NFL Draft: Miami Dolphins Select QB Tua Tagovailoa With 5th Overall Pick
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – With the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins have selected Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
In his three seasons with the Crimson Tide, the 22-year-old lefty threw for over 7,400 yards with 87 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions while completing 69.3 percent of his passes.
"For me and my family, whoever decided to take a chance on us, that's where I belonged," Tagovailoa said. "My biggest thing is I'm trying to prove this was the right decision."
Tagovailoa will compete with returning starter Ryan Fitzpatrick, who is 37 and is expected to serve as an idea mentor to the rookie. At some point, Tagovailoa will become the 22nd quarterback to start for Miami since Dan Marino retired 20 years ago.
The biggest question has been Tagovailoa's durability.
During his collegiate career, Tagovailoa had tightrope surgery on both ankles and his junior season was ended by a dislocated hip that needed to be fixed surgically.
On top of that, former NFL executive Michael Lombardi told CBS4 news partner the Miami Herald that Tagovailoa had suffered a previously undisclosed broken wrist.
That said, doctors cleared Tagovailoa last month to run and begin football activities, and he expects to be healthy for his rookie season.
"What makes me confident in being able to play is what the doctors have told me," Tagovailoa said. "As far as rehab, as far as the medical rechecks, I've checked off all the boxes. So I've been really encouraged that I'm able to play if need be."
To help protect Tagovailoa, the Dolphins used their second pick in the first round to take offensive tackle Austin Jackson from USC.
The Fins got that 18th pick from Pittsburgh after shipping safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Steelers.
Jackson, a two-year starter at USC, was an All Pac-12 first-team selection in 2019.
He started 25 games at left tackle over the course of the past two seasons for the Trojans.
At 20 years old, he's one of the younger players in this year's draft.
As if two first round picks weren't enough, the team still had the 26th pick they got from trading OT Laremy Tunsil and WR Kenny Stills to the Houston Texans.
Head coach Brian Flores brought over that New England mentality, using that No. 26 pick to trade down and acquire more draft capital.
The Fins flipped the pick to the Packers, receiving Green Bay's No. 30 and a fourth round pick.
Miami then used No. 30 to select Auburn CB Noah Igbinoghene, the son of two Nigerian Olympic track athletes.
Igbinoghene began his career at Auburn as a wide receiver and kick returner before transitioning to cornerback in 2018 season.
He started in all 13 games of his junior season, recording 42 tackles and seven pass breakups.
The Fins also have three picks Friday, including the seventh and 24th in the second round.
After enduring a 5-11 season under first-year Flores, the team went to work this offseason, signing 10 free agents to a tune of $235 million.
