Grading the Miami Dolphins' 2020 draft after four years. How did they do?
(Second in a series)
With three picks in the first round, the Dolphins in 2020 faced one of the most critical points in their drafting history.
And one of their most talked-about.
For more than a year the buzz was all about "Tank for Tua," and now, the moment had arrived. With the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, the Miami Dolphins ... did what everybody expected them to do. They took Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Today, we have a pretty good idea on how that turned out, but it's important to note there is much more to this draft class than that -- some good, some not so good.
A closer look (with grades skewed by the round each player was taken):
More: Grading the Miami Dolphins' 2019 draft after five years. How did they do?
Dolphins' 2020 NFL draft grades
1a Tua Tagovailoa (5) QB Alabama
Tagovailoa made the Pro Bowl last season, has proven his accuracy and improved each year. He's not Dan Marino, but there's only one of those.
Tagovailoa's next step will be to show he can will the Dolphins to wins in games they probably have no business winning -- and to do so because of him.
From the organization's perspective, the Dolphins have determined that Tagovailoa is the answer to their age-old question of who will be their franchise quarterback. They’d better hope they’re right because they’re planning to give him a long-term extension that will have salary-cap implications for the foreseeable future.
Grade: A.
1b Austin Jackson (18) T USC
(from Pittsburgh in Minkah Fitzpatrick trade)
Jackson serves as Exhibit A to us all not to be so quick to judge a player (even though, let's face it, we all will continue to fall into that trap). With the right amount of experience, the right coaching and a will to keep plugging away, Jackson now has become part of the foundation on the OL and an easy player to root for.
Grade: A-minus.
1c TO GREEN BAY in draft trade-down (26)
(from Houston in Laremy Tunsil/Kenny Stills trade)
1d Noah Igbinoghene (30) CB Auburn
(from Green Bay in draft trade-down)
Never should have been drafted anywhere near this high.
Grade: F.
2a Rob Hunt (39) T Louisiana-Lafayette
The Dolphins got four good seasons from this pick out of an unlikely school before Hunt recently left for a monster contract in Carolina, where nobody should be surprised if he pops up on a Pro Bowl roster.
Grade: A.
2b Raekwon Davis (56) DT Alabama
(from New Orleans in 2019 draft trade)
Davis did OK. But for a second-round pick out of Alabama, is OK enough? In four seasons he had two sacks, 10 QB hits and five tackles for loss. More was expected.
Grade: C
3 Brandon Jones (70) S Texas
Jones made some splash plays that QBs never saw coming as a blitzing safety. But he also did not appear to be on the same page as the rest of the secondary in coverage.
Grade: C.
4a Solomon Kindley (111) G Georgia
(from Houston in draft trade-up)
(TO HOUSTON in Laremy Tunsil/Kenny Stills trade)
Showed promise when he won a starting job as a rookie, but that was it.
Grade: C.
4b TO PITTSBURGH in Minkah Fitzpatrick trade (135)
(from Tennessee in Ryan Tannehill trade)
4c TO HOUSTON in draft trade-up (136)
(from Green Bay in draft trade-down)
4d TO HOUSTON in draft trade-up (141)
(compensatory pick from NFL)
5a TO SAN FRANCISCO in Matt Breida trade (153)
(from Arizona in Kenyan Drake trade)
(TO ARIZONA in Josh Rosen trade)
5b Jason Strowbridge (154) DE North Carolina
(from Pittsburgh in Minkah Fitzpatrick trade)
Career lasted just 55 snaps.
Grade: D.
5c Curtis Weaver (164) DE Boise State
(from Philadelphia in draft trade-up)
Never played for the Dolphins.
Grade: D-minus.
5d TO PHILADELPHIA in draft trade-up (173)
(from L.A. Rams in Aqib Talib trade)
6a Blake Ferguson (185) LS LSU
Still the team's long snapper.
Grade: B.
6b TO INDIANAPOLIS in Evan Boehm trade (197)
(from Dallas in Robert Quinn trade)
7a TO MINNESOTA in Danny Isidora trade (219)
7b TO PHILADELPHIA in draft trade-up (227)
(from Indianapolis in Evan Boehm trade)
7c Malcolm Perry (246) RB Navy
(from Kansas City in Jordan Lucas trade)
Appeared in nine games, even starting a couple, and scored a TD for the Dolphins.
Grade: C-plus.
7d TO SEATTLE in draft trade (251)
(compensatory pick from NFL)
But wait! They could have had …
Instead of Igbinoghene, Miami had its pick at running back: D’Andre Swift or Jonathan Taylor.
Ouch.
Draft class grade: A-minus
Part of the strength of this draft class is in its depth, at least from the first two days. Hunt was a valuable addition at No. 39 who just left. Davis and Jones were contributors. Also, Ferguson has nailed down the long snapper role. The Igbinoghene pick stings.
Dolphins reporter Hal Habib can be reached at hhabib@pbpost.com. Follow him on social media @gunnerhal. Click here to subscribe.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Regrading the Dolphins' 2020 draft four years later. How did they fare?
