While many think that the Miami Dolphins had one of the best 2020 NFL drafts, there are some around the league that are apparently not so impressed.
According to a report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Dolphins’ draft haul didn’t excite some executives and scouts around the NFL.
“Armed with 14 picks — including five in the first two rounds — the Dolphins were positioned to forge a new direction for the franchise,” Fowler wrote. “They filled a lot of holes, acquired some talent and generally earned respectable marks in the media (one NFL.com breakdown gave Miami an A-, while ESPN’s Mel Kiper gave the Fins a B).
“But Miami’s draft elicited a few ‘meh’ responses from NFL personnel evaluators.”
Fowler spoke with one NFL scout who said that while the Dolphins should have controlled the draft thanks to their three first-round picks, they ended up letting the pressure of the moment get the best of them.
“Felt that with a team with so many resources to control the draft, they made some good value picks but also reached on some guys unnecessarily,” a veteran NFC scout told Fowler.
Moreover, one executive identified several of Miami’s high picks as reaches.
“An AFC exec pointed to the first-round selections of USC tackle Austin Jackson (No. 18 overall), Auburn corner Noah Igbinoghene (No. 30) and Texas safety Brandon Jones (No. 70) as reaches — good players who probably would have been available later,” Fowler wrote.
Still, a different NFL exec did tell Fowler that he thought the Dolphins made the right move when they drafted Tagovailo with the No. 5 overall pick.
“If Tua pans out, then that will solve a lot of their issues,” an executive told Fowler. “When he’s healthy, he plays the game at a fast pace that’s made for the modern NFL.”
Ultimately, it will be impossible to really judge the success of the Dolphins’ draft until a season or two from now when this year’s rookies are more established in the league.
By that point, fans and experts alike will be able to better analyze how well the Dolphins identified talent in last month’s affair.
