The NFL draft is just hours away, and while Miami Dolphins fans may not want to hear this, the chances that Tua Tagovailoa ends up in South Florida may be quite slim.
According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, there is no one within the NFL that he has spoken to who expects the Dolphins to select Tagovailoa at the No. 5 pick.
“I’ve said this a few times this week, but I can’t find anyone inside the league who believes Miami is taking Tagovailoa at No. 5—which could mean that GM Chris Grier’s put up a tremendous smokescreen,” he wrote. “And Herbert’s place with the Dolphins and [Los Angeles] Chargers is similarly hard to gauge, especially given that some believe Miami could take a tackle at No. 5 and come back with Jordan Love (the ‘poor-man’s Patrick Mahomes’ comp did come up in their building) later on. We’re less than a half-day out.”
Over the last few weeks, the rumor mill regarding who the Dolphins covet at quarterback has seemed to change by the day.
As Breer indicated in his report, the Dolphins’ perceived lack of interest in taking Tagovailoa with the No. 5 selection may point to what they plan to do this evening with their three first-round picks.
It now seems quite likely that the Dolphins end up taking a top tackle at the No. 5 spot. They could then either trade up in the draft to select the quarterback they want, or wait to see who falls to the No. 18 pick which they already own.
As is the case with all reports this close to the actual draft, Breer’s assertion should be taken with a grain of salt.
Still, while Tagovailoa could still end up in Miami, the writing on the wall may end up spelling out a different name.
