For new Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley, the NFL Draft presents a unique opportunity for a do-over. He’s set to meet with a top prospect who rejected his recruiting pitch once before in college.

LSU’s Mansoor Delane told the media at the NFL Combine that he will be meeting with Hafley’s Dolphins on February 26. Widely regarded as the No. 1 CB prospect, the team is looking at Delane with some serious intrigue. Part of it is also because Hafley already has a gist of what the CB brings to the table.

Hafley recruited him when he was coaching at Boston College. However, things did not work out between the two, and Delane eventually chose Virginia Tech. He transferred to LSU for his final season in 2025. Delane, even battling a core injury, emerged as a talented corner among the Tigers, finishing with 45 tackles, two interceptions, and 11 passes defended. He also secured first-team All-American honors and was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award.

Delane built his reputation at Virginia Tech as a ballhawk, racking up 6 interceptions and forcing 4 fumbles before transferring to LSU, where his dominance continued. Delane thrives in press coverage and has great footwork to excel in man coverage. He has also consistently gotten into the QB-WR window to disrupt those passes. Quarterbacks showed a passer rating of only 31.3 whenever Delane appeared around their targeted receivers.

Delane is often pitted against Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy, who is also meeting with the Dolphins. However, the former has a clear edge over the latter. McCoy is at the Combine but will not be participating, as he is still rehabbing the ACL tear that kept him out of the 2025 season.

While both are top prospects, Delane has a clear edge in draft readiness; unlike McCoy, who is rehabbing a significant ACL tear, Delane is healthy and has the recent on-field production to back up his first-round grade.

Though the LSU star can still go to other NFL franchises, Miami might actually be the one for him.

How Mansoor Delane fits in with the Dolphins

Hafley has a good idea about what the LSU corner brings to the team, since the coach specializes in defensive backs. But looking at how the Dolphins’ roster is shaping up, Delane can truly be the logical pick for Miami at No. 11. He will be part of a defense that fits him and can even get a chance to break out early.

The Dolphins’ secondary was beaten down with consistent injuries in 2025. This played a big part in the defense struggling with pass defense, giving up 216.4 yards through the air. To make matters worse, the team will likely not have the talents needed to help improve this stat.

There is still no clarity about whether the team will be able to bring back Rasul Douglas and Jack Jones. Veteran CB Kader Kohou, who missed the entirety of the 2025 season, also falls under the same category. Mansoor Delane makes an interesting option for Jeff Hafley, pairing up with Jason Marshall Jr.

Miami’s meeting with Delane is already a big sign that the team is truly interested in the role he can play. With Hafley’s prior interest and the team’s pressing need at cornerback, the upcoming meeting could be the final step in bringing Delane to Miami.