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Why the Dolphins Should Consider Drafting a QB (and Who)

The Miami Dolphins have the luxury of having 10 picks in the 2025 NFL draft

Dante Collinelli

Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe (QB11) during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe (QB11) during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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The Miami Dolphins have struggled to find a viable backup quarterback during the Mike McDaniel era, and it’s cost them several big games.

Skylar Thompson was forced to start a playoff game two seasons ago, and Tyler Huntley was forced to lead the team down the stretch last season. Neither situation worked out well for Miami, as it was bounced by the Bills in the playoffs and didn’t even make it this past season.

Since 2022, the Dolphins have gone 3-7 in regular season games without starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. That’s a significant problem because Tagovailoa has only played a full season once.

Most teams' backup quarterback isn’t expected to play every season, but the Dolphins’ backup is. That brings us to this offseason and the upcoming NFL draft. Miami signed Zach Wilson as its QB2, but his film has been less than stellar.

Wilson is a worthwhile project, but he should not be the Dolphins’ only swing at the quarterback position. We’ve decided to dive into why the Dolphins should heavily consider using one of their 10 draft picks on a quarterback and some realistic options.

The Argument For Drafting a Quarterback

The short-term argument for the Dolphins selecting a backup quarterback is pretty simple — the team needs to be three deep at the position.

Last season, four Dolphins quarterbacks took snaps (Thompson, Huntley, Tagovailoa and Tim Boyle). Boyle attempted only 26 passes with the Dolphins, but his poor execution of a fourth-quarter comeback against the Colts in Week 7 was one reason the Dolphins lost a very winnable game.

Because the Dolphins’ QB2 is more likely to play than most backup quarterbacks, the QB3 is also more likely to play than most backup quarterbacks. That’s how Thompson got his chance in 2022, as he took over for Teddy Bridgewater after he was injured.

The long-term argument is more interesting, though. Given the underwhelming nature of this quarterback class and where the Dolphins are picking in the first round, it’s incredibly unlikely the team will find a player better than Tagovailoa this season.

Since McDaniel and General Manager Chris Grier are under a lot of pressure to win meaningful games this season, doing something like what the Falcons did last season (taking Michael Penix in the top 10 despite having Kirk Cousins) doesn’t make much sense.

Instead, the Dolphins are in a position to spend a late Day 2 or Day 3 pick on a developmental passer who can become the team’s long-term backup at a low cost.

That investment would prevent the team from having to pursue free agents like Wilson, Bridgewater and Mike White. Backup quarterback contracts aren’t cheap — Wilson signed for $6 million guaranteed, which is low-end starting-caliber player money at some positions.

The Dolphins tried to do this with Thompson, whom they drafted in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL draft. This time, they should consider using a slightly higher pick.

Quarterback Options

As we mentioned above, the Dolphins aren’t in a position to select a quarterback in the first round, both from a roster construction and winning window point of view.

So, we’re ruling out Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders. We’ve also decided to exclude Jaxson Dart, whose first-round hype has been building for the past few months despite not having anything close to first-round-caliber tape.

With that in mind, here are a few other options.

Jalen Milroe, Alabama

Projected Draft Range: Day 2

Milroe has a wide range of draft-day outcomes. If a team like Pittsburgh views him as the third-best quarterback in the class, there’s a good chance he’s a first-round pick. However, most mocks have him going on Day 2.

Miami likely would have to select Milroe 48th overall, but there’s a slight chance he slides to 98, too. Milroe is our favorite option for the Dolphins because he fits the team’s winning window and provides long-term upside.

The Alabama product is arguably the best running quarterback to come out of the draft since at least Lamar Jackson in 2018. Milroe has incredible arm strength, played against high-caliber competition, and has experience in two different offensive systems.

Milroe still has a lot of work to do before becoming a long-term starter, but he has every available trait to become an elite one with some development.

In the short term, Milroe would serve as the team’s QB3. However, he could help Miami on the ground. Tagovailoa is a good passer, but he’s not an athlete that defenses must worry about. A small package of plays for Milroe could help the Dolphins in the red zone and in short-yardage situations.

It’s not the most glamorous role for a top-50 pick, but he would be more useful than other developmental quarterbacks.

In the long term, Milroe would be the most physically gifted quarterback the Dolphins have had in a long time. He wouldn’t be forced to start immediately, so the team wouldn’t have to rush his development.

It seems unlikely that Milroe’s draft range will line up with Miami’s picks, but South Florida would be one of the spots where Milroe could reach his ceiling.

Tyler Shough, Louisville

Draft Projection: Day 2 - Early Day 3

Shough has slowly started to receive more buzz in this year’s class. In a class filled with many underwhelming physical profiles, Shough’s prototype size (6-5) and arm strength will likely stand out to NFL evaluators.

The big question for Shough is how teams will view his age. He’s 25 already and suffered several major injuries in college, which is partly why he played significant snaps for three different programs (Oregon, Texas Tech, Louisville).

To put it in perspective, Shough was Justin Herbert’s backup at Oregon in 2019. On the flip side, that means Shough has a lot of experience, which should benefit him in the league.

Shough is a more realistic option for the Dolphins because there’s a higher chance he’s on the board at 98 overall and possibly at 116 overall, the Dolphins’ first fourth-round selection.

That said, Shough’s injury history should be a big red flag for the Dolphins. We covered why the team should be cautious about adding top prospects with injury concerns, but doubling down on quarterbacks with injury concerns makes even less sense than that.

Quinn Ewers, Texas

Projected Draft Range: Day 3

Ewers was a big name at Texas and he helped the program return to relevance, but he never quite lived up to the hype he had as a recruit. Still, there are a few reasons the Dolphins could consider the Texas product.

He should be on the board when the Dolphins pick on Day 3. This would allow Miami to use its top 100 picks on impact players at positions of need. Given that the Dolphins have holes at guard, safety, and interior defensive line, that’s an important thing to remember.

Ewers’ other major selling point is that he might be the best scheme fit of the Dolphins’ Day 3 quarterback options. The Texas offense uses many of the same concepts as the Dolphins. Ewers is experienced in managing pre-snap motions, working quick-game concepts, and playing like a point guard in distributing the ball to talented receivers and running backs. That’s the core of the Dolphins’ passing game philosophy at a base level. 

However, like Shough, Ewers is an oft-injured player. His thin frame and lack of athleticism hinder his ability to avoid hits, which the Dolphins should be cautious of.

Kyle McCord, Syracuse

Projected Draft Range: Day 3

We paired McCord with the Dolphins in our most recent seven-round mock draft, so obviously, we like this fit a good bit. McCord profiles as a long-term backup option, and that’s what the Dolphins should be looking for.

He’s got enough arm strength and confidence to run an NFL offense properly. He’s fairly accurate in the quick game, and he’s willing to push the ball downfield, even if he’s limited in that area by his arm talent.

McCord also showed tremendous growth after transferring from Ohio State to Syracuse before the start of last season. His Ohio State tape likely would have made him undraftable, but he improved a lot in his decision-making and accuracy in 2024.

McCord also doesn’t have any injury concerns, so while he’s not a perfect scheme fit, he profiles as one of the more appealing options for the Dolphins on Day 3.

Dillon Gabriel, Oregon

Projected Draft Range: Day 3

Gabriel is mostly tied to the Dolphins because he’s a left-handed quarterback who grew up in Hawaii. Does that profile sound familiar?

However, if you dig a little bit deeper into Gabriel’s film, it would be clear that he’s a very different player than Tagovailoa. Gabriel’s quick-game passing is a good fit for the Dolphins’ offense, but outside of that, he doesn’t fit what the Dolphins want to do on offense.

Gabriel relies heavily on his mobility to create plays outside the structure of the offense. He also does not throw with much anticipation and pinpoint accuracy in the middle of the field. 

That doesn’t mean the Dolphins shouldn’t consider adding Gabriel as a developmental long-term backup, but the idea that he’s a perfect fit for the offense — as it’s currently constructed — is incorrect.

Still, Gabriel is an experienced player (he started at UCF, Oklahoma, and Oregon) with the baseline traits to be a reliable NFL backup.

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Dante Collinelli
DANTE COLLINELLI

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