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The Miami Dolphins had a very active 2026 NFL Draft, making 13 total picks, with two coming in Round 1, and a lot on Day 2, along with some interesting prospects on Day 3.
Overall, the Dolphins added a ton of talent to their depleted team. Jeff Hafley's roster is looking a bit better, and many of these rookies will see playing time right away this upcoming season.
ESPN's Ben Solak identified two players from this 13-player draft class as long shots to win an end-of-season NFL award. Those two players are first-round cornerback Chris Johnson and second-round linebacker Jacob Rodriguez.
2 Dolphins rookies are long shots to win NFL award
1. Chris Johnson, CB, Round 1
"It would be so cool if, mired in what's sure to be a terrible Dolphins season, Johnson snagged seven picks and won Defensive Rookie of the Year," Solak writes. "It's not impossible..."
While Solak is expecting the Dolphins to be terrible in 2026, he does have some hope that Johnson, the San Diego State cornerback Miami took in Round 1 after a trade-up, could turn in a great rookie year to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
Sauce Gardner, back in 2022, accomplished something similar with the New York Jets, and if Johnson can secure a good amount of interceptions while shutting down opposing WRs, he has a chance for this award.
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2. Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Round 2
"Rodriguez is perhaps the most Schwesinger-esque of the five Round 2 options," Solak writes. "Undersized (6-foot-1, 230 pounds) but with magnets to the ball, Rodriguez will be a fun candidate in a different defense."
While Solak believes that of the Round 2 linebackers, Rodriguez has the best odds to be the next Carson Schwesinger (who won Defensive Rookie of the Year last year for the Cleveland Browns), there is one issue: his landing spot.
Rodriguez will be competing with Jordyn Brooks for playing time and, more importantly, tackles and other statistics.
Even if Rodriguez plays well in 2026, the production of Brooks will hold him back from putting together a strong enough season to win this award.
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2 Dolphins defenders are long shots for NFL award.
The 2026 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award will be a strongly contested one, and these two Dolphins defenders have a chance, as they're both long shots to win the award, according to Solak.
Of the two, Johnson has a greater chance, as he will see playing time right away and all season, while Rodriguez will be competing in a suddenly crowded LB room.
Neither is likely to win the award, as David Bailey, Ruben Bain Jr., Arvell Reese, Mansoor Delane, and Sonny Styles all have much greater chances to win the award.
But, Johnson and Rodriguez do still have a chance, even if it's small, to walk out of the 2026 season as the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year.
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