Photo by Justin Melo
The Dolphins had their home run selection when they took Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa as the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. His injury issues add significant risk to the selection, but the potential for him to be an elite talent was too much to pass up on.
The Dolphins then followed that selection with OT Austin Jackson and CB Noah Igbinoghene. Both were respectable picks, but not necessarily the big names that were being connected to them during the hundreds of mock drafts leading up to the draft.
Day 2 of the draft featured more of the same, as they selected guard Robert Hunt, DT Raekwon Davis and safety Brandon Jones. None of these are the flashy names that most Dolphins’ fans were expecting when they were salivating over the massive sum of draft picks that the team acquired… but that doesn’t mean that they weren’t the right move.
No Running back?
Many fans were frustrated with the fact that the Dolphins did not move up to select DeAndre Swift or J.K. Dobbins, who was selected one pick prior to Miami. Personally, it hurt seeing Miami miss out on the top tier of RBs in this draft. But, when you look at Flores’ past, it may make sense.
Coach Flores comes from the Patriots system, which never prioritized the running back position. They had massive success with undrafted RB LeGarratte Blount, who they paired with fifth round selection Dion Lewis. They acquired James White in the fourth round to replace Lewis. They signed sixth round selection Rex Burkhead to add to their running back committee. None of these players were viewed as even close to the top of their respective draft class, but the Patriots had no issues when it came to running the ball.
Maybe Flores took that mentality with him to Miami.
As exciting as it is having an elite RB. Even the best in the league need a decent offensive line to work with in order to produce. Take a look at Todd Gurley:
In 2016, the Rams finished with the 27th ranked offensive line, per Pro Football Focus. Gurley had by far the worst year of his career, averaging 3.2 yards per carry. Unless the RB is on a Barry Sanders level, getting hit behind the line is typically enough to neutralize him, regardless of his ability. Fast forward to 2017 and 2018, the Rams revamp the offensive line and add Sean McVay, and Gurley is a first team All-Pro in back to back years.
The Dolphins electing to invest in the offensive line in this 2020 draft, as non flashy as it may be, is probably the right decision in the longterm.
The running back position has one of the shortest lifespans in all of sports. Players are evaluated in college and lose value if they were used too heavily before they even reach the NFL. That devaluation increases exponentially per year in the pros.
Would it really make sense for Miami to draft a running back early, and use him heavily in a season where their franchise QB may not even play? That’s a year of a premium position at a cheap cost, potentially wasted on a season where the team isn’t expected to be making a run at the Super Bowl.
Again, I was banging the drum for Jonathan Taylor, DeAndre Swift or J.K. Dobbins, but this is just to add a different perspective.
Character is everything
Initially, I wasn’t a fan of the Dolphins selections of Robert Hunt, Raekwon Davis and Brandon Jones. As mentioned earlier, the team missed out on Swift and Dobbins by going with Hunt, and missed out on Zach Baun by going with Brandon Jones. From a talent perspective, I wasn’t sure I saw why these selections were any better than the ones I had in my head… then I listened to them during the post draft press conference.
It’s clear after listening to them that the Dolphins put a strong emphasis on a players character when they conduct their evaluations. Both Hunt and Jones are extremely likable, displaying a willingness to play out of position and become students of the game. Before the draft, Jones studied each playbook from each of the 32 teams in the NFL.
Nearly all the players selected after Tua are considered “project players,” or ones that still need to develop certain skills in order to transition to the NFL. Luckily, Brian Flores and the Dolphins staff have done a terrific job at developing players, as we saw with DeVante Parker’s career year, and the success of other hidden gems like LB Vince Biegel and CB Nik Needham. I’m certain they are aware of that, and that’s why they selected players that all seem very coachable and versatile.
I’m still hesitant to give this grade the A+ draft I was hoping for during the offseason. I think they missed out on a handful of good players with their unwillingness to give up late round picks so far. At the end of the day, all we can do is “Trust the Process,” and Grier and Flores have earned that much.