The Miami Dolphins are in full makeover mode. From the front office to the players on the field, including the starting quarterback, Miami’s new regime is doing a complete roster upgrade, bringing in players with a certain mentality. And one of those players, selected on Day 3, has been turning heads.

In a draft that was stacked at the receiver position in the middle rounds, many wondered where Missouri’s Kevin Coleman Jr. would end up. Despite catching 66 passes for 732 yards with the Tigers in 2025, the senior was not as productive as the prior season when he played at Mississippi State and caught 74 passes for 932 yards with six TDs.

After a brilliant showing during Senior Bowl practices when no one could cover him, Coleman was somewhat disappointing during combine testing. Expected to time the 40 in the high 4.3-second range, he was unable to run faster than 4.49 seconds and hit just 38.5 inches in the vertical jump after tipping the scales at 179 pounds.

Teams had a decision to make on Coleman: was he the speedy, productive receiver they saw on film and at the Senior Bowl, or was he lacking in athleticism as the combine numbers showed?

The Dolphins scooped up Coleman in the late stages of the fifth round, the third receiver they had selected in the draft up to that point. He was the 177th pick of the 2026 draft and the 27th receiver chosen. Yet early in camp, Coleman has looked like an absolute steal and someone who should’ve been selected much higher.

Taking reps with the first team during the Dolphins’ opening practices, Coleman is battling Malik Washington to be the starting slot receiver, and many think he will win. At the very least, decision makers in Miami expect Coleman to get plenty of playing time and opportunities this season.

Coleman has made a great impression on everyone in the Dolphins organization and is just a different, special type of person. This persona was noticeable when Coleman sat down with us at EssentiallySports for a predraft interview this past April. He has worked incredibly hard and has been sponge-like in his ability to pick up schemes and take to coaching.

His route running has been outstanding, an aspect of his game I wrote about during Senior Bowl practices, and he’s caught the ball extremely well. The Dolphins consider Coleman a Swiss Army knife skill player who, besides being a slot receiver, has return skills and can be used to run reverses.

Sources in Miami tell me that Coleman has been the biggest surprise in camp thus far. Sources close to the receiver tell me he couldn’t be happier with the Dolphins and has been loving the experience.

Frustrated after dropping into the late part of the fifth round, Coleman has taken it upon himself to make sure the teams that passed on him early in the draft know that decision was a mistake. His personal vendetta could not have come at a better time for the Miami offense, which was in desperate need of receivers this offseason and returns just one veteran who’s expected to make the roster.