The Miami Dolphins haven’t drafted a tight end in five years and Mike Gesicki is the only one they’ve picked in the first two rounds over the last 50 years. It’s no wonder Jonnu Smith was able to rewrite all of the franchise’s single-season tight end records in his only year in Miami.
With a new era of Dolphins football on the way, the 2026 NFL Draft could be a good time for the team to invest in the position in a way it hasn’t in recent years.
But if the Dolphins aren’t quite ready to dive headlong into the tight end pool by taking one in the first round, Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers could be a worthwhile investment on Day 2.
Stowers earned the John Mackey Award in 2025, recognizing the nation’s top tight end, after a prolific season in the Commodores offense. The former Texas A&M quarterback recruit caught 62 passes for 769 yards and four touchdowns in 2025. No FBS tight end had more receiving yards and only Houston’s Tanner Koziol had more receptions.
While he’s still relatively new to the tight end position after making the swap from quarterback, his athleticism and natural hands and body control made him an immediate success at his new position. Stowers may need some time to continue growing into the size and strength necessary to thrive at tight end in the NFL, but the early returns offer a glimpse at a high ceiling player who could become a versatile weapon in the right offense.
Bobby Slowik’s offense probably won’t look too dissimilar to Mike McDaniel’s at that could mean plenty of production from the tight end position. While the Dolphins didn’t rely on tight ends much in 2022 and 2023, Jonnu Smith had a prolific 2024 and Darren Waller caught a team-leading six touchdowns despite injuries sidelining him for much of the year.
The Dolphins’ lackluster wide receiving corps also leaves plenty of room for talented pass catchers, regardless of where they line up at the beginning of the play.
With Waller, 33, set to hit free agency, there really isn’t much at the tight end position for the Dolphins. There’s Greg Dulcich, who had a late breakout in 2025, and Julian Hill, a blocking specialist, but neither should preclude Miami from making tight end a high priority in the draft.
Stowers would provide the Dolphins the type of tall, rangy pass catcher that the wide receiver corps has lacked for years, and an easy target for whoever in playing quarterback for the team in 2026.
Stowers isn’t the most polished prospect and probably won’t be ready to be a Pro Bowl-level tight end in his first season. But he’s as exciting a ball of clay as a coach could be asked to mold.
His raw physical traits and big collegiate numbers could make Stowers a fast riser over the next couple months. It may be enough to make him a top 50 selection. But if he’s on the board after Round 2, the Dolphins have three selections to work with in Round 3 and Stowers would be hard to pass up.
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