The Miami Dolphins had the most draft picks entering the 2020 NFL Draft with 14. They finished their weekend with 11 picks after making draft-day trades and have signed six of them so far.
QB Tua Tagovailoa
The most recent signee is first-round, hopeful franchise quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The six-foot University of Alabama star signed a four-year, $30.3 million dollar deal that includes a fifth-year option and $19.6 million dollar signing bonus. With all money guaranteed, he will likely take some part of the 2020 season to learn from veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick in the backup QB role.
Tagovailoa was a two-year starter for the Crimson Tide where he set a school-record 87 passing touchdowns. He finished third all-time in passing yards (7,442) and holds the single-season record for TD passes (43) and passing yards (3,966).
DB Raekwon Davis
Second-round defensive back Raekwon Davis also inked a four-year deal. Miami now has the two Raekwon’s in the NFL on its roster after Davis agreed to the $5.6 million dollar deal with a signing bonus of $1.67 million dollars.
The six-foot, seven- inch, 22-year-old was a Second Team All-American and a Second Team All-SEC winner as a senior in 2019. The four-year letterman and three-year starter had 32 starts in 48 games played. He had 175 total tackles (67 solo), along with 11.5 sacks, one interception, one defensed pass, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in his time at Alabama.
DE Curtis Weaver
Thirdly, versatile defensive end Curtis Weaver also inked a four-year contract after agreeing to a $3.6 million dollar deal across the span. He also earned a little over $300 thousand dollars in a signing bonus.
The fifth-round pick out of Boise State is second all-time in sacks (34.0) for the Broncos and was the only person in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) to record 9.5 sacks in each of the last three seasons. These sacks helped earn the No. 164 overall pick the Defensive Player-of-the-Year in the Mountain West as a junior in 2019.
LS Blake Ferguson
Long-snapper Blake Ferguson rounds out the fourth most recent signing, also garnering a four-year deal. The deal is worth just under $3.5 million dollars with a $190 thousand dollar signing bonus. The lengthy deal comes after the Dolphins moved on from LS Taybor Pepper just weeks ago.
Ferguson was the first purely LS in Louisiana State University history to be named a captain for the Tigers. He played in 53 consecutive games as a four-year letterman and most recently won a national title. His brother Reid is a division-rival LS with the Buffalo Bills.
Fourth-Round Picks a Theme
Four-year deals are the theme for Miami this offseason, as it also signed its other fifth-round draft pick to one in early May.
DE Jason Strowbridge
Jason Strowbridge, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill defensive end, signed the deal worth $3.6 million dollars and added a $326 thousand dollar signing bonus. The three-year starter for the Tar Heels had 33 starts in 44 games played and registered 126 tackles (66 solo). He added 11.5 sacks, three defensed passes, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
G Solomon Kindley
Rounding out the signees, fourth-round pick Solomon Kindley was the first draft pick to sign in early May. The left guard’s four-year deal is worth just over $4 million dollars and has a signing bonus of $784 thousand dollars.
Kindley was a three-year starter (four-year letterman) who played in 43 games with 32 starts at the University of Georgia. 25 games played as a Bulldog were at left guard, while the other seven came at right guard. The versatility is likely what appealed the Dolphins to draft him.
Top Draft Picks, Late Round Picks Still Unsigned
The Dolphins are still working on rookie contracts for back-to-back picks cornerback Noah Igbinoghene (No. 30 overall) and OL Robert Hunt (No. 39 overall). In addition, Miami’s only third-round pick, safety Brandon Jones, is still in negotiations. Furthermore, the Dolphins’ second first-round pick, young buck Austin Jackson (No. 18 overall) out of the University of Southern California has not reached a deal.
Malcolm Perry, the do-it-all offensive weapon that can play QB, running back and wide receiver out of the United States Naval Academy is still fighting for a spot on the 55-man roster. He will compete for playing time with newly acquired backs Jordan Howard and Matt Breida, along with a plethora of wideouts.
– Kayla Morton is the Managing Editor for Full Press Coverage Miami Dolphins. Like and follow on Follow @northdakayla74 Follow @FPC_Dolphins and Facebook.
