Pitt top prospect Kyle Louis drafted No. 138 overall by the Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins continue to add youth to their linebacker room by selecting Pitt standout linebacker Kyle Louis for his ball skills, coverage instincts and position versatility.

After going undrafted on Day Two of the 2026 NFL Draft, Louis was selected late in the fourth round, No. 138 overall.

At the time he was drafted, Louis was the best available linebacker on the board. Mel Kiper, a football analyst and broadcast announcer for ESPN, had Louis near the top of his best available list from the start of the fourth round.

Louis spent his entire collegiate career at Pitt, debuting with the Panthers in 2022. He redshirted after his first season, playing in just four games due to injury, but catapulted to future NFL-caliber play in 2024. In 2025, his last collegiate season, Louis recorded 81 total tackles, including 8.5 for loss, three sacks and two interceptions.

Coming into the draft, analysts were divided on where Louis would end up in terms of his position. Though he played as a linebacker in college, he has the speed and build of a safety. When he was selected Saturday afternoon, the Dolphins announced Louis as a linebacker.

Midway through the second round, the Dolphins also selected Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, whose weaknesses during the 2025 season included over-pursuing the ball, biting on misdirection, taking false steps and making costly mistakes in coverage. In Louis, the Dolphins get a complimentary player who is “very decisive in coverage,” according to the NFL’s scouting report, has great burst and instincts, and can stick by wide receivers down the field.

NFL scouts can all agree that Louis and Rodriguez have a nose for the football. Louis recorded 10 sacks, six interceptions and 198 tackles over three seasons with Pitt, and Rodriguez caught six interceptions, recorded six sacks and made 315 total tackles in his five seasons of college football.

The Dolphins’ defense has let the offense down in recent seasons. Last season, the 24.9 points opponents scored per game was 9th most in the league. Opposing quarterbacks completed 72.04% of their passes against the Dolphins’ defense, the worst mark in the NFL.

While the Dolphins have fielded an above-average defensive line in recent seasons, their secondary has consistently performed poorly. Louis is expected to start his NFL career competing for a prominent backup linebacker role against Ronnie Harrison Jr. and Trey Moore.