New Dolphins DB's college highlights show why Miami drafted him

The Miami Dolphins addressed one of their biggest needs in the 2026 NFL draft when they took Pittsburgh safety Kyle Louis in the fourth round, and then they doubled down and took Texas safety Michael Taaffe with their next pick in the fifth round.

Taaffe spent five seasons with the Longhorns, appearing in 53 games and recording 222 tackles, 14 passes defensed, seven interceptions, three sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He earned All-SEC honors once and All-American honors twice.

The 23-year-old joins a Dolphins safety room that was very thin entering the draft, giving an opportunity to compete with Louis, Lonnie Johnson Jr., Dante Trader Jr., Zayn Anderson, Jordan Colbert, Omar Brown, Louis Moore and Isaiah Johnson for reps in the regular season.

Before we get there, let's take a look at some of Taaffe's best plays during his Longhorns tenure.

These moments show his versatility and willingness to throw his body around, which is why Miami was willing to take the safety in the fifth round.

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This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: NFL draft: Check out new Dolphins DB Michael Taaffe college highlights