Miami Dolphins select Noah Igbinoghene in 2020 NFL Draft: Grading the pick

With their third first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins selected Auburn cornerback Noah Igbinoghene at No. 30 overall.

With the 30th overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins selected Auburn cornerback Noah Igbinoghene. The Auburn product became the fifth cornerback taken in the draft, but the pick will draw criticism from fans who hoped for a bigger splash. Miami already employs several shutdown corners and Igbinoghene could find himself buried on the depth chart.

Miami taking a cornerback in the first-round makes fans wonder about the future of Xavien Howard. The Dolphins recently signed cornerback Byron Jones to a record-breaking deal. Jones’ contract topped Howard’s deal for the most money annually paid to a corner in NFL history. With two of the highest-paid cornerbacks in history on the same team, Miami could look to move Howard within the next year.

With LSU’s Kristian Fulton and Alabama’s Trevon Diggs still on the board, Miami elected to go with the lesser-known cornerback from Auburn. Ultimately, it’s not a bad move if the Dolphins believe Igbinoghene represented the top cornerback still on the board. However, the team passed over several top prospects to take the Auburn product.

In a draft where they held three first-round picks, the Dolphins did not take one sure-fire hit. They took a high-upside prospect in Tua Tagovailoa, made a leap of faith with Austin Jackson, and then reached for Igbinoghene. All the while, the Dolphins ignored the top-rated running backs and safeties. Instead of making at least one safe pick, Miami walked a thin line the entire night.

Leading up to the draft, I believed the Dolphins could take over their division in 2021 if the team made smart decisions. Arguably, the team made two mistakes by taking players at positions that were already raided. Instead, the team overlooked players like K’Lavon Chaisson, Xavier McKinney, Kenneth Murray and D’Andre Swift.

Miami made several controversial picks tonight. Igbinoghene only became the most selection in a string of potential mishaps. However, as a borderline first-round prospect going into the draft, he’s far from a guaranteed miss. It’s just strange for the Dolphins to take him above some of the other available prospects.