Japanese WR/TE Thomas Duarte is on the Miami Dolphins roster

Duarte was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round, 231st overall, in the 2016 NFL Draft. On September 3, 2016, he was released by the Dolphins as part of final roster cuts. He was later signed to their practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster on November 5, 2016.

On September 2, 2017, Duarte was waived by the Dolphins and was signed to the practice squad the next day.

He played college football for the UCLA Bruins, and earned second-team all-conference honors in the Pac-12 as a junior in 2015. After foregoing his final year of college eligibility to enter the 2016 NFL draft.

The son of a Mexican-American father and Japanese-American mother, Duarte was one of the rare high-profile college recruits to be of Asian descent. He was rated a four-star prospect and capable of playing tight end, H-back, or wide receiver in college. He decided to attend the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), his mother’s alma mater.