Dolphins select Rodriguez in second round of NFL Draft

Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez was selected No. 43 overall by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Friday. Rodriguez becomes the second Red Raider selected this week, joining David Bailey, who went No. 2 overall to the New York Jets on Thursday.

Rodriguez will team up with former Red Raider and All-Pro linebacker Jordyn Brooks in Miami. He is the first Texas Tech linebacker selected in the NFL Draft since Brooks and joins a franchise where Hall of Famer Zach Thomas starred for 12 seasons.

“It means a lot to me,” Rodriguez said about his relationship with the two former Red Raider linebackers and being next in line for the Dolphins. “I think Jordyn has given me a lot of words of wisdom as I’ve gone through my years here, and then I was able to create a good relationship with Zach Thomas. He’s been a mentor to me, and he’s let me reach out to him for any questions I have. It’s a really cool experience to be in this position, to have guys who were in your same spot now; they’re leaning into this experience just like you are right now.”

Rodriguez will also return to Hard Rock Stadium, the site of his final collegiate game, after he helped lead Texas Tech to a Big 12 Championship and a berth in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.

One of the most decorated players in college football in 2025, Rodriguez nearly swept the nation’s top defensive honors, winning the Butkus Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award and Lombardi Trophy. He became the first Red Raider to win any of those awards and just the third player in history to claim the Butkus, Nagurski and Bednarik awards in the same season, joining Dan Morgan (2000) and Manti Te’o (2012).

Rodriguez was also named the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year on April 16, recognizing the FBS player who best exemplifies leadership, integrity and sportsmanship.

A two-time first-team All-Big 12 selection, Rodriguez was the program’s first Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and served as a team captain in 2025. He anchored a defense that posted one of the largest single-season improvements in FBS history, lowering scoring by 23.0 points per game and total defense by 203.2 yards per game.

Rodriguez started all 14 games in 2025 and 31 over his career, finishing his senior season with 128 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss and a sack. He was especially impactful creating turnovers, totaling seven forced fumbles, four interceptions and two fumble recoveries, along with six pass breakups and a quarterback hurry.

He became the first FBS player since 2005 to record at least five forced fumbles, four interceptions and two fumble recoveries in a single season. Rodriguez finished his career with 19 takeaways, including nine as a senior, helping Texas Tech lead the FBS with 32 takeaways.

Draft Notes

The NFL Draft concludes on Saturday with rounds four through seven, with coverage starting at 11 a.m. CT on ABC, ESPN and NFL Network.