Ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins have been wheeling and dealing. Originally, they had two first-round picks, Nos. 3 and 18, but they moved down from the No. 3 pick with the San Francisco 49ers. Shortly after trading down to the 49ers' No. 12 spot, they jumped back up into the top six after making a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.
When the dust settled, the Dolphins now have two picks in each of the first three rounds as well as some future draft capital. With six of the first 102 selections, they will be able to keep adding depth to their already strong roster, but the No. 6 pick should guarantee them a shot at a blue-chip talent.
So, what will the Dolphins do in this year's draft? They'll probably focus on building around Tua Tagovailoa. If they surround him with more weapons and fill in some of the holes they've created, they'll have a great chance to emerge as a playoff contender as they were last year.
Here's a look at the Dolphins' picks in the 2021 NFL Draft:
MORE NFL DRAFT: Complete 7-round mock | Top 100 big board
Dolphins draft picks 2021: Who did Miami take?
- Round 1, Pick No. 6: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
- Round 1, Pick No. 18: Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, Miami (Fl)
- Round 2, Pick No. 36: Jevon Holland, S, Oregon
- Round 2, Pick No. 42: Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame
- Round 3, Pick No. 81: Hunter Long, TE, Boston College
- Round 7, Pick No. 231: Larnel Coleman, OT, UMass
- Round 7, Pick No. 244: Gerrid Doaks, RB, Cincinnati
Dolphins 2021 NFL Draft order
| Round | Pick |
| 1 | 6 (from Eagles) |
| 1 | 18 |
| 2 | 4 (from Texans) |
| 2 | 10 (from Giants) |
| 3 | 18 |
| 7 | 3 (from Texans) |
| 7 | 17 (from Raiders through WFT) |
MORE: Read the latest NFL Draft news at SN's draft HQ
Miami Dolphins NFL Draft needs
- Wide receiver: DeVante Parker and Will Fuller figure to be a good duo for the Dolphins, but they have had some injury concerns over the years and Fuller is on just a one-year contract. Could one of Tua's former Alabama receivers, DeVonta Smith or Jaylen Waddle, make sense at No. 6?
- Offensive line: The Dolphins should be in position to land one of the draft class' strongest offensive linemen. They drafted Austin Jackson and Robert Hunt and both played tackle last year, but extra o-line depth is never a bad thing. The team also needs center help, so perhaps the team could shuffle their line and have somebody challenge Matt Skura for the starting job.
- Edge rusher: Andrew Van Ginkel has been a surprisingly impactful player for the Dolphins, but after trading Shaq Lawson for Benardrick McKinney, they need to find Van Ginkel a long-term partner.
- Running back: Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed looked good last year, and so did free-agent acquisition Malcolm Brown. That said, if Miami could add a higher-end back in the draft, that would go a long way toward helping Tua out on offense.
- Linebacker: The Dolphins added McKinney to the fold and retained Elandon Roberts, but they let the versatile Kyle Van Noy go. They'll need to find a replacement for him and continue to build up their linebacker depth.
Dolphins mock draft 2021
Here are the latest 2021 NFL Draft projections for the Dolphins, according to Vinnie Iyer's seven-round mock draft:
| Round | Pick | Team | Position | College |
| 1 | 6 | Ja'Marr Chase | WR | LSU |
| 1 | 18 | Kwity Paye | EDGE | Michigan |
| 2 | 4 | Nick Bolton | OLB | Missouri |
| 2 | 18 | Creed Humphrey | C/G | Oklahoma |
| 3 | 18 | Michael Carter | RB | North Carolina |
| 5 | 12 | Robert Hainsey | OT | Notre Dame |
| 7 | 3 | Pro Wells | TE | TCU |
| 7 | 31 | LaBryan Ray | DT | Alabama |