Solid Starter
Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn – Round 1 
Cornerback was not a big need on Miami’s roster after signing Byron Jones in free agency to go with excellent veteran Xavien Howard. However, NFL teams play three cornerbacks on 60-70 percent of their snaps, so the third corner is a starter who plays more than the third linebacker. Taking Igbinoghene late in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft gave the Dolphins their starting trio, and Igbinoghene enters a good situation to blossom in the NFL.
The 5-foot-10, 198-pound Igbinoghene has athletic upside with speed to go along with a strong frame. NFL sources say that Igbinoghene does not face pass-coverage scheme limitations. He has the flexility to play off-man, press-man, or zone coverage. Igbinoghene runs well and is athletic, so he has the ability to run the route to prevent separation. He has enough twitchy athleticism to break on the ball and drive down hard on defensive backs. With his nice burst, Igbinoghene has recoverability with the ability to play the ball and he does a nice job of tracking the ball in air.
Igbinoghene is a willing tackler in run defense and coming over on receivers. He shows some nice ability to strike and hits harder than most cornerbacks coming into the NFL.
With Miami, Howard and Jones are capable of matching up against the top two receivers on the opposition. That leaves Igbinoghene to have the favorable matchup of taking on third receivers and slot wideouts. With his skill set and the talent around him, it would be surprising if Igbinoghene did not develop into a solid starter for Miami.
2019: Michael Deiter, G
2018: Jerome Baker, LB
2017: Raekwon McMillan, LB
2016: Xavien Howard, CB
2015: DeVante Parker, WR
2014: JaWuan James, OT
2013: Dallas Thomas, G
Most Likely To Bust
Brandon Jones, S, Texas – Round 3 
Some teams had Jones graded deep into the third day of the 2020 NFL Draft, so around the league this pick was seen as a reach by Miami. While the Dolphins had a need at the position, Jones is a questionable fit for the next level. He is a fast defender, but is he an undersized strong safety who struggles in coverage and lacks strength and explosion as a tackler. Other teams thought that Jones was more of a backup safety and special teams contributor at the NFL level.
I think the Dolphins had a very good draft, and I love how they built their offensive lint to protect Tua Tagovailoa. The selection of Jones was the only one they made in the early rounds that I thought was a mistake, and Jones was their only pick who I think has serious bust potential.
2019: Andrew Van Ginkel, LB
2018: Mike Gesicki, TE
2017: Cordrea Tankersley, CB
2016: Leonte Carroo, WR
2015: Bobby McCain, CB
2014: Billy Turner, G
2013: Jelani Jenkins, LB
Potential Boom Pick
Austin Jackson, OT, USC – Round 1 
The Dolphins had a huge hole at offensive tackle after trading away Laremy Tunsil on the heels of losing Ja’Wuan James in free agency. Miami had to take advantage of a strong class of offensive tackles to build up its pass protection for new franchise quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. While Jackson did not get as much hype as the four tackles chosen in the top half of the first round, he has an excellent skill set and just as much athletic upside for the NFL.
There are a lot of natural strengths to Jackson. He has very quick feet with natural athleticism that allows him to get depth in his drop and neutralize speed rushers. He should be an asset to take on the fast edge rushers as he can get off the corner and prevent them from running the loop around the edge. With his quick feet and an ability to bend at the knee, Jackson doesn’t have to reach after rushers and is not a waist bender. He is light on his feet and does a nice job of mirroring them around the corner to keep them from putting heat on the quarterback. There some plays on which Jackson allows speed rushers to get upfield from setting up too far to the outside or inside, so he will need to work on that. For the NFL, Jackson could be very valuable to protect his quarterback against fast edge rushers.
There are a lot of raw elements of Jackson’s game for him to improve, including his hand placement, setup and balance. Sometimes last season, he would get away with some mistakes because he is so athletic and can compensate for it, but in the NFL, it will be harder for him to get away with his flaws. Proof of that was provided in the bowl game against Iowa’s A.J. Epenesa. Jackson could have issues in the NFL with powerful edge rushers until he gets better at sustaining his blocks and maintaining a hold of defenders. Strong bull rushers could give him problems, and that is a point of emphasis for his improvement at the pro level.
In the ground game, Jackson fires out of his stance to engage edge rushers. He is quick to the second level and is able to pull well to hit blocks to the inside. If Jackson adds strength, that would make him a better run blocker as he would pack more punch at the point of attack.
For the NFL, Jackson looks like a future starting left tackle, and he could develop into a Pro Bowler if he can get stronger and refine his technique. If Jackson adds strength to be able to anchor and get better as a run blocker, he could be a special player. I think that will happen with some coaching and time in a pro strength and conditioning program. I think Jackson has the potential to be a real boom pick for Miami.
2019: Christian Wilkins, DT
2018: Minkah Fitzpatrick, S
2017: Charles Harris, DE
2016: Laremy Tunsil, OT
2015: Jordan Phillips, DT
2014: Jarvis Landry, WR
2013: Dion Jordan, LB
Future Depth Player
Jason Strowbridge, DE, North Carolina – Round 5 
The Dolphins signed some edge rushers in free agency with veterans Shaq Lawson and Emmanuel Ogbah. Linebacker Kyle Van Noy, another free agent addition, also can rush off the edge, so it looks like a difficult depth chart for Strowbridge to crack for a starting role. However, Strowbridge was a steal in the fifth round, as some teams had him in consideration for their third-round pick. He is strong at the point of attack with quickness and athleticism to contribute in the pass rush. It would not surprise me if he is starting-caliber player by the end of his rookie contract, but he might be relegated to being a rotational backup. I think at the very least, Strowbridge will be a good depth player for the Miami.
2019: Isaiah Prince, OT
2018: Kalen Ballade, RB
2017: Davon Godchaux, DT
2016: Kenyon Drake, RB
2015: Jay Ajayi, RB
2014: Arthur Lynch, TE
2013: Mike Gillislee, RB
Walt’s 2020 NFL Draft Grades:
5. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama – A+ Grade
The Dolphins once didn’t sign Drew Brees because they deemed him too risky. A few years later, they passed on Matt Ryan because they wanted to go the safer route with Jake Long. This time, they didn’t make the mistake. The Dolphins medically cleared Tua Tagovailoa, so he had to be the choice at No. 5 overall. What makes this an A+ is that the Dolphins didn’t have to trade up for him. The Miami front office did a great job of not panicking and getting its franchise quarterback.
18. Austin Jackson, OT, USC – A Grade
Tua Tagovailoa probably won’t play until 2021, so the Dolphins have some time to make sure they can retool their offensive line. Their blocking was atrocious last year, so Austin Jackson will go a long way in helping matters. Jackson is coming off a down year, but that was because he donated bone marrow to his sister. He certainly would’ve been picked earlier if it wasn’t for that, so I like the value Miami is getting.
30. Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn – D Grade
This is a bit surprising for two reasons. First, the Dolphins needed to keep building around Tua Tagovailoa, and there are some solid tackles still available. Second, Miami spent so much money on Byron Jones to go along with Xavien Howard, so why spend a major resource on a cornerback? I know the Dolphins still needed a third cornerback, but I don’t like this philosophy, especially in a division where the best quarterback is Josh Allen. Making matters worse, Noah Igbinoghene is rather raw.
39. Robert Hunt, OT/G, La.-Lafayette – B Grade
I wonder where the Dolphins plan on playing Robert Hunt. Will it be at tackle or guard, and does it even matter, given how many needs they have on their offensive line? Robert Hunt is a solid option at this juncture, but I think I would’ve preferred the Dolphins to take Ezra Cleveland or Josh Jones.
56. Raekwon Davis, DT, Alabama – B Grade
Raekwon Davis’ stock has slipped since an explosive 2017 season. The Dolphins might be getting a great bargain if Davis can play that well again. The Dolphins needed to add players who can pressure the quarterback, so this is a solid choice.
70. Brandon Jones, S, Texas – O’BRIEN Grade
Yuck! I had Brandon Jones in the sixth round of my 2020 NFL Mock Draft, so this is a major reach. I imagine the Dolphins are doing this after being salty after missing out on all the second-day safeties. I get it, but they’re undergoing a two-year rebuilding process. There was no need to reach for an undersized safety like this, despite the major need.
111. Solomon Kindley, G, Georgia – A+ Grade
The Dolphins apparently felt it necessary to trade up for a guard after the Raiders did the very same thing. This was a smart decision. Solomon Kindley, a large lineman who moves well for his size, could have easily gone in the second or early third round. The Dolphins are addressing a huge need with him.
154. Jason Strowbridge, DE/DT, North Carolina – B Grade
I’m not sure about Jason Strowbridge’s fit into a 4-3, but he’s a talented player who should have been chosen in the fourth round, or maybe even at the end of the third frame. I like his potential, but I’m not sure about the fit.
164. Curtis Weaver, DE/OLB, Boise State – B Grade
Curtis Weaver is one of those players who is highly productive in college, but can’t get it done in the NFL because of skill limitations. I’ll be rooting for him, but he’s not a steal as some people would deem him. I had him in the fifth round, so I’m fine with this selection.
185. Blake Ferguson, LS, LSU – O’BRIEN Grade
Drafting a long snapper is a Bill O’Brien-type move. Let’s just move on.
246. Malcolm Perry, RB/WR, Navy – C Grade
It’s unclear what position Malcolm Perry will play in Miami. He was a quarterback at Navy, but he’ll have to move over to running back or receiver in the pros. I didn’t think Perry was a draftable player.
2020 NFL Draft Team Grade: B+ . Follow Walter @walterfootball for updates.
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