The Miami Dolphins selected tight end Will Kacmarek with the 87th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Saturday, using a selection they got from the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2025 trade that sent edge rusher Jaelan Phillips to Philadelphia. Miami had already added wide receiver Caleb Douglas with the 75th pick before turning to Kacmarek.
The move gave the Dolphins another piece for an offense that already added tackle Kadyn Proctor and cornerback Chris Johnson in the first round and linebacker Jacob Rodriguez in the second round. Kacmarek, who played three seasons at Ohio before moving to Ohio State, caught 59 passes for 713 yards and four touchdowns over his college career.
He is viewed as an in-line tight end, the kind of player who lines up near the formation and does much of the work that rarely gets the loudest applause. Evaluators also see him as an effective blocker at the NFL level, with the chance to become special if he gets more coaching. For Miami, the pick fits a draft that has leaned heavily toward giving the roster more size, more protection and more options after the trade that brought the selection back into the board.
The question now is how quickly Kacmarek can turn that profile into production. The numbers are modest, but the Dolphins used a midround pick on a player they believe can grow into more than a role piece, and they did it after already spending the top of the draft on linemen, a defensive back and a linebacker. That is a clear sign of what Miami thinks it needs most.
