A mass exodus gutted Miami’s EDGE room. A seventh-round Iowa Hawkeye might be exactly what the doctor ordered.
Quick Summary — For Fast Readers
- Miami’s EDGE room has been completely overhauled
Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips, and Matthew Judon are all gone, leaving the Dolphins with a bare pass-rush depth chart. - Max Llewellyn: Miami’s best draft value
The seventh-round pick out of Iowa was ranked No. 183 on Pro Football Network’s big board, giving the Dolphins a 55-spot value gain when they grabbed him at No. 238. - High-effort, high-upside prospect
Llewellyn’s motor and measurables make him an intriguing developmental player for a team rebuilding its defensive front.
The EDGE Exodus: How Miami Got Here
Less than a year ago, Miami’s EDGE room was stacked — at least on paper. Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips anchored the pass rush, with Matthew Judon and Chop Robinson providing rotational depth and Cameron Goode contributing on special teams.
Today, almost all of that has been dismantled.
- Jaelan Phillips: Traded to the Eagles in November 2025 for a 2026 third-round pick after managing just three sacks in nine games.
- Bradley Chubb: Released in March 2026 with a post-June 1 designation, creating $7.3 million in cap savings but leaving Miami with $23.8 million in dead money.
- Matthew Judon: Waived in December 2025 after a disappointing single season in Miami.
The result? A complete teardown of Miami’s pass-rush depth chart, leaving Chop Robinson as the last man standing from the previous regime’s approach to the position.
Enter Max Llewellyn: Pick No. 238, Maximum Value
With the 238th overall pick — acquired via trade with the New York Jets — the Dolphins added Max Llewellyn, a 6’6”, 258-pound EDGE rusher out of Iowa.
Llewellyn was the seventh Hawkeye selected in the 2026 draft, part of a record-setting class for the program. And while seventh-round picks rarely make headlines, Llewellyn’s selection stands out for one simple reason: value.
Pro Football Network’s consensus big board ranked Llewellyn at No. 183. By landing him at No. 238, Miami effectively gained 55 spots of draft value — the largest positive differential of any pick in their 13-player haul.
The Scouting Report: Motor Over Everything
Dane Brugler of The Athletic, whose draft guide is considered the gold standard in scouting, offered a detailed breakdown of Llewellyn’s strengths and weaknesses:
“Llewellyn is a good-sized, versatile edge rusher who doesn’t grade as exceptional in any one area, aside from his nonstop motor. He pairs a quick get-off with a crafty setup to overwhelm blockers before they have much time to react. He is upright and stiff in his attack but strains and creates enough momentum to convert speed to power. He struggles to out-leverage blockers as an edge setter and doesn’t put himself in position to make run stops.”
Translation? Llewellyn is a developmental prospect with a relentless work ethic, intriguing physical tools, and clear limitations. He’s not a plug-and-play starter, but for a team rebuilding its pass rush from the ground up, he represents a smart, low-risk investment.
The Bottom Line
The Dolphins’ EDGE room went from crowded to barren in under a year. Three of their top four pass rushers — Chubb, Phillips, and Judon — are gone. What remains is Chop Robinson, a handful of free-agent signings, and now Max Llewellyn — a seventh-round pick who draft analysts agree was one of Miami’s biggest steals.
The pick is emblematic of the Dolphins’ rebuild under Jon-Eric Sullivan and Jeff Hafley. It’s not about quick fixes or splashy moves. It’s about finding value, building depth, and taking calculated risks on players like Llewellyn.
For Miami, the question now is simple: Can this high-motor Hawkeye defy the odds and carve out a role in a room desperate for answers?
