There's a theme when it comes to big-time changes for NFL organizations that is so common, you can almost bet the house on it. When a team goes through a major shift, whether it be firing a head coach or changing quarterbacks, the natural instinct is to veer in the complete opposite direction of what got you to your breaking point in the first place. The Miami Dolphins are no different.
Take a look at the last five Dolphins' head coaches, and brace yourselves for the PTSD of failed eras gone by. The Dolphins fired Joe Philbin — a man known for his monotonous and lifeless sideline demeanor — and went with Adam Gase. Gase, like Philbin, was an offensive mind. Where they differed was in attitude and the 17-year age gap between them. The Dolphins tried old-school, then they went whiz kid.
When the Gase experiment failed, the Dolphins zagged again. This time, they went with the heavy-handed, disciplinarian approach of Brian Flores, a man who built his career on the defensive side of the ball. Of course, it was for naught. Shell-shocked by the brash nature and bristly personality of Flores, the Dolphins went searching for his polar opposite. Mike McDaniel came to town wielding designer watches, aviators, and the aura of the ultimate cool parent.
Despite early success, what was initially applauded for being different and effective became the death knell for Mike McDaniel in Miami. So, naturally, we're back on the defensive side of the ball with a coach who exudes toughness and kneecap-biting energy in Jeff Hafley. Eventually, one of these will stick. Right?
The same concept applies to the quarterback position. Dolphins fans have grown rightfully exhausted by having a signal-caller who is smaller in stature and prone to injuries. The constant chatter about his inadequate arm strength and lack of mobility rings hollow after a half-decade of repetition. No one is more aware than the fans themselves.
While it is extremely unlikely that the Dolphins will select a quarterback in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, there are three mid-to-late-round prospects who are worthy of a flier for Miami. If nothing else, these three QBs represent the antithesis of Tua Tagovailoa. In a season that is most likely going to be miserable, the presence of one of these soon-to-be rookies would give you a reason to tune in, at the very least.
3 QB prospects with the more size and arm talent than Miami Dolphins Tua Tagovailoa ever had
Taylen Green, Arkansas
If anyone was unfamiliar with Taylen Green, they aren't anymore after he lit up the NFL Combine. The 6'6", 227-pound dual-threat ran a blazing fast 4.36s 40-yard dash, complemented by his record-breaking 42.5" vertical leap. With that athletic ability, it's clear that he can run. But can he stay healthy? It should soothe Dolphins fans that Green has never missed a game in his collegiate career due to injury.
Now, he isn't being mocked in the first round with all that talent because he has a lot of work to do as a passer. In four years as a starter, Green racked up 9,662 yards with 59 touchdowns and 35 interceptions, completing just 60.1% of his passes. He also rushed for 2,405 yards with another 35 touchdowns. There's definitely room for growth, but the idea of Green chucking bombs to Jaylen Waddle and running roughshod as a scrambler has to be enticing for Jon-Eric Sullivan and the Dolphins' front office.
Also, the Taylen to Jaylen thing is, like, right there.
Sawyer Robertson, Baylor
After Green, it's going to be hard to make another quarterback's athletic ability seem impressive. Nonetheless, Robertson ran a very impressive 4.64s 40-yard dash with a 37.5" vertical. For those who are into Relative Athletic Score (RAS), Robertson received a 9.78 out of 10, which ranks 24th out of 1054 QBs from 1987–2026 (Taylen Green's 9.99 ranks 2nd).
At 6'4" and weighing 216 pounds, Robertson is not a shrimpy QB. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com praises his pro traits and arm strength. It's the accuracy that has scouts down on him as a prospect. In only two years of being the primary starter at Baylor, Robertson threw for 7,639 yards with 61 touchdowns and 25 interceptions at a 60.5% completion rate. He managed just 316 yards rushing, although the system he played in was predicated on airing the ball out, which affected his rush numbers.
Like Green, Sawyer Robertson never missed a game in college due to injury.
Drew Allar, Penn State
Drew Allar is certainly the least athletic of the QBs on this list, but what he lacks in speed, he makes up for with arm talent. Allar didn't run the 40-yard dash, but estimates from Draft Scout peg him somewhere between 4.70 and 4.86. The thing that would intrigue the Dolphins, though, is what scouts call his "effortless arm."
At 6'5" and 228 pounds, Allar seems to have been built in a lab to play QB in the NFL. It's his deficiencies in the clutch and his uneven mechanics that have kept him from vaulting towards the top of the class. For his career with the Nittany Lions, Allar finished with 7,402 yards, 61 touchdowns, and 13 picks, completing 63.2% of his attempts. He added 732 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground, which definitely shows his willingness to escape the pocket when things break down.
He has suffered one major injury in his career — a fractured ankle in October — but this kind of injury is hardly a warning sign. Not anywhere near the same realm as having, say, a dislocated hip and fractured pelvis that completely sap your mobility and threaten your career some five months before the draft.
None of these prospects will have the cachet Tua Tagovailoa had back in 2020, and that's okay. The Dolphins tried the Tua experiment, and it didn't work out. There's only one way to go from here, and it's onward.