Kelly: Is Jacob Rodriguez the second coming of Zach Thomas?

Omar Kelly admin September 10, 2026 0 Comments

Kelly: Is Jacob Rodriguez the second coming of Zach Thomas? | Opinion

There’s no possible way to ignore the parallels.

Zach Thomas and Jacob Rodriguez are both undersized, Texas-raised linebackers who sunburn easily.

They are both Texas Tech alums that had stellar collegiate careers, with Rodriguez breaking most of Thomas’ collegiate records when he became the only FBS player since 2005 to record at least 300 career tackles, 10 forced fumbles, five interceptions and five fumble recoveries in a career.

And with the keys to the Miami Dolphins defense being handed to Rodriguez as Sunday’s season opener approaches, he’ll become the first rookie linebacker to lead Miami’s defense since Thomas.

The last time a Dolphins’ draftee joined South Florida’s NFL franchise and became the brain and heartbeat of the defense was 1996, with Thomas, then a fifth-round pick, making all the calls and audible checks.

“This has been something I’ve been waiting for my whole life,” Rodriguez said about making his NFL debut Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Plenty of free agents have held the mantle as Miami’s green-dot player, and even some second-year players have even been elevated to that prominent role, which wears the helmet that features a communication system that coaches make calls into. But it’s fitting that Rodriguez would be following in Thomas’ footsteps in the pros.

The biggest questions we will gain an answer to this season is if the expectations for Rodriguez to become the second coming of Thomas, a seven-time Pro Bowl talent and 2023 inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Famer, are reasonable?

“Jacob is like a rookie vet. He’s already seasoned,” said linebacker Jordyn Brooks.

Brooks, another Texas Tech alum, has long been a fan of Rodriguez. And considering he was mentored by Bobby Wagner, a 10-time Pro Bowler, in his early days with the Seattle Seahawks, he plans to pass it on.

That’s why Brooks raced to the Dolphins’ facility to thank the Dolphins decision-makers for selecting Rodriguez when he was taken 43rd overall on the second day of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Brooks, who led the NFL in tackles last season, has been vocal about his desire to not serve as Miami’s green-dot player.

He’s confident that Rodriguez’s teammates trust his leadership and will follow his lead.

‘Whatever he was doing at Texas Tech, he was doing the right things,” Brooks continued. “[He] came in very knowledgeable of the game, very mature and just ready to go. He’s just gotten better and better since OTAs, honestly. I’m excited to see his growth and what he does this year.”

Tyrel Dodson held the green-dot role last season, but when Rodriguez beat him out in training camp, the Dolphins released the six-year veteran, who last week signed to the Carolina Panthers’ practice squad.

Ironically, when Thomas started shining in training camp as a rookie Jimmy Johnson, who was then the Dolphins’ head coach, released Jack Del Rio, the veteran and presumed starting linebacker.

That decision ended the playing career of Del Rio, then 33, who went on to become a head coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Oakland Raiders.

Del Rio’s metamorphosis from player to coach is fitting because inside linebackers, who are typically defense’s green-dot players, are usually natural leaders, often an extension of the coaching staff.

“I prefer it. It’s how my brain works,” Rodriguez said when asked about filling the green-dot role, which he held for one of his four seasons with the Red Raiders. “I like to be able to articulate it to my guys, get them lined up, and put them in position to succeed. Doing that for them is how my brain is wired.”

Sound familiar?

Just like Thomas, Rodriguez is wired to lead and praised as a worker.

“The guy’s here all the time. He was in my office [Wednesday] morning going over the call sheet before 7 a.m. and we’re talking, ‘Here are the calls that I like in this situation, here’s why I like it so if you hear me call it on this down and distance…

“We need to start thinking alike,” said head coach Jeff Hafley, who will serve as Miami’s defensive playcaller on game day. “I might tag it with this, so you need to listen for this. We joke back and forth. Some of the calls get long and I’ll say, ‘No, say it like this’ because there’s a cadence to it, so it can come out [right] and he’ll say, ‘Well, I like it more like this,’ and I’ll say, ‘Well, we got to work on that stuff [out] together.’ ”

Barring an injury, Rodriguez and Hafley should have the entire 2026 season to figure things out.

And if things go well the parallels between Rodriguez with Thomas will continue to grow.