MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Miami Dolphins normal supervisor Jon-Eric Sullivan mentioned “conviction” drove the staff’s selections Thursday night time because the membership traded up and down in the first round earlier than selecting Alabama offensive deal with Kadyn Proctor at No. 12 total and San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson at No. 27.
After the opening night time of the 2026 NFL Draft, Sullivan mentioned each gamers stood out due to their traits, upside and match inside Miami’s long-term plans.
“He’s unique. He’s rare,” Sullivan mentioned of Proctor. “He’s a 350-pound man with unique athletic traits that can play four spots across the line of scrimmage — left tackle, right tackle, both guards. The athletic traits for a man his size are through the roof.”
Proctor, 20, is 6-foot-7 and 359 kilos and is predicted to compete for a beginning position on the Dolphins’ offensive line. Sullivan mentioned the staff was totally conscious of issues about Proctor’s weight however felt assured after in depth analysis.
“We did our due diligence with our resources. We feel really good about where he is at,” Sullivan mentioned. “We brought him in on a 30 visit. I could feel his conviction and his desire to be a good football player and do the things that he needs to do to be the best pro that he can be.”
Sullivan added that Proctor’s versatility made him too useful to go on.
“There wasn’t another one in the draft like him, period,” he mentioned.
While some observers projected Miami might goal different high prospects, together with Ohio State security Caleb Downs or native defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr., Sullivan mentioned the Dolphins by no means wavered.
“Downs and Bain are marvelous players,” Sullivan mentioned. “But we had a lot of conviction on Proctor being a very unique player in this draft and one that we can build around for years.”
Sullivan additionally mentioned defending quarterback Malik Willis was a part of the long-term imaginative and prescient.
“We invested in Malik, and it was important for us to protect him,” he mentioned. “We feel really good about what we invested in tonight.”
Later in the first round, Miami traded up three spots to pick Johnson, a 6-foot, 193-pound cornerback who broke out at San Diego State with elite manufacturing and ball expertise.
“When you watch Chris, he’s got great feet, great balance and body control,” Sullivan mentioned. “He’s physical. He’s a big corner. He can play nickel, play outside corner. He’s got ball skills.”
Johnson, 21, completed his faculty profession with 13 passes defended, 4 interceptions and two pick-sixes in his senior season, incomes All-American honors and Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year.
Sullivan mentioned Johnson’s athletic testing helped affirm what the Dolphins already believed.
“You watched him play in the fall, and then he ran real fast and jumped real high,” Sullivan mentioned. “It just gives you peace of mind. Not only is the film really good, but all the traits in the world that you could want in a guy who has to cover players at this level, he’s got them.”
Sullivan emphasised that each picks mirrored organizational alignment between scouts, coaches and analytics.
“When you have conviction on a player, organizational conviction, I think you have to listen to that,” he mentioned. “At the end of the day, the buck stops with me.”
Miami entered the night time with a number of commerce eventualities in play however ended with two first-round picks and extra property, a end result Sullivan mentioned the staff felt strongly about.
“We started the day with 11 picks, we’ve got 11 now,” he mentioned. “We stayed whole. We feel really good about it.”
Sullivan acknowledged that each draft brings scrutiny however mentioned the Dolphins are assured in their course of.
“I understand the questions, that’s just the way this business goes,” he mentioned. “But we really like what we did tonight.”
As of Friday, the Dolphins’ draft capital consists of:
• Round 1, decide 12: Alabama OT Kadyn Proctor
• Round 1, decide 27: San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson (commerce with San Francisco)
• Round 2: No. 43
• Round 3: Nos. 75, 87, 94
• Round 4: Nos. 130, 138
• Round 5: Nos. 151, 177 (Dallas), 180 (Dallas)
• Round 7: Nos. 227, 238
Miami traded its sixth-round decide to the New York Giants in trade for tight finish Darren Waller.
The 2026 NFL Draft continues Friday at 7 p.m. ET for Rounds 2 and three.
🏠 News From Your Neighborhood
Copyright 2026 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.
