Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley is challenging Ollie Gordon II to step up and be an "every-down back" in 2026.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley didn’t sugarcoat his answer when asked Sunday before the team’s training camp practice whether he wants running back Ollie Gordon II to be a “short-yardage, big back.”
"No, I want Ollie to compete to be an every-down back, and I think he's capable of doing it," Hafley said.
"When Ollie has flashed and he knows what he's doing and he hits it, he has great speed, he has great size, and he can catch the ball out of the backfield, too," Hafley added.
The Dolphins selected Gordon in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft after he emerged as one of the top running backs in college football during his time at Oklahoma State.
At 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, the 22-year-old Gordon brings a physical running style, but Hafley believes his skill set extends beyond being a power option in short-yardage situations.
Under former head coach Mike McDaniel last season, Gordon served as De’Von Achane’s backup, getting touches when Achane was taking a breather on the sideline.
In 17 games and one start, Gordon brought in 199 rushing yards, two touchdowns, along with 32 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown. He could be a player that Hafley will want to use in a catching out of the backfield type of situation.
Gordon was also featured in short-yardage situations. Sometimes it worked, and sometimes the Dolphins turned the football over on downs.
As Gordon now transitions into his second season, he will look to build on the role he established as a rookie.
One way in which Gordon can improve his game is lowering his pads so that he can richoet off blockers to get more yardage. The upcoming second-year back spoke on that fact, saying he is working on his pad level in a significant way.
Read more: Dolphins Training Camp Primer: Running Backs
What Hafley said about his running back was brought up to Gordon at the conclusion of Sunday’s practice, and Gordon had this to say:
"Just paying attention in meetings, reading stuff different, watching film differently, honestly, not just from the offensive side, but also from the defensive side.
"And I feel like when we're in team meetings, Coach Hafley does a great job of doing that. You know he sits there. He explains the offensive side to us, and he explains the defensive side to us so we both get an understanding of what's going on," Gordon said.
Miami’s backfield competition will be one of the key storylines throughout training camp, with Gordon looking to earn a role alongside Achane and Jaylen Wright, who is preparing for his third season.
Rather than limiting Gordon to a specific package, Hafley is challenging the second-year player to compete for every opportunity available.
Miami believes Gordon has the tools to become a complete three-down running back if he continues developing, and the Dolphins will get a closer look at that potential Monday when they put the pads on for the first time this offseason.
