The 2026 NFL Draft was a little more than two months ago, but it’s never too early to take a peek at what next year’s draft may look like.
Justin Melo of Sports Illustrated released his way-too-early mock draft this week and he has the Miami Dolphins selecting Texas quarterback Arch Manning with the No. 1 overall pick.
“The Miami Dolphins are in full-blown rebuild mode,” Melo wrote. “They signed Malik Willis this offseason as a temporary solution, but his presence wouldn't prevent them from drafting a quarterback if they get the top pick. Arch Manning finished his 2025 season in rather strong fashion. Manning started to look like a quarterback capable of going No. 1 overall after a slow start to his debut campaign as a starter.”
Is Arch Manning in the Dolphins' future?
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Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley have completely reset their organization and roster after each was hired this offseason. Unlike many rebuilds, which can be slow and tedious, the Dolphins decided to move on from veterans and pivot to a younger roster.
After signing him to a three-year, $67.5 million contract in March, Miami hopes Willis can be one of the next quarterbacks, like Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield, to successfully revitalize their careers with a different team. After a disappointing two years with the Tennessee Titans, Willis was traded to the Green Bay Packers in 2024 to back up Jordan Love. During his three starts in Green Bay, Willis showed dramatic improvement, completing 78.7% of his passes for 972 yards, six touchdowns, and zero interceptions in two seasons.
Signing Willis shouldn’t preclude the Dolphins from drafting a quarterback nine months from now if they are one of the league’s worst teams. Miami would save $13.6 million if it released Willis after the 2027 season, which is one reason Manning would be a possibility.
Entering last season, Manning was projected to be one of the nation's top quarterbacks. But he struggled with accuracy and decision-making, which contributed to the Longhorns’ 2-3 start. However, Manning reduced his turnovers, throwing only two interceptions in his final six games after five in his first six.
Willis will get his opportunity to prove he can be the Dolphins' franchise quarterback. But until he does, the Dolphins will continue to be linked to Manning, since they haven’t had a bona fide franchise quarterback since Dan Marino retired in 2000.
