Connected to the 2020 quarterback class for over a year, the Dolphins may have a major decision to make in Round 1. They may well have to choose between Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert at No. 5 or be prepared to trade up for one of them.
Less than two weeks away from the draft, Herbert may be pulling ahead. At this juncture, 90% of the pre-draft intel on the Dolphins’ QB hierarchy points to them going with Herbert over Tagovailoa, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report notes.
This is peak smokescreen time. But teams do not have the same tools to throw competition off the scent — pro day attendance, pre-draft visits, workouts — and one scout told Miller he believes the Dolphins are trying to execute such an operation to drive down the Tua market.
Miami holds the No. 5 overall pick. Tagovailoa was viewed as this draft’s No. 1 pick for much of 2019, but his hip injury and list of previous maladies have created the possibility he will be available at No. 5. Though, Herbert would seem to have a much better chance of dropping to 5. The Dolphins going in that direction would allow them to hold onto their bounty of draft picks rather than trading some to move up.
Tua proceeded through a voluntary medical recheck recently, but former NFL GM Michael Lombardi said a team failed the ex-Alabama standout on a physical. Multiple teams have, per Miller, who notes the concern around the league is the southpaw’s ability to have a long career. Tagovailoa suffered multiple high ankle sprains, a knee sprain and, per Lombardi and Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, a broken wrist during his college run. Tagovailoa’s agent, as could be expected, said medical concerns around his client are overblown (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Cameron Wolfe).
Still, Tagovailoa’s upside is seen as greater than Herbert’s. Miller slots Tua sixth on his big board and Herbert 27th. Scouts Inc. has the Alabama alum seventh and the four-year Oregon starter 26th. Jordan Love comes in ahead of Herbert, per Scouts Inc. The Dolphins have also been connected to the Utah State product as well. But reports of their Herbert interest began to emerge before the 6-foot-6 talent fared well at the Combine.
If the Dolphins do pass on Tua, Miller adds the “overwhelming expectation” would be for the Chargers to pounce.
Pass on Tua he’s overrated and injury prone. Hebert is the better choice!
up Tua is and Alabama hasn’t produced a nfl starting qb in a very long time if ever
You could make the same argument about lsu and their lack of nfl quality starting QBs. And a bunch of other programs…oregon and Utah state. All four top qb prospects are from schools that don’t have a history of nfl starters.
incredibly circumstantial
Yap tua very over rated
I don’t think Tua is overrated, but I do think people aren’t concerned enough about his hip injury. I’m willing to bet there is more than one team that will take him off their board completely. I’d take Herbert over Tua and Burrow.
Agreed. High ceiling but man, all these injuries are concerning. Especially this early on in his career.
I believe nothing I read this month. It’s all smoke.
Who was the last QB out of Oregon to do anything special in the NFL cuz Mariota has been nothing but a bust I believe Tua will turn out to be a decent pro if can stay healthy Herbert dosent have the want to be a Successful QB Got bust written all over him
exactly. he put up nowhere near the numbers Tua did. even half healthy Tua is better than Herbert.
Dan Fouts
Who’s the last Bama quarterback to do anything in the league? Pat Mahomes was the first qb outta Texas tech to do anything. Matt Ryan outta BC, Drew Brees outta Purdue, Roethlisberger out of Miami OH…There’s always a first.
Ken Stabler and Joe Namath.
Had to go back a little ways for those huh?
Dan Fouts.
Tua to the Chargers would be even better for Tua, I believe.
Tyrod Taylor could start the year at QB allowing more time to Tua to recover if needed or to learn the playbook. LA is a bigger market for Tua, the Chargers division play against strong defences (Chiefs, Broncos, Raiders) but 2 of those teams also have QBs with a question mark over them.
Is Drew Lock good enough and is Derek Carr good enough?
Say Tua overtakes Taylor round 6 and the team are 4-2, Tua can then probably push them 6-4. Which gives them a playoff spot, but also would makes them the second strongest team in that division and they are young enough to cement that spot for years.
I would rather be in Miami if path to success is the only want. Brady is gone, the pats dynasty is a big question mark. Darnold and Allen haven’t proven anything to date. That division is very bad and ripe for the taking
Is rio for taking but the Dolphins roster is ready especially on offence. I think Josh Allen is going to have a breakout season that roster is very strong. Darnold and the Jets they are slowly building and he looks alright. The Pats big question mark over the dynasty but still a solid defence and solid coach. If they get a Cam Newton or BB develops someone young or they draft a Trevor Lawrence next year they will be back to a dynasty again.
Think aside from the chiefs, young could overtake the Raiders and the broncos if your the Chargers. Gruden still seems unsure on Carr, and Drew Lock is a question mark. Denver also has no WRers, has 3 RBs and Lindsay needing time get paid soon.
Charger are set at O Line, have the weapons, have a tidy defence.
You also have a chance of building a legacy there in LA. Teams only been there a few years, they haven’t won anything important in a very long time. Rivers is there best ever QB and he never won a SB, never had a MVP year, only made 8 pro bowls in 16 years.
Tua if he plans on staying there could easily and turns out to be as good as people think could be remembered as the best ever L.A. Chargers QB and so on
No state income taxes too.
Sounds like the Dolphins are trying to make the chargers trade up. Would just stand pat if I were both teams.
Is there a scenario where the qb needy teams in top 10 are afraid of Tua’s medicals and he falls past the qb stable teams to Patriots at 23? Belichik will get the straight scoop on Tua from his buddy Saban.
I can’t see him falling all the way to 23. The talent is too great. Even if he slid out of the top 10, with rumors the Eagles were looking at QBs, they might nab him to sit behind Wentz. I think the Dolphins are just trying to bluff a bit here though, possibly fearing someone trades into the Detroit pick.
Maybe the “savvy” Belicheck pulls a Ditka and trades his whole draft to move up.
Based on my 2-3 minutes of scouting NFL Network B-roll, I agree that Herbert looks like a better pro bet. Good arm. Good mechanics. Nothing amazing, but solid.
Tua’s delivery looks like a primitive catapult that is also broken lofting balls into the air. Not sold on him as a pro.
FWIW, based on those same 2-3 minutes of scouting, Burrow looks to have as good an arm as any QB I can remember.
Tua has some skills, but I wasn’t overly impressed with his arm. He also had the best receiving talent in college by a fair margin.
My bet is that some team trades up to get the QB they want. Detroit and the NYG likely won’t draft a QB in spots 3 or 4.
“90% of the pre-draft intel on the Dolphins’ QB hierarchy points to them going with Herbert over Tagovailoa”
There is no ‘intel’ out there. The Miami GM is probably not even telling the assistant GM which QB he prefers, let alone telling Miller.