NFL Mock Draft 2020: Dolphins make a move to land their quarterback

The 2020 NFL league year is underway with the Miami Dolphins being aggressive in their attack on free agency. The team has paid top-level talent while also addressing the “middle class” of the roster, making sure they have younger players who can develop with the team as well as depth options. It has been a fast-and-furious start to the year, but, according to the latest 2020 NFL Mock Draft from NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, we have not seen anything yet.

The Dolphins are expected to use the 2020 NFL Draft to land their franchise quarterback, someone who may sit for a year behind veteran starter Ryan Fitzpatrick, but will be the face of the franchise for the foreseeable future. Most mock drafts have that player being Tua Tagovailoa, the former Alabama quarterback, as Miami uses the first of their three first-round picks. Zierlein has Miami doing something different however.

With the first-overall pick, Miami adds LSU quarterback Joe Burrow.

Zierlein admits the Cincinnati Bengals, who own that first pick, will likely use it on Burrow, but there is enough doubt about Burrow’s desire to be in Cincinnati to open a possibility for a Miami trade up. Zierlein writes, “If there is any sense in Cincinnati that Burrow doesn’t want to be a Bengal long-term, then the team should listen to offers. An NFL executive I consulted with felt that including all three of Miami’s first-round picks in this deal would be too much, so I’m sending Cincy Pick Nos. 5 and 18, as well as second-round selections.”

Zierlein then sees the Los Angeles Chargers trade up to the third spot to select Tagovailoa, with the Bengals using Miami’s former pick at five on former Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert.

After Cincinnati uses Miami’s 18th overall pick to select former Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray, the Dolphins come back on the clock with the 26th overall selection. With that pick, Zierlein sees Miami adding former Houston offensive tackle Joshua Jones. He explains of the pick, “Jones didn’t display the kind of athleticism I expected to see from him at the NFL Scouting Combine (he may have carried too much weight). He has legitimate left tackle upside but a lower floor.”

I love this mock. If Miami wants Burrow, they need to find a way to go get him, but they also need to be smart about the price. It feels like Zierlein accomplished both of those things, though, without seeing exactly what Miami sent for the “second-round selections” it is difficult to say for sure.

With the 26th pick, I really like Jones. I think he will be a solid, if not stellar, lineman in the NFL.

What are your thoughts on a Burrow-Jones first round for Miami?