Although the Miami Dolphins have put together a nice winning streak the past four weeks, it’s still unlikely that they will make the postseason. 

With that in mind, we’re keeping an eye on the national mock drafts for the 2026 NFL draft to see what the top analysts think the Dolphins should do. A recent mock from ESPN’s Field Yates has the Dolphins taking a new player. 

At 6-7, the Dolphins are picking 12th in the current draft order, which puts them out of reach of some top prospects. So, Yates has the team taking a shot on Auburn EDGE Keldric Faulk. 

Why the Dolphins Need an EDGE in 2026 NFL draft

Before looking at Faulk, we should mention that EDGE makes a ton of sense for the Dolphins in the first round. Jaelan Phillip was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles at the deadline, and Bradley Chubb is turning 30 this offseason. 

He’s a prime cut candidate this offseason, but could be brought back on a smaller deal since he’s been productive. Still, he should hardly be considered a reliable option. 

That leaves Miami with Chop Robinson and Andre Carter as the only other two edge rushers with base salaries next season. That’s not exactly an impressive group. 

Yates even notes in the article that Miami’s pass-rush win rate is just 21st in the NFL this season. That won’t get it done in a division that sports Josh Allen and Drake Maye for the foreseeable future. 

Scouting Report on Keldric Faulk 

So, Faulk would fill a need, but is he worth the 12th overall pick? 

The positives are pretty easy to see on tape. Faulk is 6-6, 285 pounds, and he moves quite well for a player of that size. He had seven sacks in 2024, bursting onto the scene as a potential top pick. 

However, 2025 didn’t include the breakout many were expecting. He had just two sacks this season, as he didn’t quite develop the pass-rush plan some were expecting. Still, on tape, it’s pretty easy to see that Faulk has the traits (length, burst) to develop into a starting defensive end. 

For now, he’s a power rusher who does his best work collapsing the pocket and working through the chest of offensive linemen. While his pass-rush is a work in progress, Faulk has a high floor as a run defender. 

He’s got the natural strength to hold the point of attack, and he did a nice job of stacking blocks in the SEC this past season. His burst also makes him a threat to get into the backfield and make splash plays. 

His ability to defend the run should be enough to get him on the field while he develops better hand usage and strike timing as a pass rusher. 

Faulk’s style would also complement Robinson’s quite a bit. Robinson is a pure-speed rusher who isn’t at his best against the run. Getting him a running mate who can hold the point of attack better makes plenty of sense. 

Faulk wouldn’t be a bad pick for the Dolphins, but 12 does feel a bit high relative to his tape from 2025. The 2024 version of Faulk is definitely worth the 12th pick, but he didn’t take the jump everyone expected this past season. 

However, in this scenario, a lot of the options we’d prefer for Miami were off the board. Ohio State’s Caleb Downs, LSU’s Mansoor Delane, and the top quarterbacks were all gone. 

In that case, it’s hard to be too upset with the team taking a high-upside swing at a premium position.

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