Things I like and don’t like about the Dolphin’s first round picks

The first round is officially over and now is the time to do a quick assessment about the best and worst of the Miami Dolphins draft picks.

The Miami Dolphins have been “the talk of the town” over these last few weeks because of their huge arsenal of draft picks. With 14 picks, Miami has the chance to fill a number of holes that still exist on the roster after the free agency period. But, their three first-round picks represent the chance to find three quality starters with consistent Pro-Bowl potential.

Now that the picks are officially in, it’s time to talk about the things I love and hate about each pick. None of these players that Miami chose are perfect by any means, but they all represent so much hope for a Dolphins franchise that feels likes it’s on the upswing for the first time in a long time.

Now, let’s go to the picks!

All stats are courtesy of ESPN.com and Profootballreference.com

Pick #5, QB Tua Tagovailoa

I am writing this after the Dolphins chose him, so please be forgiving as I am still resetting my brain.

What I Like (Love)

There is no questioning Tagovailoa’s talent. When healthy, he is an accurate passer who can produce plays with his legs. His career at Alabama may have been cut a little bit short, but his time there was stellar. Tagovailoa amassed 87 touchdown passes compared to 11 interceptions, which is production that Miami hasn’t seen at the quarterback position in a long time.

Most importantly, Miami found its quarterback with the “it” factor that you need for a real shot at a championship. When he took the field in the National Championship in 2018, he immediately cemented that “it” factor that would make teams fall in love with him.

He was the most talked-about prospect going into this draft and Miami made the right call in taking the talented quarterback.

What I Don’t Like

Spoiler alert: I really don’t have a lot of hate for this pick, if any.

Tagovailoa’s health is the biggest question mark here. He has had a number of injuries over the course of his career. He needs to make sure that he learns when to extend plays and when to give himself up like Peyton Manning used to do back in the day. If he can do that, there isn’t a whole lot else to knock when it comes to his game.

There were a lot of quality players left on the board at this point as well. Guys like Isaiah Simmons, Jedrick Wills, and Derrick Brown could have also helped this team overall. Each one of those guys could have started on day one, when Tagovailoa may not see the field this season, depending on how is hip injury has healed.

The Verdict

Miami’s front office and the fans should be thrilled with this pick. Tagovailoa will give this team it’s first franchise quarterback in what feels like an eternity.

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Pick #18, OT Austin Jackson

What I Like

Jackson is the perfect compliment in this draft after Miami took Tagovailoa at 5. Miami’s offensive line was one of the more glaring weaknesses last season, so it makes sense for the Dolphins to spend one of their first-round selections.

Jackson is an athletic tackle who is young with a huge upside. He is a quality pass protector who has solid technique when he is making his blocks. This was a good pick for the Dolphins because it fills an important need for a team that took their franchise quarterback earlier in the evening.

What I Don’t Like

Jackson is a great pass blocker, but he is still raw as a player.  He is only 20 years old, so he may need some time to really develop into a quality player. He has a ton of upside, but if that takes a year or two to really develop, it could make this pick even more of a reach, as projects generally aren’t first-round picks.

There is also a lot of discussion about how he could have been there later on in the first round. Miami could have easily taken a pass rusher in K’Lavon Chaisson or a safety in Xavier McKinney. Both of these players would have improved the Dolphins defense on day one, more than likely. With that being said, did the Dolphins really take the best player available when they chose Jackson at 18?

Only time will tell.

The Verdict

Despite some of the negatives, I actually think this is a really good pick for Miami. They couldn’t get one of the top-4 tackles on the board, but getting Jackson is a great consolation prize and helps improve a very rough offensive line.

Pick #30, CB Noah Igbinoghene

What I Like

At first glance, this pick was one of the more questionable in the first round. Miami traded back with the Packers to go and get a corner who was never really associated with anyone’s mock draft. That being said, there is something to be said about how much Miami loves Auburn players and the effects of that early March workout they got in before the quarantine.

Igbi (I’m giving him the nickname early so it’ll catch on) seems like the type of player who Miami wanted to prioritize int he first round: athletic and young with tons of upside.

Igbi needs to work on his technique at most levels, but his athleticism was incredible and he developed into a lockdown corner this past season. He may have been a bit of an “out there” pick, but when you go back to the tape, he really did play some quality football for the Tigers.

What I Don’t Like

Similarly to the picks earlier but more so now, there was a lot of known talent still on the board here. DeAndre Swift or Xavier McKinney almost seemed like locks at 30 given their talent and the Dolphin’s needs at the position.

Miami also spent a ton of money in the offseason on cornerback Byron Jones, so grabbing what would more than likely be your slot corner at the end of the first round seemed questionable. I can’t guarantee that he would have been there at 39, but I do think it’s likely they could have gotten Igbi later in the second round and picked a player that provided more immediate help.

The Verdict

Igbinoghene should be a solid player for the Dolphins and in a year or two could flash as one of the better slot corners in the game. The more time he gets to play football the better he should become and Chris Grier may look a genius down the road.