2027 mock draft has Dolphins moving on from Malik Willis after 2026 season originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Miami Dolphins are in an interesting spot. The team is rebuilding from scratch, with a new general manager, new head coach, and a new quarterback.
However, it would be hard to argue that, on paper, that this isn’t one of the worst rosters in the league. Sure, the team did invest heavily in new passer Malik Willis, but there’s not much to get excited about elsewhere. The Dolphins saw a heavy exodus of talent this offseason, including Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Bradley Chubb, among others.
Therefore, many expect it to be a long season for the Dolphins. That will be tough for fans in 2026, but the silver lining is that 2027 is expected to be a loaded draft class, especially at quarterback.
Despite giving Willis a hefty contract just two months ago, it’s entirely possible the Dolphins draft his replacement next April. Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports recently published a 2027 mock, and he has the Dolphins taking Oregon quarterback Dante Moore with the No. 1 pick.
Regarding this pick, Wilson offered the following:
Moore would have been the No. 2 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft had he not decided to return to Oregon. He plays with high-end pocket composure, handles pressure well — and once the play breaks down, is elite out of structure. He showed up in big moments throughout the ’25 season (until they ran into the Hoosiers in the CFP) and he’s my QB1 because he outplayed Arch Manning — and every other QB — in the ’26 class.
As Wilson mentioned, Moore would have been the No. 2 pick in 2026, but he opted for another year in college. And, so far, Moore has been a more productive college quarterback than Arch Manning, who many have expected to go first overall for years now.
In 2025, Moore threw for 3,565 yards with 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. The quarterback helped lead the Oregon Ducks to the College Football Playoff, and demonstrated the big arm and elite composure that NFL teams love.
Miami desperately needs an identify and stars to build around. Moore can definitely be that, and if the Dolphins are picking first overall, you can probably assume Willis didn’t have a great season.
Because Miami already has a massive amount of dead cap on their books, Willis probably wouldn’t get cut if Moore or another quarterback was drafted. Instead, Willis would likely just be a highly-paid backup, or could start for the first part of 2027 until the rookie is ready.
Of course, Dolphins fans would love to be competitive in 2026, but that would likely mean missing out on an elite franchise quarterback. Willis could be a serviceable quarterback, but can he ever be truly elite? It’s possible, but not likely, especially with the lack of offensive talent currently on the roster.
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