Believing in what they see

Tagovailoa video convinced Flores, Grier to select him

Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores said Tua Tagovailoa’s workout video that circulated on social media earlier this month played a key role in the team’s evaluation process of the former Alabama quarterback.

Tagovailoa’s virtual pro day workout in Nashville, Tennessee, which was sent to all 32 NFL teams, made the rounds on social media April 10, just 13 days before the draft.

Mike Tirico on NBC Sports’ “Lunch Talk Live” asked Flores how important that workout video was in the Dolphins’ decision to draft Tagovailoa No. 5.

“I mean, it was important,” Flores said. “I remember it came out, Chris [Grier] sent it to me, and we were pretty much watching it at the same time. Got on the phone right after that and said you know [he] looked pretty good, so it kind of just reinforced and confirmed some of the things that our doctors had mentioned to us. It was important.

“It was good to see it. He looked good in the tape, but obviously you know that is nine minutes. That is very different from having a two-hour practice or playing in a game, but I thought he looks good for where he was when he initially got the injury and where he was at that point.”

The workout showed Tagovailoa performing a series of throws and movements roughly a month after he received full medical clearance from doctors to ramp up his

rehabilitation process following a hip injury he suffered in November.

“Well, we did a lot of work,” Flores continued. “Our medical staff headed up by Kyle Johnston, our head trainer, Dr. [John] Uribe, our entire staff, they did a wonderful job getting us the information on really all the players. We got comfortable, I would say, in the last couple weeks.

“Obviously, he is a very talented player, and he has got a lot of the qualities we are looking for in the