The Miami Dolphins’ 2025 roster is full of uncertainty, but over the past five years — excluding the current offseason — the franchise has added notable talent through the NFL Draft.
Key players like Jaelan Phillips, Jevon Holland, and Jaylen Waddle were all selected within the first two rounds. However, no draft was more pivotal than 2020, when the Dolphins held an unprecedented three first-round picks.
Miami started with No. 5 overall pick Tua Tagovailoa, who remains the team’s starting quarterback. At No. 18, they selected offensive tackle Austin Jackson. And with the No. 30 pick, they added Auburn cornerback Noah Igbinoghene.
“To be fair, the Dolphins had three first-round picks in 2020 and hit on the first two selections, with Tua Tagovailoa and Austin Jackson signing second contracts with the club and entering the upcoming season as projected starters,” Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder wrote.
“However, the same can’t be said for Igbinoghene. He only made five starts in three seasons in Miami before getting traded to the Dallas Cowboys ahead of the 2023 campaign. The Auburn product did salvage his career a bit last fall, though, starting 10 games for the Washington Commanders.”
Holder labeled Igbinoghene the worst Dolphins draft pick of the past five years — in large part because of who Miami passed up. He pointed to current Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor as the better option.
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Taylor was still on the board when the Dolphins picked Igbinoghene, eventually going No. 41 overall in the second round. Since then, Taylor has racked up 6,013 rushing yards — second-most in the NFL behind only Derrick Henry (7,590) over that span.
“Putting the former second-rounder in Mike McDaniel’s running game might have led to even better numbers for Taylor,” Holder added.
McDaniel, who didn't arrive in Miami until 2021, is regarded as one of the NFL’s most creative offensive minds, particularly in the run game. In 2023, the Dolphins had two running backs run for 800 yards plus. But also, pairing Taylor with Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, and Waddle could have created one of the most explosive offenses in football.