The Miami Dolphins should not rule out taking Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith if they land near the top of the 2027 NFL Draft, according to Locked On Dolphins host Kyle Crabbs. Crabbs argued that Smith would warrant serious consideration as the best player available, unless Miami identifies an unquestioned franchise quarterback.
Crabbs pushed back on the idea that wide receivers selected early cannot help build Super Bowl contenders. In his review of 168 top-three selections, he found that offensive tackle, edge rusher, quarterback and wide receiver each produced a better Super Bowl appearance rate with the drafting franchise than the overall average. He noted that the receiver sample was small, with only nine top-three picks, but said the results still do not support treating the position as an automatic disqualifier.
Smith is the test case for Miami. Crabbs called him the top overall prospect on his board regardless of positional value and said a field-tilting player with rare physical ability would address a legitimate roster need. The caveat is quarterback: Crabbs said Miami should prioritize that position if it believes quarterback Malik Willis has not settled the long-term question over the remaining 12 games and a draft prospect emerges as a clear franchise-caliber choice.
Crabbs’ larger point was that picking in the top three carries more risk than selecting a particular premium position. That distinction matters for Miami because a high selection would reflect a disappointing season but also create an opportunity to add an elite foundational player. A choice between Smith and a quarterback would become a verdict on the organization’s evaluation of Willis, rather than a referendum on whether receivers are worth drafting early.
Miami’s bye week offers a chance to continue evaluating the roster and the college quarterback class. The next 12 games, Crabbs said, should determine whether the club’s 2027 planning centers on supporting Willis or finding his successor.
Dolphins News and Notes
– Crabbs said Miami’s most effective offensive personnel package in his grading has been a 21 personnel group featuring running back Ollie Gordon II, fullback DJ Herman, tight end Will Kacmarek and wide receivers Malik Washington and Chris Bell. Crabbs wants to see how that package performs when wide receiver Caleb Douglas returns.
– Crabbs identified a true-nickel defense led by edge rushers Chop Robinson and Josh Uche; defensive tackles Zach Sieler and Zeek Biggers; linebackers Jordyn Brooks and Jacob Rodriguez; and defensive backs Chris Johnson, JuJu Brents, Jason Marshall Jr., Michael Taaffe and Dante Trader Jr. as Miami’s most-used and highest-graded grouping through five weeks of his film project.
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