Football

Ranking the Most Important Dolphins, No. 19: How Quickly Can Rodriguez Make an Impact?

By Alain Poupart Sports Illustrated

Updated July 7, 2026 4:46 PM

The Miami Dolphins will head into training camp at the end of July with a totally different roster than the one that ended the 2025 season after an offseason overhaul that saw the departure of several significant veterans and the arrival of newcomers young and old.

After their roster moves Monday, followed by the signing of former UFL tackle Gottlieb Ayedze on Wednesday, the Dolphins have 91 players on their roster with the exemption they have for England-born rookie tight end Seydou Traore, a participant of the International Player Pathway Program.

As life goes in the NFL, no every player on the roster is equal, so we decided to rank all of them in terms of their importance to the Dolphins' success in the 2026 season. The list was determined on the basis of not just ability but also expected role and significance to the overall progress of the organization as it continues the rebuilding project that began with the hiring of Jon-Eric Sullivan as GM and Jeff Hafley as head coach.

This is part of a series that will run in the lead-up to start of training camp.

NUMBER 19: LB JACOB RODRIGUEZ

How he joined the Dolphins

The Dolphins selected Rodriguez in the second round of the 2026 NFL draft with the 43rd overall pick.

Contract status

Douglas signed a four-year, $11.6 million rookie contract that included a $4.9 million signing bonus. He's under contract through the 2029 season.

His 2025 season

Rodriguez was the most decorated defensive player in college football after a sensational season at Texas Tech that saw him finish with 128 tackles, seven forced fumbles, four interceptions, 11 tackles for loss and six passes broken up. In addition to being a first-team AP All-America selection, Rodriguez also won the Bednarik (top defender), Nagurski (top defender), Lombardi (top lineman) and Butkus (top linebacker) awards.

His projected role

Linebacker probably is the deepest and best position on the Dolphins roster right now and it should stay that way through the start of the regular season unless Jordyn Brooks winds up being traded. The Dolphins will be employing more of a 4-3 look under new head coach Jeff Hafley, but the big question is whether he'll be rotating his linebackers more than previous defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver did. Brooks and Tyrel Dodson return and figure to be starters, while 2025 free agent pick-up Willie Gay Jr. looks like the logical choice at strongside linebacker based on his size and skill set. Exactly where Rodriguez fits is a bit unclear at this time, but the Dolphins didn't draft him in the second round to have him sit and watch in his rookie year. The feeling here is that Rodriguez will get his share of defensive snaps at middle or weakside linebacker, particularly if he can outperform Dodson at any point the rest of 2026.

THE PREVIOUS PLAYERS ON THE COUNTDOWN

90. G James Ester

89. T Kevin Cline

88. QB Mark Gronowski

87. DT Keith Cooper Jr.

86. EDGE Seth Coleman

85. RB Anthony Hankerson

84. WR Donaven McCulley

83. FB D.J. Herman

82. C Jim Bonitas

81. LS Tucker Addington

80. DT Alex Huntley

79. T Marques Cox

78. EDGE Rodney McGraw

77. TE Cole Turner

76. DT Khalil Saunders

75. CB Miles Battle

74. S Major Burns

73. RB Carlos Washington Jr.

72. EDGE Robert Beal Jr.

71. WR A.J. Henning

70. RB Donovan Edwards

69. DB Omar Brown

68. EDGE Cameron Goode

67. WR Jalen Reagor

66. EDGE Max Llewellyn

65. WR Terrace Marshall Jr.

64. CB Ethan Robinson

63. G/T Josh Priebe

62. DT Rene Konga

61. WR Tahj Washington

60. QB Cam Miller

59. CB A.J. Green III

58. EDGE Mason Reiger

57. CB Alex Austin

56. P Bradley Pinion

55. LB Jackson Woodard

54. K Zane Gonzalez

53. S Louis Moore

52. DT Matthew Butler

51. CB Marco Wilson

50. CB Darrell Baker Jr.

49. LB Ronnie Harrison Jr.

48. T Charlie Heck

47. WR Chris Bell

46. CB Storm Duck

45. WR Theo Wease Jr.

44. TE Seydou Traore

43. G DJ Campbell

42. G/C Andrew Meyer

41. K Riley Patterson

40. S Michael Taaffe

39. CB Ethan Bonner

38. TE Ben Sims

37. EDGE David Ojabo

36. S Lonnie Johnson Jr.

35. Zayne Anderson

34. EDGE Josh Uche

33. WR Jalen Tolbert

32. EDGE/LB Trey Moore

31. LB Willie Gay Jr.

30. RB Jaylen Wright

29. WR Kevin Coleman Jr.

28. G Jonah Savaiinaea

27. DT Zeek Biggers

26. LB Kyle Louis

25. RB Ollie Gordon II

24. WR Tutu Atwell

23. G/T Jamaree Salyer

22. WR Malik Washington

21. DT Jordan Phillips

20. WR Caleb Douglas

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This story was originally published July 7, 2026 at 4:30 PM.