MIAMI GARDENS — The Miami Dolphins didn’t only refuse to have a fire sale at the trade deadline, they quietly played a lot of their young players in Sunday’s decisive 30-13 win over the Buffalo Bills. And they got good results.

Among the 47 players who participated in Sunday’s victory, 15 (32 percent) were third-year or younger.

Rookie safety Dante Trader Jr., a 2025 fifth-round pick, is among those leading the way for the Dolphins’ young players.

“It’s not easy, kind of learning as you go, learning the speed of the game, learning what not to do, what to do,” he said. “But you’ve got to be resilient in this game, and you’ve got to lean on older vets. And then you’ve got to be a dog. I always talk to myself, and I say, ‘Trader, you can’t be soft, you’ve got to be ready to go.’ “

Trader, who has made three starts, has been ready to go. He’s becoming a core player in the secondary. His 35 tackles rank sixth on the team and his aggression is a welcome trait.

And there’s more good news about the Dolphins’ youth movement, which has been emphasized and embraced this season.

The Dolphins, who prioritized veterans in the previous three seasons, have had 19 draft picks in the past three years — four in 2023, seven in 2024, and eight in 2025. Among those, 12 were eligible to play Sunday, and all 12 played, and most fared well, perhaps offering a promising glimpse into the future.

Coach Mike McDaniel hasn’t been caught off guard by the success of the Dolphins’ younger players.

“To quote Denny Green,” McDaniel said, referencing the former Arizona Cardinals coach whose postgame rant in 2006 remains a viral hit, “they are who we thought they were.”

Seven members of the Dolphins’ eight-member 2025 draft class made contributions Sunday, all except quarterback Quinn Ewers, the seventh-round pick who was the emergency third quarterback and ineligible to play unless there was an injury at the position.

Defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, the first-round pick, had one tackle on 28 snaps (41 percent). Left guard Jonah Savaiinaea, the second-round pick, played all 53 offensive snaps. Defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, one of three fifth-round picks, had three tackles on 26 snaps (38 percent). Cornerback Jason Marshall Jr., another fifth-round pick, totaled four tackles on 18 snaps (26 percent) while Trader had six tackles on 66 snaps (98 percent).

Running back Ollie Gordon II, the sixth-round pick who was slowed by an ankle injury, had one carry for a three-yard loss on just three snaps. Defensive tackle Zeek Biggers, the Dolphins’ other seventh-round pick aside from Ewers, ended with two tackles and one quarterback hit on 19 snaps (28 percent of the defensive snaps).

Gordon credits both coaches and veteran players for the development of the youngsters on the team.

“Our coaches being able to put trust in us even though we’re young, being able to get us out on the field,” he said, “and our vets just being out there and teaching us stuff. Sometimes things can come off different coming from a vet and then a coach. The coach can tell us one way, but from the vet it’s like, ‘OK, I remember it this way, I learned it this way. So if that helps you, then do that.’ “

If you want to look at the Dolphins’ youth movement as a whole, consider Sunday’s contributions from players who are in their third season or younger.

Running back De’Von Achane, the 2023 third-round pick and the only 2023 draftee on the roster, led the way with 174 yards rushing and 225 yards from scrimmage.

Edge rusher Chop Robinson, the 2024 first-round pick, didn’t play due to a concussion. Left tackle Patrick Paul, the 2024 second-round pick, made a significant contribution. Running back Jaylen Wright, the 2024 fourth-round pick, had five carries for 17 yards.

Wide receiver Malik Washington, the 2024 sixth-round pick, had two receptions for nine yards and a touchdown, one carry for four yards and one kickoff return for 24 yards and one punt return for 13 yards. All told he had five touches for 50 yards.

Wide receiver Tahj Washington, the 2024 seventh-round pick, played five snaps.

Linebacker Jordan Colbert, undrafted out of Rhode Island in 2024, played 14 special teams snaps. Cornerback Isaiah Johnson, undrafted out of Syracuse in 2024, played 14 special teams snaps.

Cornerback Ethan Bonner, undrafted in 2023, played five snaps from scrimmage and 13 snaps on special teams.

Among the youngsters who didn’t play Sunday, tight end Julian Hill, undrafted in 2023, missed the Buffalo game due to an ankle injury. And recently-acquired defensive end Andre Carter, undrafted out of Army in 2023, was inactive.

Trader, who has a veteran mentality, said being a rookie and learning on the job is tough. He said it’s a lot tougher when the team is losing. Trader said losing has tested the Dolphins’ young players, too.

“If you’re a competitor and you’re in this league, and you get paid to do a job and you’re losing, you’re going to be messed up in the head, as you should be,” he said. “You’re going to be mad. It’s not easy, but it ain’t easy to win, either. And the feeling of winning is great.

“So if you want to have that feeling all the time, you better do your damn job and perform.”