Dolphins Are Betting Big on 'Rookie Vet' Jacob Rodriguez

One of the biggest surprises from the Miami Dolphins cutting their roster down from 90 to 53 was the release of linebacker Tyrel Dodson. After Dodson had a breakout season in 2025, he has now been supplanted by rookie Jacob Rodriguez.

Rodriguez was a highly-touted prospect out of Texas Tech, and the physical nature of his playing led to a host of post-season awards, including the Lombardi Award, Butkus Award, and more. The rookie continued to showcase those same talents through OTAs, training camp, and now, with the release of Dodson, the Dolphins are betting big on the former Red Raider.

It is not often that rookie players emerge through the offseason program in such a way, but Rodriguez continued to rise with his play, which included his string of forcing turnovers.

Rodriguez set an NCAA record by forcing seven fumbles in 2025, and that same level of getting the ball loose continued with the Dolphins, as the rookie was able to force fumbles on players who are known for not fumbling like running back De'Von Achane.

Multiple Dolphins players, coaches, and more have heavily praised Rodriguez, pointing to a bigger reason as to why he beat out Dodson for the linebacker position opposite Jordyn Brooks.

Miami head coach Jeff Hafley has praised Rodriguez plenty, and explained a bit of the reasoning behind his pushing and winning the starting linebacker position.

"Yeah, again, just talking about Jacob and the guys that are here right now, he's a guy that he's just extremely mature and he's very quickly become a pro," Hafley said. "When I say that, you get here early and you go down to the weight room and he's got a routine where he's stretching at 5:30, 6 o'clock in the morning. He's probably one of the first guys eating a good meal at breakfast and then he's meeting extra in the meeting rooms and he's just doing everything that it takes some guys to be a veteran to do.

Hafley spoke about Rodriguez acting and behaving like a veteran player, with something that may seem so simple as "eating a good breakfast." There are players who take learning and doing the right things very seriously, and the Dolphins rookie embodies that.

It isn't just the coaching staff who have talked about Rodriguez, but his mentor has done the same thing.

Brooks not only comes from the same college, but also showed up to speak to the rookie linebacker the moment he was drafted. 

During media availability, the newly multi-year signee spoke about Rodriguez's play, echoing the same sentiment that Hafley did, but using the term "rookie vet."

"Jacob is, I like to say, like a rookie vet. He's already seasoned. Whatever he was doing at Texas Tech, you know, he was doing the right things. Came in very knowledgeable of the game, very mature, and just ready to go. So, he's just gotten better and better, since OTAs, honestly. And so, I'm excited to see his growth and what he does this year," Brooks said.

Brooks has spent the most time with Rodriguez being that both play the same position, and the veteran has been there since Day 1 to guide the Dolphins rookie.

How that guidance translates on the field will be vastly important, as the team is placing a lot of faith that the release of Dodson will not be a mistake.

Dodson had an impressive performance with Miami in 2025, bringing in one interception, three passes defended, one forced fumble, five sacks, and 129 total tackles.

Dodson and Brooks were a solid combination, but now that combination will be transformed into Brooks and Rodriguez.

If the Dolphins rookie can continue his ascent during the regular season, general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan will already be painted as someone who has an eye for talent. On the flipside, struggles to the linebacker unit will be judged even more harshly for the release of Dodson.

Either way, Rodriguez will get his chance to put it out on the field when the Dolphins began their regular season on Sep. 13.