Miami Dolphins fans can admit they were not thrilled with the selection of Caleb Douglas in the early part of round three. It was a reach, no matter how you spin it. Jon-Eric Sulllivan made it clear that he was the guy at the top of his board when it was his time to pick.

Chris Johnson may have been a little less surprising at pick 27, but his talent level was clear from the start. Johnson was considered the next best CB prospect behind LSU’s Mansoor Delane due to Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy’s medicals. For the most part, everyone loved the Johnson pick.

At the NFL Combine, Johnson was asked about his high level of play at the Senior Bowl, but specifically about the competition that he faced and who stood out.

Dolphins 1st rounder Chris Johnson volunteered that Dolphins 3rd rounder Caleb Douglas was the toughest WR to cover at the Senior Bowl. pic.twitter.com/BPvCUAadkS

— Chris Kouffman (@ckparrot) April 27, 2026

Chris Johnson gives unsolicited high praise for Miami Dolphins’ Caleb Douglas before he was drafted

Johnson named Douglas as one of the players who stood out to him.

“Off the top of my head, I’d probably say Caleb Douglas was pretty good. He was solid.”

NBC’s Connor Rogers then responded by revealing that it wasn’t the first time Douglas had been brought up. “Yeah, we’ve heard that name brought up at this desk already today.”

It’s an interesting twist for sure. The interview took place during the NFL Combine week, long before Johnson or Douglas became Dolphins draft picks. Sullivan would praise Douglas for what he brings to the table when he met with the media after night two of the draft.

“He’s got some very raw athleticism. I think what you’ll see for a tall, long-limbed receiver, long legs, long arms, he can really drop his weight. He’s got great flexibility. He’s got good athleticism and ball skills to adjust the ball in the air.”

The next stage for Douglas will be his development. Some areas need to be improved upon. Sullivan mentioned he needs to get stronger because he has problems getting off the snap in press coverage.

Contested balls will also be a problem for him until he bulks up. At this stage, he doesn’t have the frame to shield out the coverage, and that diminishes his ability to fight for the ball. That’s coachable, to a degree.

Fans may not like the selection, and there will be a natural burden he will carry into the NFL to prove people wrong. He won’t need to do that with Johnson; he already knows what he can bring.