Kader Kohou’s NFL Journey: From Civil War to Dolphins Starter
Miami Dolphins cornerback Kader Kohou defied the odds at nearly every stage of his career to make the NFL. Per PFR, he is only the second NFL player ever born in the Ivory Coast, a West African country on the southern coast. He played DII football, was not invited to the combine, and went undrafted. Despite all of this, the Dolphins gave him a chance as a UDFA, and Kohou never looked back. He had established himself as a dependable starter in the secondary for three seasons before suffering a partially torn ACL in training camp. While he is out for the entire 2025 season, this is not the end of his story; it is only the beginning.
Being born outside of the U.S alone significantly lowers someone’s chances of making it to the NFL. This was not even the toughest obstacle, as Kohou actually managed to survive a Civil War in his country. In 2002, when Kohou would have been just four years old, war broke out. A politically motivated military rebellion led to attacks on three cities. One of which was the capital city of Abidjan, where Kohou grew up. After five years of protests, riots, and war, a peace agreement was signed in 2007. A year later, Kader’s dad won the U.S Green Card Lottery, and their family moved to Texas.
In Texas, Kohou played football at Trinity High School, the same school that fellow Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II later attended. Kohou did not start on varsity until his senior year, but he made first-team all-district and was a big part of his team’s district title in 2016.
After that, he was off to college football, with his only opportunity coming from the Division II University of Texas A&M Commerce. Kader spent five years there, highlighted by a Division II National Championship in his freshman year and a Lone Star Conference Defensive Back of the Year Award in 2021.
When it came time for the pre-draft process, Kohou was not invited to the NFL Combine. However, that did not stop him from putting up solid numbers at his Pro Day. In addition to repping 235 lbs. 19 times and showcasing a 38.5-inch vertical jump, he ran a 4.50 40-yard dash. This time was the same as CB Roger McCreary, who was picked 35th overall by the Tennessee Titans. Both McCreary and Kohou were of similar size, with McCreary listed at 5’11 190, and Kohou at 5’10 193. Kohou was even measured to have a wingspan 3 inches longer than McCreary’s. The major difference between the two was that McCreary played at Auburn University, where he competed against better talent and faced significantly more scrutiny.
While Kohou obviously had the talent and the physical profile of a draftable NFL player, he was not selected in the 2022 NFL Draft. He garnered interest from multiple teams as an undrafted free agent, but he ultimately chose to sign with the Miami Dolphins, as he believed Miami offered him the most straightforward path to carving out a role for himself. This turned out to be very true, and choosing the Dolphins was the best decision he could have made.
In Week 1 of his rookie season, he had three tackles, including one for a loss, a pass breakup on 4th and 3 in the 4th quarter, and a forced fumble to seal the game ALSO in the 4th quarter. In a game the Dolphins won 20-7, Kader Kohou forced two turnovers to secure the victory. Kader got his first starting nod in Week 3 of his rookie year, and he started the remaining 14 games that he was active for, including the Dolphins’ 31-34 playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills.
After being a key part of Miami’s defense for three years, Kohou hit free agency, where he signed a 1-year $3.3M contract as a free agent to come back to Miami for the 2025 season. He unfortunately suffered a partially torn ACL during training camp and will miss the entire season. One thing is for sure, though, Kader Kohou didn’t come this far just for one injury to take away his drive and determination. From living through a Civil War as a child, to fighting his way to Varsity as a senior, to making a name for himself at the Division II level, to proving his worth as a UDFA, he was never supposed to make an NFL roster. Now, Dolphins fans, myself included, cannot wait to see him back in action next year.