Miami Dolphins draft Strategy: To Trade Down or Not?
Analyzing the Miami Dolphins’ potential 2025 NFL draft strategy, including possible trade-down scenarios and prospect targets.
Key points:
- the Miami Dolphins hold the 13th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
- Analysts suggest the Dolphins should consider trading down to acquire more draft capital.
- Potential trade partners include the denver Broncos and arizona Cardinals.
- Targets at pick 13 could include offensive linemen,safeties,defensive tackles,and cornerbacks.
- The Dolphins have a history of trading down in previous drafts.
The Case for Trading Down
The Miami Dolphins currently possess the 13th overall pick in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft. However,several analysts believe the team should explore trading down to accumulate more draft picks. This strategy could provide the Dolphins with greater versatility to address multiple needs on their roster.
as it stands, the Dolphins have 10 picks in the 2025 draft, but only two of those selections occur before the 98th overall pick, wich falls near the end of the third round. Furthermore, three of their picks are in the seventh round, where the likelihood of finding impactful players is significantly lower. This scarcity of high and mid-round picks underscores the potential benefit of trading down to acquire additional assets.
Potential Trade Scenarios
NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah has proposed a hypothetical trade where the Dolphins send the 13th overall pick and a fourth-round pick (116th overall) to the Denver Broncos in exchange for the 20th overall pick and a second-round pick (51st overall).This trade would allow the Broncos to target a specific player, such as Michigan tight end Colston Loveland, while the dolphins would gain a valuable second-round pick to address other needs.
Jeremiah isn’t alone in suggesting a trade-down scenario for Miami. NFL.com’s Chad Reuter has also outlined potential trades, including one where the Dolphins move down to the 16th pick with the Arizona cardinals, acquiring an additional third-round pick in the process.
According to ESPN draft expert, Mel Kiper jr., “trading down is all about accumulating value… if the Dolphins can move back a few spots and still get a player they like while adding another pick, it’s a smart move.”
Potential Draft Targets
Despite the appeal of trading down, the Dolphins must also consider the potential talent available at pick 13. Several prospects could be immediate contributors to the team, including:
- Offensive Linemen: Kelvin Banks Jr.(Texas), Armand Membou (Boston College), Gray Zabel (purdue)
- Safeties: Malaki Starks (Georgia), Nick Emmanwori (South Carolina)
- Defensive Tackles: Mason Graham (Michigan), Kenneth Grant (Michigan), Walter Nolen (Ole Miss), Derrick Harmon (Michigan State)
- Cornerbacks: Will Johnson (Michigan), Jahdae barron (Texas)
Of course, the availability of these players will depend on how the draft unfolds. However, the Dolphins’ numerous needs suggest that they should be able to find a quality player at pick 16, even if they trade down.
Dolphins’ draft History
The Dolphins have a history of trading down in the first round. In 2021, they executed a complex series of trades, moving from no. 3 to No. 12 before ultimately moving back up to No. 6. In 2020, they traded down from 26 to 30, selecting cornerback Noah Igbinoghene with the acquired pick. Even the selection of Laremy Tunsil in 2016 at pick 13 came after a trade down with the Philadelphia Eagles, netting the Dolphins linebacker Kiko Alonso and cornerback Byron Maxwell.
These past moves illustrate the Dolphins’ willingness to be flexible and strategic in the draft, prioritizing value and roster building over selecting a specific player at a specific spot.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the Dolphins’ draft strategy will depend on their evaluation of the available talent and their willingness to trade down. if they have a strong conviction on a particular player, staying at pick 13 might be the best course of action. However, given their numerous needs and the potential to acquire additional draft capital, trading down appears to be a viable and potentially beneficial option.
