2020 NFL mock draft: Detroit Lions select Tua Tagovailoa
By Brad Weiss
59. . Quarterback. Miami Dolphins. Justin Herbert. 5. player
The Miami Dolphins will enter the draft with three first round picks, and with that kind of draft capital, you can really turn a franchise around. Their first selection will come at No. 5 overall, and with it, they bring in a quarterback who can lead the franchise for the next 15 seasons in Justin Herbert.
The Most Valuable Player of the Senior Bowl, Herbert capped off an outstanding college career by turning heads among the best in college football, this after leading Oregon to a Rose Bowl victory weeks earlier. This is a kid who has a strong arm, good feet, and an incredibly high football IQ, and this Miami franchise can build themselves around him.
Of course, if Herbert is not the guy, they can always couple up some picks to move up and get Tua, or even Joe Burrow at No. 1 overall, but Herbert makes a lot of sense for them here. He has everything you look for in a starting quarterback, and in Miami, he will get every chance to be the guy to get them back to the top of the AFC East for the first time in a long time.
13. . Offensive Tackle. Los Angeles Chargers. Andrew Thomas. 6. player
The big news out of the Los Angeles Chargers organization this week was the reports that the team has moved on from Philip Rivers, who started 14 seasons for the team without missing a start. He had plenty of highs, a bunch of lows, but in the end, you have to believe he put together a career worthy of Hall of Fame consideration.
As they look to the future, they have big decisions to make, including whether or not they trade up in the first round for Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, or Justin Herbert. As it stands now, the sixth overall pick may not be early enough to land one of those three, and if they can’t, they should look to upgrade along the offensive line.
Andrew Thomas is widely considered the top offensive tackle in this draft class, although guys like Mekhi Becton, Tristan Wirfs, and Jedrick Wills Jr. are getting a lot of buzz as well. Whoever lines up under center for the Chargers in 2020 needs better protection, and in Thomas, they would be getting a guy who can come in and start at left tackle immediately at the NFL level.