Miami Dolphins 7-round mock draft after trades with 49ers, Eagles

The Miami Dolphins traded with the 49ers and Eagles to end up with the No. 6 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and now we look at who they could pick?

It’s been largely assumed that the Miami Dolphins held the steering wheel for the 2021 NFL Draft. Previously owning the No. 3 pick and either not needing a quarterback or trading that selection for Deshaun Watson, general manager Chris Grier could dictate the action early on. And with a couple of trades, he’s done exactly that.

Miami first traded the third-overall pick to the 49ers in exchange for the No. 12 selection, two future first-round picks and a 2022 third-rounder. The Dolphins weren’t done, though, as they then traded the 12th pick to the Eagles, along with their own 2022 first-round pick and a mid-round pick swap this year, for the No. 6 selection.

So now that the Dolphins have single-handedly changed up the top-12 picks in the 2021 NFL Draft, what’s next? Miami is a franchise on the precipice of being a playoff team, meaning this is a critical draft for them. As such, let’s see what Grier and head coach Brian Flores could potentially piece together in this class as they have four top-50 picks, beginning with the newly acquired sixth-overall selection.

Post-trades Miami Dolphins 7-round 2021 NFL mock draft

The beauty of the Dolphins trading down to the No. 6 spot is the flexibility that they still retain. Miami was not going to take a quarterback with the third pick, so they move down three spots and can either have a chance at Penei Sewell if he falls to them or they’ll be able to essentially get the wide receiver of their choosing. It’s a win-win scenario for this franchise.

In this mock draft, they go the wide receiver route. Most people would likely have them taking Ja’Marr Chase and, frankly, it’s hard for the Dolphins to go wrong in this spot. But given their personnel and the fact that there are three elite prospects available at wide receiver, Miami has the luxury of going with the player who best fits their needs.

For me, that’s Jaylen Waddle. When you consider the Miami receiving corps in its current state, you’re looking at a number of players like DeVante Parker and Preston Williams who are big-bodied targets that can attack downfield but lack the top-end speed and playmaking as a deep threat.

That’s Waddle’s game to a T. When healthy at Alabama, Waddle was lightning in a bottle with the ability to take over at any moment with one play. He can burn defensive backs on deep routes but has great run-after-catch ability, evidenced by his success as a returner. Waddle could slot into this offense with his former teammate, Tua Tagovailoa, and add a new element.