two rookies are Jacob Rodriguez and Kyle Louis.
2 Dolphins rookie LB's predicted to make an instant impact in 2026
"The Dolphins are at the ground floor of their rebuild, but pairing Rodriguez with veteran inside linebacker Jordyn Brooks is reason for excitement," Yates writes.
The fit for Rodriguez, the Dolphins' No. 43 overall pick in the second round, is a straightforward one. He's going to be a starting-caliber linebacker right away.
While Rodriguez, the Texas Tech linebacker who was a turnover machine with seven forced fumbles and four interceptions this past season, has a clear fit, the same cannot be said for Louis.
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"He is going to find a role quickly with the Dolphins -- be it at weakside linebacker or box safety," Yates writes. "New coach Jeff Hafley should be able to tap into Louis' unique skillset.
While Rodriguez is a more typical linebacker archetype, Louis is a smaller backer who is 6-foot, 220-pounds. He can fit in as a linebacker or as a box safety.
But, regardless of where the Dolphins use him, Yates is predicting that Louis will, just like Rodriguez, make an instant impact for the Dolphins.
This pair of predictions from Yates is very exciting, as not only are the Dolphins' first-rounders expected to make an impact right away, but their linebacker picks down the board are also capable of being good right from the start of their careers.
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