Dolphins Draft Texas Safety Michael Taaffe at No. 158 Overall

Overview

• The Miami Dolphins drafted Texas safety Michael Taaffe with the No. 158 pick in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
• He is the fourth Longhorn selected this year and will reunite in Miami with former Texas teammates Quinn Ewers and Trey Moore.
• He rose from Austin Westlake, where he helped win back-to-back state titles, to walk on at Texas and later earn a scholarship.
• Over five seasons he started 36 of 53 games and produced 222 tackles, seven interceptions, and 21 passes defended, earning AP All-America and all-conference honors.
• His 4.50-second 40-yard dash, 1.58 10-yard split, and 34.5-inch vertical support projections of early special-teams impact and a flexible safety role despite questions about top-end speed.