With three first-round draft picks, the 2020 NFL Draft was expected to be a franchise-altering night for the Miami Dolphins. Five years after that draft, it’s clear that the Dolphins fumbled the bag.
The Dolphins used those selections on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (No. 5 overall), offensive tackle Austin Jackson (No. 18 overall), and cornerback Noah Igbinoghene (No. 30 overall after trading down).
With the benefit of hindsight, Miami would have approached things differently. PFSN’s Jacob Infante shared his 2020 NFL redraft, where he has the Dolphins selecting a 2024 Pro Bowl safety instead of Jackson at No. 18 overall.
Dolphins Select Xavier McKinney Over Austin Jackson in 2020 Redraft
Infante still has the Dolphins selecting Tagovailoa with their first selection, but he has them going in another direction with their second selection. Instead of addressing the offensive line, he has them selecting 2024 All-Pro safety Xavier McKinney.
“McKinney was a solid starter to begin with during his tenure with the (New York) Giants. It was in his 2024 campaign with the (Green Bay) Packers, though, that he took the leap to becoming an elite safety and a household name,” Infante wrote.
McKinney came on late in his Giants career, finishing with 116 tackles (78 solo), three interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble during the 2023 season.
McKinney signed with the Packers last offseason, where he took his game to another level. He finished the 2024 season with 88 tackles (60 solo) and a career-high eight interceptions. He was selected as a first-team All-Pro and earned his first Pro Bowl appearance.
Jackson Enters 2025 as Dolphins’ Starting Right Tackle
The Dolphins acquired the No. 18 overall selection from the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for eventual three-time All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. It would have been fitting for Miami to draft another All-Pro safety with that selection, but they chose the offensive lineman instead.
After a slow start to his career, Jackson eventually developed into a starting right tackle. While that’s not exactly the role the Dolphins envisioned in 2020, it’s a better return on investment (ROI) than some first-round selections.
Unfortunately, Jackson has struggled with injuries in recent seasons. He missed 15 games in 2022 but bounced back to start all but one game in 2023. Jackson excelled that season next to future Pro Bowl guard Robert Hunt, resulting in a nice pay raise for the right tackle.
We have signed OL Austin Jackson to a contract extension through the 2026 season. pic.twitter.com/Pm8H3TJsmN
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) December 7, 2023
Miami signed Jackson to a three-year, $36 million contract extension on December 7, 2023. However, his game regressed after Hunt left for the Carolina Panthers, and he picked up another season-ending injury.
Jackson played in only eight games in 2024, but he is expected to be ready for training camp. He is currently projected to be the Dolphins’ starting right tackle, but they would trade him for McKinney’s high-level services. If only they had the benefit of hindsight.