Ranking the Most Important Dolphins, No. 25: Where Gordon Could Make a Difference

By Alain Poupart Sports Illustrated

June 30, 2026 10:30 AM

The Miami Dolphins will head into training camp at the end of July with a totally different roster than the one that ended the 2025 season after an offseason overhaul that saw the departure of several significant veterans and the arrival of newcomers young and old.

After their roster moves Monday, followed by the signing of former UFL tackle Gottlieb Ayedze on Wednesday, the Dolphins have 91 players on their roster with the exemption they have for England-born rookie tight end Seydou Traore, a participant of the International Player Pathway Program.

As life goes in the NFL, no every player on the roster is equal, so we decided to rank all of them in terms of their importance to the Dolphins' success in the 2026 season. The list was determined on the basis of not just ability but also expected role and significance to the overall progress of the organization as it continues the rebuilding project that began with the hiring of Jon-Eric Sullivan as GM and Jeff Hafley as head coach.

This is part of a series that will run in the lead-up to start of training camp.

NUMBER 25: RB OLLIE GORDON II

How he joined the Dolphins

Gordon was a sixth-round pick (179th overall) out of Oklahoma State in the 2025 NFL draft. He was selected with a pick obtained in a draft-day trade with the Houston Texans.

Contract status

Gordon is headed into the second year of his four-year rookie contract and will make a little over $1 million in 2026. His cap number for this year is $1.1 million. He is scheduled to become an urestricted free agent in 2029.

His 2025 season

Gordon played in all 17 games with one start, finishing with 199 rushing yards on 70 attempts (2.8 average) with three touchdowns. He also caught seven passes for 32 yards and a touchdown. His first NFL touchdown was a 1-yard run in the Week 3 Thursday night loss against the Buffalo Bills. His receiving touchdown was a 20-yarder from Tua Tagovailoa in the 34-10 victory against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 8.

His projected role

The Dolphins experienced their greatest success last season when the running game was humming and it figures they'll look for the same formula in 2026, particularly with an unproven wide receiver corps. De'Von Achane will be the featured back without question, but having a second dependable runner would be huge for the offense. Gordon had a few flashes as a rookie last season, but he wasn't helped by some shaky run blocking along with some of his own shortcomings, both as a runner and a blocker. There is potential there, clearly, as evidenced by his days at Oklahoma State when he led college football in rushing. Gordon will have to beat out Jaylen Wright for the No. 2 job behind Achane, but we've got him ahead in this countdown because we expect him to do just that and take a big step forward.

THE PREVIOUS PLAYERS ON THE COUNTDOWN

90. G James Ester

89. T Kevin Cline

88. QB Mark Gronowski

87. DT Keith Cooper Jr.

86. EDGE Seth Coleman

85. RB Anthony Hankerson

84. WR Donaven McCulley

83. FB D.J. Herman

82. C Jim Bonitas

81. LS Tucker Addington

80. DT Alex Huntley

79. T Marques Cox

78. EDGE Rodney McGraw

77. TE Cole Turner

76. DT Khalil Saunders

75. CB Miles Battle

74. S Major Burns

73. RB Carlos Washington Jr.

72. EDGE Robert Beal Jr.

71. WR A.J. Henning

70. RB Donovan Edwards

69. DB Omar Brown

68. EDGE Cameron Goode

67. WR Jalen Reagor

66. EDGE Max Llewellyn

65. WR Terrace Marshall Jr.

64. CB Ethan Robinson

63. G/T Josh Priebe

62. DT Rene Konga

61. WR Tahj Washington

60. QB Cam Miller

59. CB A.J. Green III

58. EDGE Mason Reiger

57. CB Alex Austin

56. P Bradley Pinion

55. LB Jackson Woodard

54. K Zane Gonzalez

53. S Louis Moore

52. DT Matthew Butler

51. CB Marco Wilson

50. CB Darrell Baker Jr.

49. LB Ronnie Harrison Jr.

48. T Charlie Heck

47. WR Chris Bell

46. CB Storm Duck

45. WR Theo Wease Jr.

44. TE Seydou Traore

43. G DJ Campbell

42. G/C Andrew Meyer

41. K Riley Patterson

40. S Michael Taaffe

39. CB Ethan Bonner

38. TE Ben Sims

37. EDGE David Ojabo

36. S Lonnie Johnson Jr.

35. Zayne Anderson

34. EDGE Josh Uche

33. WR Jalen Tolbert

32. EDGE/LB Trey Moore

31. LB Willie Gay Jr.

30. RB Jaylen Wright

29. WR Kevin Coleman Jr.

28. G Jonah Savaiinaea

27. DT Zeek Biggers

26. LB Kyle Louis