The Miami Dolphins are a team to watch on draft night. Who they select with the No. 5 pick will ultimately set off a chain of events for the NFL teams behind them.
The franchise has a major need at quarterback and there’s been a lot of chatter about which QB the team will choose. Sometimes it’s hard to tell a smokescreen from an actual fire.
The risk surrounding Tua Tagovailoa has experts mocking Justin Herbert to the Fins, though that may be an overreaction. We’re just finding out that the Alabama QB passed a physical with Miami back in February, as Pro Football Rumors passes along.
Two weeks ago, rumors emerged that the Dolphins may be favoring Justin Herbert over Tua Tagovailoa at No.5. Mel Kiper confirmed the rumors in his mock draft last week and now, King has the same hunch, placing Herbert to Miami (via a trade for the No. pick) in his latest mock draft.
Tua has proven that he is an elite prospect and arguably has a higher ceiling than Herbert. Yet, the Alabama QB’s injury history has teams worried. He suffered multiple injuries in his career in addition to the hip ailment that ended his collegiate career and it’s not certain that Miami is willing to take that risk at No. 5.
Former NFL general manager Michael Lombardi hears that at least two teams have “flunked” Tua for medical reasons. One of those teams is selecting in the top-10 but with the latest information, we can be sure that it wasn’t Miami.
Miami Not Trading For No. 1 Pick
Heading into the 2019 season, many believed the Dolphins would be the worst team in football. However, head coach Brian Flores got too much out of the team and they won five games, which left the franchise with the No. 5 pick instead of the top overall selection.
Miami had eyes on the No. 1 pick. The franchise was interested in trading with the Bengals to nab Joe Burrow with the selection. The Dolphins wield the No. 5, No. 18, and No. 26 overall picks. The franchise also has two second-rounders, owning the No. 39 overall pick and No. 56 overall pick, so they had the ammunition to move up. However, Cincy isn’t willing to play ball and is widely expected to draft Burrow.
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Tua may not be the only QB to drop on draft night. Several teams picking in the back half of the first-round or early second-round are not interested in Utah State’s Jordan Love. The Patriots, Saints, and Colts are among the teams that are expected to pass on the QB.
It was previously reported that Love could fall to Pittsburgh with the No. 49 overall pick. Many mock drafts have Love coming off the board in the first round, though Pro Football Focus has him as its 76th ranked player in the draft.
Several teams are looking to move up for a non-QB. The Buccaneers are one of the franchises eyeing a top tackle in the draft. Louisville’s Mekhi Becton, Alabama’s Jedrick Wills, Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs and Georgia’s Andrew Thomas are considered to be in the top tier at the position, though all four could be selected in the top-10.
The front office may be willing to be aggressive on draft night in pursuit of a player who can protect Brady’s blindside. It’s not clear what it’ll cost Tampa Bay to move up.
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