2 changes to the '20 Miami Dolphins draft would have butterfly affected the future and current state of the team

The Miami Dolphins had three draft picks in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft and had Chris Grier nailed it, the current Miami Dolphins and their future would look a lot different and a lot better.

Hindsight is always 20/20 and this is no different but we have to remember how many fans were screaming for something completely different and the outcome of the 2020 draft was, well, underwhelming at best. So much so that Tua Tagovailoa, barring a future Hall of Fame career can't save it.

Sadly, two mistakes doomed Grier and the Dolphins and they have spent a lot of money and draft capital trying to fix them. Well, not really but the butterfly effect of what happened on that Thursday night in April, would have changed a lot of what the franchise is and where they are heading.

Yes, the Dolphins are trending up after a playoff season last year and if Tua can stay healthy this year, Miami could make a deep run in the post season. Tua wasn't the problem in the 2020 draft so I'm not going to sit here an tell you that Miami should have drafted Justin Herbert. Honestly, if they had, this conversation would almost universally be the exact same.

It all started with pick number 18 in round one. There were a lot of questions surrounding Austin Jackson who many believed should have been a day two pick or at least a late round one. Miami's Grier was too headstrong on this one. He knew the team needed to protect his new rookie QB but he whiffed on this selection.

Entering this draft, the Dolphins also needed to draft a WR and had they taken Justin Jefferson, things would be a lot different than they are today in Miami. Would the Dolphins have made a play for Tyreek Hill and spent a lot of money and shipped a 2022 first-round draft pick for him? Probably not.

We can also look at the 2021 draft and ask if they would have taken Jaylen Waddle as well. Again, probably not. That, as you will see isn't a bad thing.

If Austin Jackson was the bad pick of round one, I'm not sure how to label Noah Igbinoghene who has not earned his contract or his draft status. We could go on and on and site his lack of statistical prowess, his inactive status on Sunday's and his lack of season-to-season progression or we can just way Chris Grier blew this one and if this was attributable to Brian Flores, then shame on Grier for giving in.

Miami traded back with Green Bay after Cesar Ruiz was drafted two selections before Miami. Ruiz was someone that Miami was rumored to be targeting. Green Bay moved up to 26 and drafted Jordan Love and the Dolphins took Igbinoghene at 30.

What Grier should have done was draft Robert Hunt if he wanted an offensive linemen so badly. He would have come out of the first round with Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Jefferson, and Robert Hunt who would also have a 5th year option ahead of him next year.

In round two of the 2020 draft, Miami did take Hunt so they got that guy but if Hunt had gone earlier to Miami, the Dolphins should have used that 2nd round pick, number 39 on running back Jonathan Taylor who was taken two selections later by the Colts.

Imagine a draft that brought Tua, J.J., Hunt, and Taylor. Miami would be set at RB, set at WR, and you could have plugged Hunt in at RT.

Now we skip forward to the 2021 NFL Draft. Miami owned the 3rd overall pick in that draft. They traded it to the 49ers who drafted Trey Lance. No problem with this move and in hindsight they should have kept this exactly the same.

Without the need for WR this year, Jaylen Waddle doesn't get drafted by Miami. Which also means they are not trading back from 10 overall where the 49ers were originally at, up to 6 overall to take Waddle. Instead, Miami stays put at 10 and they draft their future Hall of Fame linebacker.

Micah Parsons would be the perfect fit in Vic Fangio's defense and while we can't be certain what changes this butterfly effect would have on the outcome of seasons and Brian Flores' future, Miami's core right now would look like this.

1. Tua Tagovailoa - QB

2. Justin Jefferson - WR

3. Robert Hunt

4. Jonathan Taylor

5. Micah Parsons

6. Jaelan Phillips

7. Jevon Holland

Imagine how the Dolphins roster would look if everything else remained the same? Miami would be stout at every position.

Last year, the Dolphins could have still made the trade for Hill putting Hill and Jefferson on the same field. Or they could have drafted Tyler Linderbaum to handle center.

So much changes with simple moves. In this case, two moves that Miami made that didn't work out could have had completely different outcomes.