Tagovailoa immediately raises the profile of a team that has often been off the NFL radar in recent decadesGETTY IMAGES
The Dolphins picked QB Tua Tagovailoa with the No. 5 selection in Thursday's NFL Draft, and the team "aimed high, took the risk and hit big with their top pick," according to Greg Cote of the MIAMI HERALD. Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross, GM Chris Grier and coach Brian Flores "got it right this time," meaning for the first time since the Dan Marino era, there is "real hope for Dolphins fans again." The team "did not shrink from the moment" despite Tagovailoa's injury history. Cote: "The Dolphins won the first round, and earned a ton of faith from a fan base desperate to finally believe again" (MIAMI HERALD, 4/24). THE ATHLETIC's Chris Perkins wrote Thursday was a "glorious day in Dolphins history," one that will "reflect favorably" on Ross, Grier, Flores and anyone else associated with this pick. Perkins: "Finally, there’s hope for a Super Bowl. Legitimate hope" (THEATHLETIC.com, 4/23). In Ft. Lauderdale, Dave Hyde writes picking Tagovailoa is the "big move, the bold move -- the right move considering the options." Hyde: "Tua was the pick the Dolphins had to make assuming the medical report wasn’t awful" (South Florida SUN SENTINEL, 4/24).
READY TO ERUPT: The AP's Steven Wine notes Tagovailoa "immediately raises the profile of a team that has too often been off the NFL radar in the past two decades" (AP, 4/24). NFL Network's Kyle Brandt called the Dolphins picking Tagovailoa a "sexy move," saying, "It’s the coolest thing they have done in 25 years” (“Good Morning Football,” NFL Network, 4/24). FS1’s Skip Bayless said Tagovailoa is "box office, he’s got aura to him, he’s got Alabama celebrity to him.” Bayless: “It's ticket selling to say, ‘We've got Tua,’ and it's high-risk. But it could be high-reward if he's completely, 100% healthy” (“Undisputed,” FS1, 4/24). USA TODAY's Jarrett Bell notes the "buzz is just beginning as long-suffering Dolphins fans are overflowing with anticipation to see just how special Tagovailoa can become" (USA TODAY, 4/24).
LONG COURTING PROCESS EXECUTED: ESPN.com's Cameron Wolfe wrote the Dolphins' "love for Tagovailoa was clear," as Ross "attended multiple Alabama games during the 2019 season with Grier." Dolphins President & CEO Tom Garfinkel joined Ross and Grier at the Alabama-Michigan Citrus Bowl in January despite Tagovailoa not even playing. Sources said that the Dolphins were Tagovailoa's "preferred destination from the moment he declared" for the draft (ESPN.com, 4/23).
