The Miami Dolphins sent a jolt through the NFL landscape late Friday night, closing out the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft with a pair of high-upside offensive selections that signal a clear shift in organizational philosophy. With the 87th and 94th overall picks, the Dolphins selected Ohio State tight end Will Dissly and Louisville wide receiver Chris Bell, two players who could not be more different in their immediate utility but who share a common thread of physical dominance and schematic fit. The moves, made in rapid succession as the clock wound down on Day Two, have ignited a firestorm of debate among analysts and fans alike, with some hailing the picks as masterstrokes of value and others questioning the timing and health risks involved. What is undeniable is that Miami’s front office, led by General Manager Chris Grier and Head Coach Jeff Hafley, is doubling down on a ground-and-pound identity that has been years in the making.
The selection of Will Dissly at 87th overall came as a surprise to many draft observers who had pegged the tight end position as a later-round need for Miami. Dissly, a 6-foot-5, 261-pound mauler from Ohio State, is widely regarded as the best pure blocking tight end in this entire draft class. His film is a masterclass in leverage and violence at the point of attack. He moves defenders off the line of scrimmage with a controlled fury that is rare for the position. Analysts had projected him as a fourth-round value, but the Dolphins clearly saw a player who could step in immediately and reshape their run game. This is not a flashy pick. This is a pick about culture. This is about third-and-short, about goal-line stands, about imposing will on a defense that knows what is coming and still cannot stop it. The Dolphins already have Ben Sims, a solid blocking tight end, on the roster, but Dissly represents a significant upgrade in raw power and lateral mobility.
The comparison to Jackson Haase, the Georgia Tech tight end drafted by the Bills last year, is apt. Haase carved out a role as a third tight end and blocker, and Dissly projects to fill a similar niche with a higher ceiling as a receiver. Despite his reputation as a blocker, Dissly has reliable hands and the ability to make contested catches in traffic. He is not going to run away from safeties, but he does not need to. In the red zone, where space is compressed and physicality reigns, Dissly becomes a weapon. Play-action fakes off heavy run looks will leave him isolated against linebackers who cannot match his strength. The Dolphins offense, which has often been criticized for being too finesse-oriented, just added a player who embodies the opposite. The grade for this pick is a solid B-minus. It is not the sexiest move, but it is a sound football decision that fills a specific need with a player who has a clear path to playing time.
But the pick that has the entire draft community buzzing is the selection of Chris Bell from Louisville at 94th overall. Bell was a consensus first-round talent before suffering a devastating ACL tear on November 22nd. The injury, which required surgery in early December, sent his draft stock into a freefall. Teams were scared off by the uncertainty of his recovery timeline and the risk that he might never regain his pre-injury explosiveness. The Dolphins, however, saw an opportunity to land a potential superstar at a fraction of the cost. Bell is a 6-foot-2 wide receiver who drew comparisons to a hybrid of Deebo Samuel and A.J. Brown from multiple respected draft analysts. That is not hyperbole. That is the tape talking. Before the injury, Bell was a dominant force in the ACC, making one-handed catches look routine and punishing defenders after the catch. He posted a drop rate of just four percent last season, with 65 percent of his targets coming between the hashes. He is a competitive, physical receiver who thrives in contested catch situations and has the speed to turn short passes into long gains.
The risk is obvious. Bell will not be available for the start of his rookie season. The typical recovery timeline for a clean ACL repair is four to five months before returning to football activities, but getting back to game speed and full confidence can take much longer. There is hope, however. Dr. Dan Cooper in Dallas, who performed the surgery, has indicated that Bell could be ready by training camp. If that timeline holds, Bell could be on the field by September or October, giving the Dolphins a dynamic weapon for the second half of the season. The upside is staggering. When healthy, Bell has the talent to be a number one wide receiver in the NFL. He has the route-running ability to separate, the hands to make difficult catches, and the physicality to break tackles. The Dolphins now have a receiving corps that includes Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Caleb Douglas, and Chris Bell. That is a group that can attack every level of the field.
The grade for the Bell pick is an A-minus. The injury risk is real, but at pick 94, the reward far outweighs the potential downside. If Bell returns to form, this could be the steal of the entire draft. If he does not, the Dolphins have not mortgaged their future on him. It is a calculated gamble that reflects a front office willing to be aggressive in pursuit of elite talent. The Dolphins have now made three straight third-round picks dedicated to the offensive side of the football, following the earlier selections of linebacker Jacob Rodriguez and wide receiver Caleb Douglas. The theme is clear. Miami is building a roster that can run the football, control the clock, and win in the trenches. The addition of Dissly and Bell, along with the earlier picks of offensive linemen Cam Proctor and Chris Johnson, signals a commitment to a physical brand of football that has been missing in South Florida for years.
The reaction from the fan base has been mixed. Some are thrilled with the value of the Bell pick, seeing it as a championship-level move. Others are frustrated that the Dolphins did not address defensive needs, particularly in the secondary or along the defensive line. But the reality is that the NFL Draft is about accumulating talent, and the Dolphins have done exactly that. Jacob Rodriguez, the linebacker from Texas Tech, has already drawn comparisons to Hall of Famer Zach Thomas, who has served as a mentor to him. The Dolphins have a young, hungry core of players who are buying into Hafley’s vision. The offense, which struggled at times last season due to injuries and inconsistency, now has depth and versatility. The tight end room is suddenly formidable. The wide receiver room is deep and explosive. The offensive line is being rebuilt with an emphasis on power.
The Dolphins will be live for the entirety of Day Three of the draft, and the team still has several picks remaining to address other needs. But the story of Day Two is the story of two players who embody the new identity of this franchise. Will Dissly is a blocker who will clear the way for running backs and provide a safety valve in the passing game. Chris Bell is a potential superstar who fell into Miami’s lap because of an injury that will only delay his arrival, not diminish his talent. The Dolphins are betting on themselves, on their coaching staff, and on their medical team to get Bell back on the field and ready to contribute. It is a bet that could pay off in a big way. The 2026 NFL Draft is far from over, but the Miami Dolphins have already made a statement. They are not content to simply compete. They are building a team that can win in January and beyond. The pieces are falling into place. The vision is becoming clearer. And for the first time in a long time, the future in Miami looks bright.
