Fox Sports college football analyst gives Miami Dolphins a quarterback in first round of new mock draft
The Miami Dolphins are in an odd space regarding the 2024 NFL Draft. Most mock drafts vary from wide receiver, cornerback, and offensive line. Fox Sports' CFB analyst Joel Klatt dropped a new mock draft and the pick was a bit shocking. Klatt, who had 10 concussions during his college career understands the risk of […]
The Miami Dolphins are in an odd space regarding the 2024 NFL Draft. Most mock drafts vary from wide receiver, cornerback, and offensive line. Fox Sports' CFB analyst Joel Klatt dropped a new mock draft and the pick was a bit shocking.
Klatt, who had 10 concussions during his college career understands the risk of Tua Tagovailoa getting a contract extension due to his battle in 2022 with concussions. Klatt went on to ask, how many times has Tyreek Hill had to adjust to an underthrown pass?
His remedy to this issue for the Dolphins is to select Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr with their first-round pick.
Michael Penix Jr is Tua Tagovailoa but with a stronger arm
Tua has been a good quarterback for the Dolphins and flashed MVP-caliber play. That said, the late-season collapse in 2023 paired with the poor performance versus the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Wildcard round of the playoffs does not help with optimism going forward.
Penix Jr has a much stronger arm than Tua. He can drive it consistently into tighter windows to the Dolphins' talented receivers. Klatt's point regarding the deep ball is valid and fair. A share of Tua's deep passes will hang in the air and his speedy receivers have to wait and work back to the ball. Penix Jr can lead them further down the field and get the ball to them in stride more often than Tua can.
Selecting Michael Penix Jr in round one is a mistake
Yes, Penix Jr offers more physical abilities as a thrower than Tua does, but their deficiencies are pretty similar. Neither are considered as "dual-threats" that can hurt defenses with their running ability. They are more of the "sitting duck" style of quarterback. If things are well-blocked and on time, both of these lefty passers can slice up a secondary. Both of them struggle with being pressured and moved off their spot. When forced to make throws on the move, their accuracy, ball placement, and decision-making decline.
The Dolphins could choose to draft a quarterback as a shelf option behind Tua and depending on the result of the 2024 season, they could be a replacement for him. But, in no way shape, or form, do I believe quarterback is the biggest need for this roster at the moment. Build up the offensive line and other areas of need, then tell Tua, it is now or never in 2024.
