Miami Dolphins NFL draft options: Quarterbacks

AP Photo/Gary Landers

The Bengals (pick No. 1), Dolphins (No. 5) and Chargers (No. 6) enter the draft with a level of desperation for a young quarterback to groom for the future. And the Jaguars (No. 9), Raiders (No. 12), Broncos, Falcons, Vikings, Seahawks and Titans would all benefit from selecting a quarterback for competition, or to groom as a backup.

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Herbert's a good athlete for his size (6 foot 6, 233) and possesses a cannon for an arm that can make every NFL throw needed. Problem is his accuracy isn't always present, and his soft-spoken demeanor and small-town nature makes teams question if he possesses an alpha male trait the elite quarterbacks have. Herbert (10) could easily be the second-coming of Ryan Tannehill because of their similarities on and off the field.

Charlie Neibergall/AP

Love's arm talent, quick release and athleticism reminds some evaluators of Patrick Mahomes, but a more realistic comparison is Philip Rivers because of the quick release and how aggressive he is. Love's 2018 season film is phenomenal, but his 2019 season was a train wreck filled with excuses. Whichever team selects him must be comfortable with those excuses — a coaching and offensive change, no offensive line or weapons — resulting in his uneven play. Love (10) will likely need a year of development to clean up his game before starting.

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If there was such a thing as a sure-thing when it comes to NFL prospects it would be Burrow (pictured), who had the best collegiate season a quarterback has ever had. And if it wasn't for Tagovailoa's medical issues he'd be viewed as the cleanest draft prospect since Andrew Luck. However, Tagovailoa's hip injury and durability concerns probably make him the biggest risk-reward talent of the past decade. Still, don't be surprised if four, and possibly five quarterbacks, are selected in the first round. The rest will wait a day or two.

Elaine Thompson/AP

Eason (left), the 2015 Gatorade National Player of the Year, is your prototypical drop-back passer who has the ideal size (6 foot 5, 227 pounds) and arm strength teams are looking for. Problem is, the son of former NFL quarterback Tony Eason was simply decent in two different college systems (Georgia and Washington) and has a nasty habit of making ill-advised passes. He'll be selected early, but would benefit from a year or two of developmental time.

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Burrow had a dynamic senior season, leading LSU to the national championship and winning every major college honor, including the Heisman Trophy. He's a decent athlete who diagnoses defenses well, and has a knack for staying calm in the pocket. The biggest concern is whether Burrow (9) can thrive in an offense that isn't led by Joe Brady, his offensive coordinator at LSU, who is now the Panthers' offensive coordinator. The Bengals would be foolish to trade the No. 1 pick unless an NFL team is willing to offer three first-round selections for Burrow.

John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel

Ryan Fitzpatrick (14), a 15-year veteran with a reputation as a gunslinger and a losing record as an NFL starter, propped the Dolphins up like a kickstand last year, leading Miami to five wins with very little talent around him. The Dolphins are hoping he has one more good season in him, and will show a young quarterback the way, teaching him how to run Chan Gailey's offense, study film and become a leader. It's doubtful that Miami views Josh Rosen as the future because of how little Miami's coaches and front office figures speak about the former first-round pick, which the Dolphins traded to acquire last offseason. Don't be shocked if Miami trades Rosen before the regular season begins. But there's a remote chance Rosen can make drastic progress and resurrect his floundering career if he learns to process what he sees on the field faster.

Alonzo Adams/AP

Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts put up ridiculous numbers — 3,851 passing yards and 32 touchdowns through the air and 1,298 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns — as Oklahoma's starting quarterback last season, but he possesses an arm that limits him to a steady diet of short and intermediate throws. Georgia's Jake Fromm, Iowa's Nate Stanley and Washington State's Anthony Gordon have what it takes to be developmental quarterbacks who could eventually become NFL starters.

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Tagovailoa's accuracy, instincts, athleticism and feel in the pocket reminds NFL evaluators of a young Steve Young, who also happens to be left-handed. The problem is Tagovailoa (13), who is all of 6 foot 1, 215 pounds, has had durability issues since his high school days and is rehabbing a serious hip injury that might force him to sit out the 2020 season. Even if the hip heals properly, will this charismatic former Alabama standout and Hawaii product possess the same athleticism, and how much of a beating can he handle before he gets injured again? Whichever team selects him is taking a major risk.