ESPN’s Mel Kiper and Field Yates conducted a midseason NFL mock draft for the first 10 picks of the 2025 NFL draft. Barring a surprising turnaround, the Miami Dolphins are in line to pick in the top 10 for the first time in five years.

The two draft analysts took turns making selections this week, and the Dolphins’ No. 4 overall pick turned out to be Kiper’s selection. He projected Ohio State safety Caleb Downs to be Miami’s first-round pick.

“[The Dolphins] have a big problem on defense. Last right now in opponent passer rating, is the Miami Dolphin defense. Fifth worst per carry average allowed. Defensively problematic, right? But do you stretch it a little bit? I go to my big board; I have Caleb Downs at eight,” Kiper said Wednesday.

“So that’s where you get into Miami. Do you take the higher rated receiver? Or do you take just the best defensive player, which in this case would be, based on rating, Caleb Downs at a positional need area which is the safety spot. So this is a dilemma of all dilemmas for Miami, and really a tricky spot for me to say ‘OK, how am I going to make this mock look right and figure out what Miami will do knowing everything’s going to be changing’, right? So I’m going to do for the sake of this, knowing this defense is so bad, knowing what we know, I’m going to go Caleb Downs here, the safety from Ohio State.”

Downs is in his third season at the collegiate level and his second with Ohio State. He played his freshmen year at Alabama during coach Nick Saban’s final season and recorded 107 tackles in 14 games. Last season, Downs was named a unanimous All-American in his first year with the Buckeyes and played a key role on the team’s national championship run.

Through the first eight games of the 2025 season, Downs has 39 tackles, three tackles for loss, and two interceptions.

The selection of Downs would be an interesting move since there are currently more glaring concerns for the Dolphins entering the offseason than the safety group. There’s the immediate question of who the new general manager will be, and if Mike McDaniel will return as head coach. Miami also has to make a decision on how to handle quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s contract which carries a cap hit of $56.4 million in 2026.

If the Dolphins indeed end up with a top five pick in the draft, there will certainly be a draw to the idea of selecting a franchise quarterback of the future. It would also present a cost friendly opportunity to address the needs on the offensive line.

However, the safety group isn’t one that can’t be upgraded. The Dolphins safety group currently consists of Minkah Fitzpatrick, Ashtyn Davis, Ifeatu Melifonwu, and rookie Dante trader Jr.

Davis and Melifonwu are both set to be free agents this offseason after signing one year deals last offseason, making it possible neither return next season. Trader has shown flashes of being a productive safety, coming off a 13-tackle game against the Baltimore Ravens, but it’s too early to assume the fifth-round rookie is a future reliable starter.

As for Fitzpatrick, the Dolphins were reportedly open to trading him at the deadline, and he could still be a trade candidate this offseason. The Dolphins are once again set up to battle a tight salary cap situation which will force them to make decisions on multiple key players. Fitzpatrick, 28, will carry a cap hit of $18.8 million in 2026.

The Dolphins could also decide to keep Fitzpatrick and select Downs to solidify a pair of starting safeties in 2026 as Trader continues to develop. Fitzpatrick has 50 tackles, five passes defended, and an interception in 2025.

Selecting Downs would follow Miami’s recent draft strategy of prioritizing defense early. The Dolphins have selected defensive players in the first round in each of the last two drafts: pass rusher Chop Robinson in 2024 and defensive tackle Kenneth Grant in 2025.