The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Michael Taaffe selected in fifth round of NFL Draft by Miami Dolphins
04.25.2026 | Football
The defensive back went 158th overall in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Miami, Fla. – Texas defensive back Michael Taaffe was selected 158th overall in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins on Saturday.
Taaffe becomes the fifth Texas defensive back selected in the last three drafts, and it marks the second-straight year the Longhorns have had two defensive backs picked in the same draft after Jahdae Barron was selected in the first round by the Denver Broncos and Andrew Mukuba was chosen in the second round by the Philadelphia Eagles last year. Prior to that, it had been since 2015, when Mykkele Thompson went to the New York Giants in the fifth round and Quandre Diggs was taken by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round.
It is the fifth time in the last seven years the Longhorns have had at least one defensive back chosen. Taaffe is 21st Longhorn defensive back picked in the last 21 drafts, 29th since draft went to seven rounds in 1994 and 55th of the common draft era (since 1967).
Taaffe becomes the second Longhorn drafted by the Miami Dolphins this year after LB Trey Moore was chosen 130th overall in the fourth round. He is also the third UT player taken by the Dolphins in the last three years, joining QB Quinn Ewers in the seventh round of last year's draft. Prior to that, DB Brandon Jones had been chosen in the third round in 2020.
Overall, Texas has had at least four players selected in each of the last four years and five of the last six drafts.
"I say it all the time, Michael is the ultimate Longhorn and his story going from walk-on to All-American and team captain is an incredible one," head coach Steve Sarkisian said. "He's a very talented and smart football player, a great leader, very instinctive, and someone who has been such a vital part of our program from the day he walked on campus. Michael will get right to work for Dolphins, and he's a guy who's probably going to play for a long time in the league."
A fifth-year player who joined the program as a walk-on from Austin's Westlake High School in 2021, Taaffe went on to play in 53 career games with 36 starts during his time on the Forty Acres. In that span, Taaffe helped the Longhorns to a 43-13 overall record, back-to-back College Football Playoff semifinals appearances in 2023 and 2024, an SEC Championship Game appearance and the league's best regular season record in 2024, and the Big 12 Championship in 2023. In all, Taaffe compiled 222 total tackles, seven interceptions, 21 passes defended, three sacks, 9.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery during his Texas career.
Following the 2025 season, Taaffe was named the winner of the Wuerffel Trophy, selected to the AFCA's All-America First Team, the FWAA's All-America Second Team and the AP's All-America Third Team, in addition to earning All-SEC Coaches' First Team distinction. Taaffe received All-American recognition for the second-straight season after being named to the AP's All-America Second Team in 2024. The captain of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, Taaffe was also a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy and named to the SEC Community Service team this season. Taaffe was also a semifinalist for the 2025 Jim Thorpe Award and the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award.
The former walk-on started in 10 games for Texas in 2025. Despite missing two games in his final season due to injury, Taaffe recorded the second-most tackles on the team with 70 (38 solo) in addition to two interceptions, a pass break-up and a sack. Taaffe totaled nine tackles (two solo) in the season opener at No. 3/2 Ohio State before logging eight stops (seven solo) in Texas' home opener vs. San Jose State. In UT's SEC opener at Florida, Taaffe was credited with seven tackles (two solo) and one interception. He followed up that performance with nine tackles (seven solo), including one sack for a loss of 10 yards in the victory over No. 6/6 Oklahoma. He registered 10 tackles (five solo) in the overtime win at Kentucky, including a pair of crucial tackles in overtime. On fourth-and-goal from the Texas 1-yard line, Taaffe assisted on the tackle of Kentucky's running back and kept him out of the endzone to force a turnover on downs. After missing games against Mississippi State and Vanderbilt, Taaffe returned to action at No. 5/5 Georgia with a seven-tackle (three solo) performance. In Texas' 52-37 win over Arkansas, Taaffe logged seven tackles (five solo) and a pass break-up. One of his most dramatic and impactful plays came in the 27-17 victory over No. 3/3/3 Texas A&M in Cotton Holdings Lone Star Showdown. In that game, Taaffe finished with five tackles (two solo) and recorded a clutch interception at the UT 3-yard line with 3:46 remaining to halt the Texas A&M drive.
Taaffe returned to the UT defense this past season after garnering second-team All-America recognition from the Associated Press in 2024. The Longhorns finished 13-3, reached the SEC Championship Game and earned a No. 3 final ranking. He started all 16 games that season, ranking second on the team in total tackles (78), interceptions (2) and pass break-ups (10). He was the only Longhorn to record an interception and a forced fumble in the same game last season after doing so in Texas' win at No. 25/25 Vanderbilt, earning the Burlsworth's Trophy National Player of the Week and the SEC's Co-Defensive Player of the Week. Taaffe forced two turnovers to go along with six tackles and a pass break-up against the Commodores. In the CFP Quarterfinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl vs. Arizona State, Taaffe logged a career-high 10 tackles (six solo) and two pass break-ups to help send Texas to its second-consecutive CFP semifinal.
An honorable mention All-Big 12 selection in 2023, Taaffe played in all 14 games with nine starts and totaled 48 tackles (28 solo), 2.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, two pass breakups and one blocked punt. He helped Texas win the Big 12 Championship and reach the CFP semifinals, finishing with a 12-2 record and No. 3 ranking. He intercepted passes in three consecutive games against Houston, BYU and Kansas State to become the first Longhorn to accomplish the feat since DeShon Elliott in 2017. He registered five tackles (four solo) with one tackle for loss in the Big 12 Championship Game victory over Oklahoma State and made five tackles (three solo), including half a tackle for loss and broke up one pass in the Sugar Bowl against Washington. As a redshirt freshman, Taaffe played in 13 games with one start against Kansas and totaled 26 tackles (13 solo) with half a tackle for loss and one pass breakup.
Michael Taaffe quotes
On the feeling when the call came in:
Man, so awesome. I mean, I was a little stressed going into it, and it actually came up as a spam alert call, and I just was like, "Man, this has got to be it." So right when I answered, I kind of blacked out, and all I heard it was it was Miami. I was just so relieved, and to know so much about Miami, and now I get to go play with my good old buddy Quinn Ewers and now my teammate Trey Moore, who just got drafted too, is awesome. So, I'm just so blessed and nothing could be better than a spot in Miami. I told Quinn when I did an interview zoom call before with the safeties coach, I said, "I really liked y'all's coach, this is awesome. What happens if y'all take me?" And he and said how cood it would be, and so now here it is. It's awesome.
On if he has spoken to Quinn Ewers or Trey Moore yet:
I FaceTimed Quinn and we talked, so it was awesome. He said, "We can't wait to get you down here and we're going to kick it off." He's going to show me the ropes, so it's going to be awesome.
On the moment and his family's reaction:
They were just amazed. We'd been waiting for a while, and they were just in shock. They didn't believe that the moment would actually come to reality, and when it happened, it felt like a fever dream. So, they were so happy for me. They'd been waiting and waiting and trying to be as cool as they could about it, and it was awesome.
On if he has spent any time in Miami before:
I haven't been much. I flew by and I had layover there, so I checked it out for a little bit, but haven't been there much.
On the trio of him, Jahdae Barron and Andrew Mukuba all now drafted into the NFL:
Crazy. We've talked about this since high school and to think this would actually be a reality, it's hard to really believe because we probably all didn't believe it at some point in time, to think that we would all have been NFL draft picks and playing in the NFL, and I've got to go earn it. I've got to go make a roster, but it's just an exciting for this day. I'm going to go enjoy it.
On how well prepared he feels coming out of Texas:
So well prepared. The ability for me to go into those interviews and talk about defensive scheme, and to think of the guy that I came from in freshman year to a fifth-year senior, it's a night and day difference. It's so really cool to see what Texas has done in my life and definitely helped me get to this spot.
On his message to Longhorn Nation:
It's just such a big thank you, Longhorn Nation. You mean everything to me. I'll forever bleed Burnt Orange, and the fan base will forever be in my heart. I'll forever remember my time at the 40 acres, and I know they'll keep supporting me, and hopefully we're just getting started.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
Taaffe is a Miami Dolphin 🤘@MichaelTaaffe4 x @MiamiDolphins pic.twitter.com/RdelvkrAjf
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) April 25, 2026
ATX ➡️ MIA@MichaelTaaffe4 x @MiamiDolphins
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) April 25, 2026
📺 #NFLDraft on NFL Network/ESPN/ABC pic.twitter.com/FUsVYH14fC
Another Longhorn coming to Miami 🤘
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) April 25, 2026
With the 158th pick, we have selected Michael Taaffe from @TexasFootball pic.twitter.com/TuKTK9ZZOz
Run it back 🤘 @MiamiDolphins @QuinnEwers x @MichaelTaaffe4 pic.twitter.com/VrCKWcxxIz
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) April 25, 2026
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) April 25, 2026
Miami Mookie 🤘 #NFLDraft@MichaelTaaffe4 x @MiamiDolphins pic.twitter.com/Zw9iN1sayM
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) April 25, 2026
