The Miami Dolphins being led by new defensive minded head coach Jeff Hafley are entering a new era. The players that the hopeful defensive mastermind coach has to work with will loom large for the success that the Dolphins see on the defensive side of things in 2026. Here I will go into detail assessing the Miami front seven from a post draft perspective as the 2026 season approaches.
Set to start at the first defensive end spot is 2024 first round pick Chop Robinson who has had his ups and downs thus far in the NFL but has shown potential. Robinson had a very strong rookie season ranking in the top third among players at his position in terms of a defense grade according to Pro Football Focus. Robinson then struggled with his health during his 2nd season in the league in 2025 however and looked very subpar even when playing. If Robinson can stay healthy next season, he will be among the breakout candidates among players in the NFL. Because given his high draft selection and his very strong rookie season he was in line to be a star on the defensive front for Miami. He very well could live up to that hype for the Dolphins starting next season.
Set to start at the first of the two interior defensive line positions is 2025 fifth rounder Jordan Phillips. Phillips had a decent rookie season ranking just slightly below average in terms of an overall defense grade among players at his position. Phillips will likely emerge as a solid starter or a high-end backup but likely not a star. Phillips will be pushed for one of the two interior starting defensive line positions by 2025 first rounder Kenneth Grant as well.
Set to start at the remaining interior defensive line position is veteran Zach Sieler who is among the better if not the best overall defensive lineman in the sport. Sieler, outside of his rookie season where he hardly played, has graded in the above average to well above average if not elite range among players at his position in terms of a defense grade according to Pro Football Focus. Sieler had the worst year of his career in 2025 however as he turned 30 years old, so it remains to be seen if he is now past his prime.
Set to start at the other defensive end spot is former 2nd round pick veteran Joshua Uche. Uche has served as a backup for his career and has shown a very high ceiling but is known to be very inconsistent. In three of his six seasons, Uche has warranted a defense grade by Pro Football Focus that ranked in the top 10-15% if not higher among players at his position. However, in the remaining three years he graded in the below average to well below average range among players at his position. Uche will now be thrown into a starting role for the first time in his career and will need to be more consistent for Miami.
At the first of the three linebacker spots, former first rounder Jordyn Brooks is set to start for Miami and like Uche has shown a very high ceiling but is inconsistent. Brooks was drafted in the first round in 2020 and after four seasons with the Seahawks was viewed as a bust consistently grading as below average at his position. Brooks then of course joined the Miami Dolphins where he has since come into his own. For two straight seasons now, Brooks has graded in the above average to well above average range among players at his position, while also showing improvement from year 1 to year 2 with the Dolphins.
At the middle linebacker spot Tyrel Dodson is to start for Miami with Dodson also showing an elite ceiling but struggling with consistency. In three seasons in the NFL Dodson has graded in the below average range among players at his position while grading above average in the remaining three seasons. Dodson even graded as high as (3/89) in terms of a defense grade among players at his position in over 500 snaps, showing his elite ceiling.
Former second-round pick Willie Gay Jr is set to start at the last of the linebacker spots for the Dolphins who also struggles with consistency. In four of six seasons in the NFL, Gay Jr has graded in the above average range among players at his position while ranking below average in the other two. Gay Jr along with the remaining linebackers currently slated to start for Miami who all struggle with consistency will be prime candidates to be replaced on the starting depth chart as the Dolphins drafted three linebackers in the first three rounds in 2026. A full analysis of Miami’s current starting front seven can be found below with me assigning each player a grade with some footnotes.
LDE – Chop Robinson – C+, 2024 first round pick, very strong rookie season, injury riddled sophomore slump season, can break out as pro bowl or all pro caliber player next season.
LDT – Jordan Phillips – C, 2025 fifth rounder, solid rookie season, will likely end up being a solid starter to a high-end backup in the NFL, likely not more
RDT – Zach Sieler – B+ – very strong player, but had a career worst year in 2025 as he turned thirty years old
RDE – Joshu Uche – B- – borderline elite ceiling but very inconsistent, borderline elite half the time but below average the remainder of the time
WLB – Jordyn Brooks – B to B- – Former first rounder who was a bust with the team who initially drafted him, has since come into his own and started to live up to expectations on his second team which is Miami
MLB – Tyrel Dodson – B to B- – elite ceiling but struggles with consistency, half the time is above average to elite, half the time is below average
SLB – Willie Gay Jr – C+ to B- – Also very inconsistent with a very high ceiling
From a depth standpoint in Miami’s front seven the team has several key pieces that could threaten for starting jobs and/or serve as high end backups. With the inconsistencies in Miami’s linebacking core, they drafted multiple players at the linebacker spot in the 2026 draft. The first of which is 2026 2nd rounder Jacob Rodriguez who is among the most decorated college football defensive players entering the NFL in league history. Multiple awards were given to Rodriguez last season recognizing him as the best defensive player in all of college football. Rodriguez fits the mold of the Bobby Wagner/Fred Warner middle linebacker serving as the QB on the field for a defense. Rodriguez is currently listed as a reserve on Miami’s depth chart but could be thrusted into a starting role given his talent and Miami’s questions at the linebacker spot.
2025 first rounder interior defensive lineman Kenneth Grant also currently occupies a reserve role in the Dolphins’ front seven. Grant had a decent rookie season and is line to become a star given his high draft standing and solid production as a rookie. Zach Sieler had a career worst year on the interior of the defensive front in 2025 while Jordan Phillips is nothing special at the other starting interior defensive line spot as well. So, Grant will be in line to become a starter for Miami in their front seven in 2026.
Former 2022 second round pick David Ojabo is also a key reserve in Miami’s front seven. Ojabo has such a high draft pick looked very strong albeit in very limited rookie snaps. Ojabo has, however, been consistently below average since but has never had the chance to put together an extended streak of snaps. Perhaps if Ojabo can now get extended playing time he can come into his own and live up to his high draft billing.
Former third round pick Ronnie Harrison Jr is also a noteworthy reserve in the front seven for the Dolphins. In seven seasons with noticeable snaps in the NFL, Harrison Jr has graded in the above average range among players at his position on four of those occasions. Which included grading as high as (9/99) on one of those occasions as well in over 300 snaps. Harrison Jr could certainly threaten for a starting job in the Dolphins’ front seven given the question marks the team has at linebacker. But Harrison Jr remains one of the better reserve front seven players in the sport for now.
The likes of Zeek Biggers, Cameron Goode, Matthew Butler, Robert Beal Jr, and the Dolphins’ two 4th round pick selections at linebacker could provide Miami with some more solid but not spectacular reserve options in their front seven in 2026. The remainder of the Dolphins’ front is comprised of seventh rounders and undrafted free agents who have not logged snaps in the NFL yet. In totality, the Dolphins’ front seven has the potential to be amongst the premier front sevens in the sport next season if young players come into their own and/or if inconsistent players are on their A game. In terms of raw talent, the Miami front seven ranks up there with any in the sport and defensive minded head coach Jeff Hafley will have his work cut out for him.
