Cornerback just might be at the very top of the Miami Dolphins’ list of needs heading into the 2025 NFL draft, particularly after it was revealed a trade involving seven-time Pro Bowl selection Jalen Ramsey is being sought.

It’s why many mock drafts, including our very own seven-round Dolphins mock by Dante Collinelli, have projected a cornerback for the team at the number 13 spot in the first round. In our mock, the cornerback is Jahdae Barron from the University of Texas.

And if it’s not Barron being mocked to the Dolphins, then it’s fellow cornerback Will Johnson from Michigan.

But what if neither player is available at that No. 13 spot?

Draft analysts seem in agreement that there’s no other cornerback prospect who figures to get selected in the first half of the first round outside of Barron, Johnson and dual-threat star Travis Hunter, who’ll be gone by the first five picks at most.

The evaluations on both Barron and Johnson run a pretty wide scope, from top 10 possibility to back end of the first round, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Tuesday that Barron has been linked to the New York Jets and the seventh overall pick.

And this is where we would point out that new Jets head coach Aaron Glenn is a former NFL cornerback and he comes from Detroit, where his defense benefited from the versatility of defensive back Brian Branch, who has been used as a player comp for Barron.

As for Johnson, he’s pegged to the San Francisco 49ers at number 11 the most in mock drafts, according to the Mock Draft Database. There have been projections of Johnson going to the New Orleans Saints at number 9.

If the Dolphins can’t get either Johnson or Barron, the next tier of cornerback prospects includes Trey Amos from Mississippi, Maxwell Hairston from Kentucky and Notre Dame’s Benjamin Morrison, a first-round talent coming off a torn labrum in his hip.

The question then would be for the Dolphins whether they can get one of those three players at number 48, where Miami picks in the second round.

Of course, the Dolphins either can trade down in the first round if Johnson and Barron are taken, and go for one of the other three late in the first or early in the second round, and another option would be trading up in the second round to ensure getting one of those prospects.

The bottom line is the Dolphins really need to get their hands on a cornerback who can start right away given their current situation, which involves an out-the-door Ramsey along with a lot of unproven young players like Storm Duck, Cam Smith and Ethan Bonner.

Of course, the Dolphins always had other options in Round 1, and that would include taking an offensive lineman, defensive lineman or maybe even a safety.

If that’s the route the Dolphins choose, then possible picks could include tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., defensive tackle Kenneth Grant or Derrick Harmon, or safety Nick Emmanwori or Malaki Starks.

But given the prospects available, cornerback always seemed like the best option, but with Barron or Johnson.

That’s how a good draft would play out for the Dolphins.

There’s just no guarantee it will.

More Miami Dolphins Coverage:

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro comes off his finest season as a pro, yet remains arguably the most polarizing member on the roster. Despite making the Eastern Conference All-Star team, becoming 3-point Contest champion, posting career-bests in scoring average, assists and other categories, Herro can’t escape heavy scrutiny. 

In averaging 34 points per game in the play-in wins over the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks, shooting 8-for-17 from 3-point range, Herro silenced even his most vocal critics in spite of 11 combined turnovers. 

Remaining in everyone’s good graces didn’t last long.

Herro did score 21 points in Sunday’s 121-100 Game 1 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but shot just 7-for-18 (38.9%), and most concerning, was picked on mercilessly on the defensive end.

Herro didn’t exclusively get torched one-on-one, but the Cavs targeted him to ensure he was involved in their actions, picking him off, making him work on switches and challenging him to work. Defense isn’t an area of strength for the sixth-year guard, and it didn’t help that Cleveland Sixth Man of the Year finalist Ty Jerome went on a fourth-quarter heater to put the game away.

Cleveland ultimately scored 64 points on the 36 possessions where Herro was targeted, and it’s not a situation that Erik Spoelstra can fix unless he pulls his most natural scorer off the floor. There’s no hiding a guard when the opposing team has All-Star playmakers like Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, Jerome, and shooters like Max Strus and Sam Merrill. 

CBS Sports broke down how Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson was able to take advantage of Herro’s porous defense down the stretch in Game 1. Even with standout defenders like Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell at Spoelstra’s disposal to play alongside Herro, picks and screens mean more carnage is coming unless Cleveland’s snipers go cold. 

A poll on the Five Reasons Sports X account asked what an appropriate per season contract should be for Herro’s next contract, and the majority of votes felt the Miami guard should earn $40 million or fewer.

It’s not quite the Orlando Sentinel poll that helped Shaquille O’Neal leave the Magic for the L.A. Lakers back in 1996, but is nevertheless a good barometer of the current level of satisfaction with an oft-criticized All-Star guard whose weaknesses and limitations have hindered the Heat in a sub-.500 season despite his improved offensive efficiency.

Count on the microscope again being on Herro in Wednesday’s Game 2, and expect him to be run through the ringer defensively until he can consistently help come up with stops.

Tony Mejia is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at tnyce1414@gmail.com