Who should the Miami Dolphins select in the 2025 NFL Draft?
The 2025 NFL Draft is rapidly approaching, with only two months until the annual selection process. Here at The Phinsider, we’ve been collecting mock drafts from all corners of the interwebs in order to bring you perspectives from numerous prestigious draft pundits.
Now, it’s my turn to give it a shot!
Once a week, every week until the 2025 NFL Draft, I’ll be doing a full 7-round mock, and then giving you a chance to grade my results. Each draft will look slightly different, because, let’s be honest, the Dolphins have a ton of needs and can go in a million different directions come late April when the actual NFL Draft kicks off.
This exercise will allow us to examine different pathways to success for our beloved South Florida franchise, while hopefully having some fun in the process!
So, without further adieu, let’s unwrap my debut mock draft!
ROUND 1 – Pick #13
Mykel Williams — EDGE — Georgia
What the experts are saying:
An upside prospect with loads of traits, Williams simply needs more snaps and more time to fill out his frame. He is an explosive athlete who uses his exceptional length to keep tackles and tight ends at the end of his punch. He plays a little too tall at the point and needs to get stronger to shed blocks more quickly, but he plays with good physicality in the trenches and is never pushed around. He’s still learning moves and counters but already has a big bull rush, good secondary effort and the closing burst to become a sack blanket in the pocket. He’s not there yet, but Williams’ improvement to become an impactful 4-3 base end feels inevitable. (Lance Zierlein, NFL.com)
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ROUND 2 – Pick #48
Jonah Savaiinaea — OL — Arizona
What the experts are saying:
Arizona Wildcats offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea is a physical mauler in the trenches. He boasts positional versatility across his college resume, but his brute force power and heavy anchor will be best optimized at guard in the NFL.
Savaiinaea lacks the kind of dynamic hips and foot speed to allow him to consistently dictate terms on the edge as a space blocker setting the width of the pocket, but in short set opportunities and tighter alignment defenders, he has the chance to smother defenders with his center of gravity and grip strength.
He should be a viable run blocker from the jump — he shows good displacement and wash in vertical release and down block opportunities. The knowledge that he can get you through a stretch in a pinch at tackle will likely help move the needle for some, too. (Kyle Crabbs, The 33rd Team)
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ROUND 3 – Pick #98
Lathan Ransom — SAF — Ohio State
What the experts are saying:
Ransom is an experienced starter and natural strong safety with adequate size, all-day toughness and a proactive approach at the position. He plays with decisive eyes and good instincts that place him where he needs to be. He flows hard and fast. He’s a physical striker in run support and as an intimidator over the middle. Ransom is at his best playing downhill but can handle split safety duties. He might not have the coverage burst or top-end speed for some individual matchups but does a nice job of sticking to tight ends in man coverage. In total, he’s a disruptive, physical safety who can positively impact games and has future starting potential as a middle-rounder. (Lance Zierlein, NFL.com)
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ROUND 4 – Pick #115
Smael Mondon Jr. — LB — Georgia
What the experts are saying:
Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Smael Mondon Jr. is an athletic defender who would be best implemented behind a gap-control front. He’s a rangy, athletic linebacker with good speed, length, and wrap-up ability as a tackler to help rally to the football and provide value on passing downs.
His consistency as a base MIKE backer making keys in the heart of the defense is not yet where it needs to be as an NFL starter, but he’s capable of playing zone coverage and being a subpackage option thanks to loose hips, a good burst, and length to occupy throwing windows in space. (Kyle Crabbs, The 33rd Team)
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ROUND 4 – Pick #135
Joshua Farmer — DT — Florida State
What the experts are saying:
Broad-shouldered interior defender worth consideration as a 3-4 end or a 4-3 interior lineman. Farmer needs to play as a two-gapper who muddies the pocket. He’s powerful, with long arms and strong hands. His anchor is average but should improve if he’s allowed to use that length to gain early control at the point of attack. There is nothing tricky about his rush, but he can jar blockers backward with a single punch. His traits will be coveted but his upside might be as a rotational defender with average starting potential. (Lance Zierlein, NFL.com)
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ROUND 5 – Pick #151
Miles Frazier — OG — LSU
What the experts are saying:
LSU Tigers offensive guard Miles Frazier projects as an adequate starter at the NFL level. Frazier, who has served as a starter for the LSU Tigers for the past three seasons, boasts the necessary power and mass to offer a heavy anchor in the heart of the pocket.
His base can be irregular, and his consistency in staying attached to blocks will need further improvement to prove himself a real asset in the run game. However, he offers a nasty punch, sufficient foot speed, and a junkyard-dog mentality that should afford him the opportunity to grow and continue his development.
He enters the NFL with 50 career starts between LSU and Florida International. He’s seen a lot of football, but regardless, he will need the right fit to realize his potential. (Kyle Crabbs, The 33rd Team)
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ROUND 5 – Pick #156
Jacob Parrish — CB — Kansas State
What the experts are saying:
Two-year starter with ball skills and athleticism for inside/outside versatility. Parrish glides around the field powered by quick feet and smooth hips. He can stay tight to underneath routes from press man and plays with poise and timing when the throw goes deep. He has adequate long speed and twitchy short-area burst to challenge throws from off-man and zone but struggles to gather and redirect quickly to match comebacks and double-breakers. He played with better coverage physicality in 2024 but is still lacking as a run defender and open-field tackler. He needs more seasoning but has the athletic tools and ball skills to compete for a role as a CB3. (Lance Zierlein, NFL.com)
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ROUND 7 – Pick #226
Jackson Hawes — TE — Georgia Tech
What the experts are saying:
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets tight end Jackson Hawes projects as a “glue guy” for an offensive program. He thrives in a role that does not command the football. He is a willing and able participant in all the “dirty work” reps required to set dynamic talents up for success.
He’s a physical and gifted blocker who has showcased the ability to work in-line or from the backfield as a lead blocker or split-flow defender. His modest receiving profile was amplified after making the leap from Yale to Georgia Tech in 2024, which will certainly cap his valuation in the draft process. However, this is a player who has a valuable role to play for an NFL team nonetheless. (Kyle Crabbs, The 33rd Team)
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ROUND 7 – Pick #233
Ja’Corey Brooks — WR — Louisville
What the experts are saying:
Louisville wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks is one of the most explosive offensive weapons on this year’s Shrine roster. Brooks was named first-team All-ACC, totaling five 100-yard receiving games this past season. The 6’3″, 193-pound wideout from Bradenton, Florida, became the first Louisville wide receiver since 2022 to record 1,000 yards.
He finished the year with 61 catches for 1,013 yards and nine touchdowns. Brooks played in 12 games, ranking 27th nationally in yards and 20th in touchdowns. Also, he closed the year second and third in the ACC in those marks, respectively. (Michael Cavallo, Pro Football Network)
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ROUND 7 – Pick #252
Yahya Black — DT — Iowa
What the experts are saying:
The fifth-year senior and second-year starter had a breakout season a year ago, landing himself firmly on the Senior Bowl’s radar. In fact, had Black entered the 2024 draft, he likely would have received an invite to Mobile.
This is a huge man who could fit any scheme at the next level. While he’s more of a one-gap player, his sheer size allows him to adequately handle double-teams, and he rarely gives ground vertically when singled. He is difficult to block when he gets his long arms extended. Black does a good job seeing through blocks and locating the ball, and he makes impressive range plays down the line of scrimmage for someone his size.
Some will question his ability to stay on the field on third downs, but he flashes good in-line power to push the pocket, and he can affect passing lanes with his unique reach. In what is shaping into a deep IDL class, Black is an under-the-radar name to remember. (Jim Nagy, The 33rd Team)