With just eight days before things get real in the 2026 NFL Draft, Aqua & Coral Report shares what will be the second-to-last mock we produce prior to the big day.
MOCK DRAFT 3.0
With just over a week to go, there has been a noticeable shift on draft boards with prospects of note starting to make their way out of “underrated” territory and others seem to be sliding.
Chief among movers the Miami Dolphins may be interested in are safety Dillon Thieneman (Oregon), tackle Kadyn Proctor (Alabama), corner Chris Johnson (SDSU) and edge rusher Malachi Lawrence (UCF), all of whom seem to be arriving somewhere in the first round at this point.
Of those with less buzz, edge Keldric Faulk (Auburn) and oft-discussed edge Rueben Bain (Miami) seem to be among the sliders.
Below are the draft picks with limited commentary. For a full draft evaluation on each, go to the 2026 ACR Draft Guide, which is now 209 prospects deep.
Also, just before draft day, we will unveil the 2026 Dolphins Big Board, a list of 135 preferred Miami selections, as well as slotting for the players of less interest (based on their draft position).
R1, PICK 11: OL Spencer Fano, Utah
Note: No change from the last mock. Best offensive lineman in the draft from where we sit, he’ll start off somewhere inside and go from there. Will have positional versatility but that seems to be dogging him as a point of contention. It shouldn’t be — he will be good wherever he lines up.
R1, PICK 30: EDGE T.J. Parker, Clemson
Note: Another repeat selection from the last draft. Hoping Thieneman showed up, but he was gone. Parker is arguably the most complete edge in this draft outside of the Top 10.
R2, PICK 43: LB Anthony Hill Jr., Texas
Hill was one of my favorite players before the 2025 season began. He did little to change that with his play and represents a great second-round value. An excellent fit for head coach Jeff Hafley’s weakside linebacker spot.
R3, PICK 75: S A.J. Haulcy, LSU
The Dolphins would be TREMENDOUSLY fortunate if Haulcy falls this far. Like Hill, he is a scheme fit and would take over the “Star” hybrid safety role. Unique combination of ballhawk and big hitter.
R3, PICK 87: WR Ted Hurst, Georgia State
The plan going in was to wait it out until the third round before tapping into a deep receiver class. In Hurst, the team would be getting a second-round talent in the third. Former receiver Steve Smith recently compared him to the great Larry Fitzgerald on his “89” podcast.
R3, PICK 90: S Bud Clark, TCU
A wiry safety (6-1, 188) whose calling card is back-end versatility. Elite testing at the combine — 4.41 40-yard dash (1.56 split), 38-inch vertical, 10-7 broad — combined with corner-type cover skills is the attraction.
R3, PICK 94: CB Julian Neal, Arkansas
One of the great challenges for me this draft is trying to figure out where Neal comes off the board — I have selected him in nearly every Dolphins mock and lately, he seems to be moving up (though not in this sim). He has a combination of size and athleticism that is a good fit for Hafley’s defense on the boundary/short side. A former basketball player, he excels at using the sideline as a second defender as well as re-routing receivers.
R4, PICK 130: G Jalen Farmer, Kentucky
Good run blocker with length (34 1/4-inch arms) most guards in this year’s class don’t possess. Consider him either 100 percent on or 100 percent off the board with three new Miami assistants — offensive line coach Zach Yenser among them — who have coached at Kentucky in the last few years.
R5, PICK 151: WR De’Zhaun Stribling, Ole Miss
At this point in the simulated mock, things have changed a good bit since a few weeks ago. Players have moved up as well as out. Stribling would give Miami a second receiver in this draft with a good size/speed combination — 6-2, 207 with 4.36 speed. Unlikely to be on the board this late as he is a reported draft riser.
R7, PICK 227: LB Trey Moore, Texas
Would be shocked if Moore is available this late, but here we are. The reason he may not appeal to most teams is that he is the definition of a “tweener.” For Hafley, he fits the mold for at least a situational role as an off-ball/edge hybrid, both of which he has the requisite frame and speed for. He was very good last year at Texas and has a lot of bend.
R7, PICK 238: LB Red Murdock, Buffalo
Yes, another linebacker but also a 6-2, 232 on-field bully who is reportedly also an extremely high-character individual off it. Murdock posted 142 tackles, 5 sacks and SIX forced fumbles in 2025, and his 17 career FFs are an NCAA record. Gut tells me he’s going to be a special teams ace. Added bonus that he would also be All-Name team.
NOTE: The mock simulator I used was Mock Draft Database, since it pulls information from other mock drafts to compile its list. The boards do seem to be changing but there is no telling how close to reality the picks until draft weekend.
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