The Dolphins continued building their profile of power and physicality in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. With the 87th overall pick, Miami selected Ohio State tight end Will Kacmarek.
A fifth-year senior who began his career at the University of Ohio, Kacmarek is 6-foot-6, 261 pounds and plays the game to the vision of General Manager Jon-Eric Sullivan.
1. Grimy, dirty, bite-your-face-off type of dude
The era of the multiple tight end sets has re-entered the NFL. There was an influx of two and three tight end groupings in 2025, and the league looks to be trending further that direction. Nine tight ends were selected in the top 100 picks of the 2026 NFL Draft, the most since 2008.
"He's an unsung hero," Sullivan said. "He's a grimy, dirty, bite your face off type of dude. He's going to be a difference maker for us in the run game which allows your offense to do so many different things. It just opens up so many doors for the offensive coordinator, the way they call the game. And he's elite – I think he's elite as a blocker. When you watch the league and see tight ends block, I think this guy, Day 1, is on the upper echelon of that and will only get better."
The Dolphins have been intentional about adding tone-setters up front who can create space for star running back De'Von Achane and athletic quarterback Malik Willis.
In Kacmarek, the Dolphins added a dynamic, flexible piece that can alter blocking angles and help establish the play action passing game. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler agreed with Sullivan's assessment:
"Kacmarek is a big, linear athlete with strong hands and the desired level of aggression as a point-of-attack blocker. He projects as a Y tight end and can be one of the better blockers in the draft class."
2. Projecting the receiving profile
Kacmarek was repeatedly asked to do the dirty work at Ohio State. He played 1,742 career snaps and served as a blocker on 67 percent of those reps. Within his 575 snaps out in the pattern as a receiver, he flashed an ability to catch the football. Over his collegiate career, Kacmarek caught 88 percent of his targets producing 55 receptions, 761 yards and four touchdowns.
"He's very capable underneath mid zone," Sullivan said. "He can stretch the seam. He runs good enough to get down the seam. He's a big body. He's got nice hands. So, he's not a guy that can't help you in the passing game, I just think his superpower is the in-line blocking."
3. The data not available in the stat sheet
Blocking tight ends are a lot like offensive linemen – there's not a lot of fanfare that comes with the work. Buckeyes fans understood what Kacmarek offered, and so did the coaching staff. Ohio State led the nation in use of two-tight end sets, deploying Kacmarek and 2026 second-round pick Max Klare together 49 percent of the time. The Buckeyes averaged better than 160 yards rushing per game over the last two seasons.
For more on the Dolphins 2026 NFL Draft selections, download the Drive Time Podcast with Travis Wingfield, available wherever you get your podcasts.
