The Dolphins got a huge haul out of the 2020 draft, but what could and should the Dolphins do with it? Tua, Tua, and Tua seem to be the topic of discussion for Dolphins fans these days. I mean, how could you blame them? Lots of Dolphins fans on Twitter, like me, aren’t old enough or barely are old enough to drink yet. The best quarterback we have ever seen in our lives is Ryan Tannehill. Getting a guy who is raved about by coaches, but is also statistically one of the most efficient passers in college football history is not something to take lightly. While I will discuss Tua of course, there are plenty of guys that should be drawing more intrigue than they are getting. Igbinoghene, Davis, Jackson, and Weaver just to name a few. If all of these guys live up to their expectations (or even surpass them) we could see a faster turnaround than most expect. Throw in our free-agent haul, something can, and seems, to be brewing down here in South Florida.

Now that we got that out of the way, which rookies should start right away, and which should take some time learning the nuances of the NFL? See, there are so many aspects that go into developing a pick that few understand. Some players need game experience to develop, and some need to learn the mental side of the game more. If you put in a guy who’s not ready yet, throw him in the fire, you can knock his confidence for a while if not his whole career. This is a consistent story in the NFL, rushing a player who isn’t ready and diminishing the potential they had. So, who needs game experience, and who needs some time learning off the field?

Tua Tagovailoa – Tua Tagovailoa, the biggest star in Miami without taking a snap. He has taken up real estate in the mind of every single fan of the Miami Dolphins, for better or for worse. The thing with Tua, really all-rookie QB’s, is that there is no one way to treat them. One could very well start the first day and end up like Big Ben, or they could end up like Kyle Boller. If he sat he could end up like Aaron Rodgers or like Jason Campbell. When it comes down to it, for a QB to succeed, the team needs to have a clear cut plan for how he is going to succeed with them. If there’s a team who has followed their plan more than the Dolphins please be my guest telling me who, but if this offseason has taught me one thing, it’s that from top to bottom, the Dolphins more than executed their plan. By following the crumb trail the Dolphins have left, I’m led to believe Fitzpatrick will be the starter at the beginning of the year and Tua will be eased in. The good part about ownership and co, we’re still in the midst of a rebuild. They are going to do this right, they are going to make sure Tua is ready, and they are going to do everything in their power to not mess this up. I believe he should sit out at least the first half of the season and track his progression as we move forward. We could see a Burrow v Tua matchup in Week 13 (which I am a huge fan for) but time will tell. Quarterback is the hardest position to evaluate, and this is not an exception.

Austin Jackson – Austin Jackson is a very interesting evaluation because Austin has probably had one of the craziest years ever. From saving his sister with a bone marrow transplant to starting games without having an offseason because of the surgery, and capping it off having to live through the coronavirus pandemic, this must have been an absolute whirlwind for him. The soon to be 21 years old is not only extremely athletic for his size, but he’s a very raw talent as well. There’s still much room to grow, gain strength, and clean up his technique. While his technique is the most “concerning” I’m under the impression that some good coaching and an offseason training program with the Dolphins can get him ready for Week 1. For a guy like Jackson, game experience and coaching will be his biggest friend. With Fitzpatrick still at the helm, you have a veteran who can guide him through his rookie year while not having to be wary of Tua being behind him right away.

Noah Igbinoghene – If there is a player who I want to get snaps in 2020 outside of Tua, it’s Noah. An extremely raw, but gifted talent, Noah made the switch from Wide Reciever to Corner just two years ago. Noah is physical at the point of attack with athletics most athletes dream of having. With so much to look forward to in his game, the most exciting part is he hasn’t tapped into his full potential. The more and more you dive into Noah, you can see why the Dolphins we’re comfortable with taking him in the 1st round. Repeating on the fact that he’s athletic, aggressive at the point of attack, and raw, his leadership is one of the things that stands out the most to his peers at Auburn. He took on the challenge of the corner with a “phenomenal attitude” according to Auburn Defensive Backs Coach Wesley McGriff, and Head Coach Gus Malzahn calls him one of the defensive leaders. He clearly is a defensive leader because when you put on the 2019 tape, his best games come against top-flight Bama and LSU. Holding his own against 1st round picks Jerry Jeudy and Justin Jefferson is a feat in itself, but as a guy who has been playing corner 2 years is just mesmerizing. A team-first guy who is eager to listen, an offseason program with the Dolphins while getting to pick the brains of 2 Top 5 corners in the league should help him tremendously. If Noah is who we all believe he is, he should be starting at Nickel from Day 1 and slowly dip his feet in NFL waters. The more I dive into this pick, the more I love it, and so should Dolphins fans everywhere.

Raekwon Davis – A man on top of the world his Sophmore year, Davis needs to see the field immediately in 2020. When Davis burst onto the scene during his Sophmore campaign, he was easily a projected Top 10 pick. His diminishing production led to some expectations being killed, but the stats don’t tell the whole story. An athletic freak for his size, he can gain leverage at the line with relative ease. With great athleticism comes his sheer strength, and the pairing of his athletic abilities gave us the great clip of Flores, seemingly elated,  sending the pick in. His dominance on the football field help in ways stats doesn’t reflect. The attention he commands on the field leads to him taking on double teams which opens up gaps for the guys in the back to rush easier. A room with Godchaux, Wilkins, Sieler, and Davis should have him see limited playing time, but any opportunity he can get on top of Coach Flo’s coaching can be detrimental to his growth. With Godchaux in a contract year, the plans on the DL are uncertain, and Davis’s time to shine has come.

Brandon Jones – Although Miami has a crowded DB room, Brandon Jones should see significant time on Special Teams and as a rotation safety his first year in the league. Although the Dolphins did not get a “top” safety, Brandon seems to be a pick going over lots of Dolphins fans heads. A defensive leader at Texas, he showed all 32 NFL teams how he takes matters into his own hands, no matter the circumstances. Not being able to compete at the Combine due to injury, Jones decided to take action by contacting all 32 NFL teams. Brandon asked them to send him NFL film to review, and he delivered. Not only did he watch 4 hours of film from each team (128 hours in total), but he organized a binder with each coverage, scheme, personnel, etc, that all teams ran. That right there shows you the character he possesses, and I recommend going on YouTube to watch what he did with a young UT fan. Jones should contribute mostly on Special Teams, but also come in on sub-packages when teams run multiple receiver sets. Brandon should see the field immediately and prove what he can do to instill confidence in his abilities for year 2 as a leader, and hopefully a future starter.

Curtis Weaver – The surprising drop of Weaver could end up being one of the biggest steals of the Draft. Although there is no definitive answer as to why Weaver dropped, the saying “Tape don’t lie” applies here. One of the most productive pass rushers in College Football over the past 3 seasons, as well as a top 30 prospect according to PFF. Producing 34 sacks over the past three years, he was one of the most productive rushers in all of College Football over his span. With hands-on par with Chase Young, as well as having good anticipation of the snap, Weaver has plenty to like about on film. Whether it is his lack of athleticism or maturity according to some, that didn’t seem to be an issue one bit at Boise State. His defensive coordinator Jeff Schmedding went so far as praising him for his leadership qualities. Lot’s of his teammates describe him as “goofy” off the field, but once he’s on it, he kicks into a different gear. Even in a packed DL room, a player with his production, leadership, and IQ, should not only benefit from an offseason program but see some time on the field with the Fins as well. If Weaver is as advertised, we could end up seeing more than just another rotation body in the trenches.

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