Phinsider Non-Tua Tagovailoa Mock- Day 2 and 3

We are close to finding out the 2020 fate of Alabama quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa.

In a tad too ambitious of a long weekend project, the player profile video train is at a stop for the time being. We will revisit with plenty of weeks left until the NFL Draft in April. So with just hours to go before this series becomes either a massive waste of key strokes for me, or a perfect prediction scenario, it has at least been fun, right?

We are within hours away from a Presser of Mass Proportions.

Being I need to save character count for 12:01 on this momentous, “Declaration Day,” I will rely mainly via image form to let you all know my thought process for the potential Non-Tua selection process.

With that said, here is the review, and then who is remaining for the 4th pick of Miami’s payload, the 38th overall.

In the previous articles, the first three picks of the 2020 Non-Tua Phinsider Mock is as follows.

Simmons, Epenesa, McKinney.

Again, with this Mock going with the week-old assumption albeit bad one, that Tua will stay, the mindset was to load up on the defensive side with the best available talent at needed areas.

Check.

Moving on, we have to draft a quarterback now, right?

Well, even with a QB room of Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh Rosen, “no Tua,” still may mean early QB. With three newly minted assets already selected, and ten more picks roughly, it’s time to roster a third QB with the most magical word in football...

“Upside”

With this remaining player board, and the earlier-in-series referenced potential free agency haul of Brandon Scherff and Joe Thuney on the offensive line as well as defensive end, Yannick Ngakoue, getting line help will come and there are plenty of running backs both in draft and the market to load up on.

Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images

Jalen Hurts would be a savvy move, and become an insurance policy should a) Tua stays and b) if so, things happen and 2021 becomes a non-Tua situation for whatever reason and c) if mayhem occurs, like draft trades.

Next up, we have to address a potential problem situation brewing. This is not the article to dive into the recent Xavien Howard mess, but with, our without, the star cover-corner, the position needs depth.

Here is some fun news! This model had the Miami 2nd rounder via the New Orleans Saints from 2019’s Draft trade for Josh Rosen, at 62nd. With the Vikings win, this pick in the 2nd becomes the 56th, so this plays exactly into the way the Dolphins want here.

Again, mercy of the board, so some names will not be around in reality, but back to the coverage of corner-backs.

Remember this name....

Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images

Jaylon Johnson of Utah is getting graded in some camps as a potential first-round player, so this is a 2nd round draft zone of a major best player available at #56, thanks to Kirk Cousins and Kyle Rudolph.

What push-off?

Anywho...

With five picks in the books, and Tua still potentially hitting them in the fall, here is our haul with the 3rd round on the horizon.

Again, we have free agents on both lines looking for water-front property, and these top-5 picks with some work to do still. Here is what remained heading into pick number 70.

I still see a ton of running backs but after watching Derrick Henry, I think I may want Miami to spend some money on him. Regardless, this class is deep, unlike the Miami RB room, so we can wait still, but must bring in runners.

Let’s get more meat to that offensive line for our 6th selection, an area where most teams will call this their 3rd pick.

Driscoll is an Auburn Business major with honors, and a 6’5’’ 296 lbs. athlete who the Dolphins brass will love! Smart, athletic and coachable.

Moving on, we have plenty of needs still, and an odd pick gap for a change in 2020, thanks to no 4th rounder due to the Pittsburgh deal for Minkah Fitzpatrick.

I played with a bit of fire on the running back tip, waiting until pick number 144, but look what I found...

The Sooner product is a power-runner who finishes his collegiate career with a 6.1 yard per carry average over his three years at Oklahoma. Miami has lacked a short-yardage specialist and goaline presence. Sermon covers both, and can be a major diamond found later in the rough areas of Day 3. He is built like a race car and runs like a tank.

Sorry, wrong word.

Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Keeping an eye on those available players at 144, Miami’s War Room won’t have time to refill their coffee and neither did I at pick number 147. Although a corner back was taken a few picks ago, let us hope this selection brings plenty of “picks” on the field.

Damon Arnette is a local Fort Lauderdale product. The Buckeye is used to covering NFL-ready receivers in his conference or in his own practices. After all, ex-Miami Dolphins wide-receiver Brian Hartline has done a great job coaching his unit up, so maybe a phone call is or will be made...

Arnette is a cover-corner who excels in passes-defended, much like current Miami young-gun, Nik Needham.

With or without Xavien Howard, this cornerback room is moving up.

The haul so far...

We are rolling here, and with a few picks still remaining it’s depth time.

At this point, we have an idea of the mindset so, No Tua, No Cry.

Here is how the finished product looks. A big bodied WR for the red-zone, another lineman on offense and a few more runners to maximize the chance one could hit, much like the NFL running back class of 2017.

Seriously, look at that year. No need to spend high picks on a runner, and possibly money, but we shall see.

We are hours away from Must-See Monday Afternoon, January Television.

If the NFL isn’t America’s greatest past-time, I don’t know what is.

Fins Up.

Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images