Miami Dolphins take Justin Herbert in 2020 NFL mock draft, Tua drops out

The Tua Tagovailoa injury will undoubtedly change the Miami Dolphins 2020 NFL draft plans. In this mock draft, they go in another direction at the quarterback position.

The injury to Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will undoubtedly re-shape the 2020 NFL Draft. Whether Tua ends up declaring or not, the top of the draft looks much different than it did just a short week ago. The unknown surrounding Tagovailoa will likely affect the Miami Dolphins more than any other NFL team.

The Dolphins coming away with two wins earlier this season has significantly decreased their chances of landing the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. As of now, the Cincinnati Bengals are the obvious favorites to land the top pick. If the Bengals do end up picking number one, LSU quarterback Joe Burrow will likely be the selection, leaving the Miami Dolphins with a difficult decision to make.

If Tua is out of the picture, Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert is considered the next best quarterback prospect in the 2020 NFL draft class. Some, like our own Sayre Bedinger, see Herbert as potentially the top quarterback in this class. While I do not agree with that assessment, it is easy to see how his big arm could translate well to the next level. He is a talented quarterback prospect who is certainly worth considering as a top-five selection.

In his recent 2020 NFL mock draft, Vinnie Iyer of the Sporting News gave us a look at what the Miami Dolphins could do without Tua as an option. With the fourth overall pick, Iyer placed Herbert in Miami. Here is what he had to say about the pick:

"“With no healthy Tagovailoa, this has to be the choice for the Dolphins,” Iyer wrote. “Herbert (6-6, 237 pounds) is an athletic, accurate playmaker who can continue to close the gap between himself and Burrow after making the wise decision to return to school — matching the mostly good decisions he makes on the field. After a slow start to the Ducks’ season, he has revved up his performance to restore his first-round status.”"

Later in this mock draft, the Dolphins were able to snag Herbert a couple of interesting players to add to the mix, bringing in Colorado wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. and Georgia running back D’Andre Swift. This trio of playmakers could jumpstart the Dolphins offense and make them a force to be reckoned with going forward. That being said, is this the best path to success for the team?

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Personally, I would like to see the Dolphins get more creative than this. Perhaps they take an elite-level offensive tackle like Andrew Thomas or Tristan Wirfs. A dynamic wide receiver like Jerry Jeudy or CeeDee Lamb would also make plenty of sense. I also think it would be wise to consider trade down scenarios if someone is willing to come up and make a big move for a specific player.

In this world, the Dolphins could either take a shot at some upside with Tua, Jacob Eason, Jalen Hurts or someone like that later in the first round, or they could turn their attention to the quarterbacks in the 2021 NFL Draft. Building up the rest of the roster through the 2020 NFL Draft and snagging a guy like Trevor Lawrence or Justin Fields in 2021 could be the best plan of attack for the Miami Dolphins.

When it comes down to it, the Dolphins could go in many directions in the 2020 NFL Draft. They have the draft capital to make almost anything happen. Herbert is a talented quarterback who could have a bright NFL future. However, in my eyes, he is not a slam dunk like Tua was. Some tough decisions are undoubtedly going to have to be made in Miami this offseason.