Potential Dolphins QB target declares for the 2020 NFL Draft

A potential 1st-round quarterback target for the Miami Dolphins has just declared for the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Miami Dolphins’ search for a franchise quarterback isn’t going to be a dilemma that’s easily solved. If the vision some fans had of the team of an 0-16 season were realized, that wouldn’t be the case — the Dolphins could simply draft LSU quarterback Joe Burrow with the 1st overall selection and move on with their lives. But Miami isn’t on pace for 0-16 and they certainly aren’t on pace to finish with the worst record in football. That distinction goes to the Cincinnati Bengals, who are currently 1-12 and have a 2 game lead on the Dolphins in the draft order.

Which means the Dolphins search will take them elsewhere. That search may include Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa, although Tagovailoa’s recently dislocated hip may prompt the Dolphins to search for alternatives for fear that durability will be an issue for the gifted Crimson Tide quarterback.

One of the few other quarterback prospects considered a viable first round selection is Utah State quarterback Jordan Love, who yesterday announced that he would be foregoing his final season of eligibility and entering the 2020 NFL Draft.

Love has elite physical tools and a golden arm — he’ll make the kind of jaw dropping throws that only the best of the best can make at the quarterback position. But Love also regressed in 2019, looking lost at times in reading coverage and taking a step backwards in nearly every statistical category possible.

For Miami, the team’s emphasis on player development is critical. We’ve seen the Dolphins, in a span of 13 games, convert cornerback Nik Needham from someone who was abused in coverage during the preseason to one of Miami’s most consistent performers as a UDFA rookie. Miami converted fellow UDFA Preston Williams into the team’s lead receiver through eight games. Wide receiver DeVante Parker is playing the best football of his career under the watchful eye of Brian Flores and company.

The point is simple: if there were a team that would be invested in a franchise quarterback who is a bit more of a “project” or a developmental talent, the Dolphins are as strong a candidate that exists.

From here, look for Love to receive an invitation to the 2020 Senior Bowl. According to The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, Love is expected to receive his bachelor’s degree later this month — making him eligible for the game.