Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Dolphins add help up front in Day 2
Louisiana offensive lineman Hunt selected at No. 39
The Miami Dolphins began the second day of the 2020 NFL draft seeing a slew of wide receivers, safeties and running backs taken by other teams.
Instead of following course, the Dolphins continued to fortify their protection for new quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
The Dolphins added their second offensive lineman, drafting Louisiana’s Robert Hunt with the No. 39 pick in the second round.
“You don’t get in trouble for trying to destroy people on the football field, so why not?” Hunt said of his playing style with a smile. “I want to take a bully mentality into every game.”
Miami will also make picks No. 56 in the second round, and No. 70 in the third round Friday night.
Hunt will give the Dolphins another versatile offensive lineman to develop and compete for significant playing time.
He was a four-year starter in college, playing left guard as a redshirt freshman and sophomore, before being moved to left tackle in 2018, and right tackle in his final two seasons in college.
Hunt was voted as a second-team allconference player in 2018, and a firstteam all-conference player in 2019 despite starting in only seven games due to a groin injury.
And the goal for Miami’s offensive line is to keep Tagovailoa upright and healthy.
“It’s great. I’m super excited to get on the field with Tua,” Hunt said. “It’s my job to protect him. That’s what I’m go
ing to do every day.”
Hunt joins USC offensive tackle Austin Jackson, who was taken in the first round Friday, as the newest members of Miami’s offensive line. They will join Ereck Flowers at left guard, Ted Karras at center, and Jesse Davis at right guard or right tackle.
Hunt could compete with Miami’s third-round pick last year Michael Deiter, and backups Shaq Calhoun, Danny Isadora for playing time at a guard position with Julien Davenport as the lone backup at tackle.
A few NFL pundits consider Hunt to be a developing prospect who can make an impact.
“With a kid like this you can put him in three different spots and see what happens,” ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said the Hunt pick. “It may be a little bit more of a transition coming from Louisiana-Lafayette [because of the lower level of competition]. It may be a little bit of a transition.”
Added NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah: “I thought this is somebody that is going to be a plug and play guard, but the Miami Dolphins might give him a shot to start outside before kicking him inside.”
The Dolphins were reportedly looking to make another deal to move back from No. 39 while acquiring another draft pick, according to NFL Network, but to no avail.
The Dolphins began the 2020 NFL draft taking Tagovailoa with the fifth pick, Jackson with the No. 18 pick, and Auburn cornerback Noah Igbinoghene with pick No. 30 on Thursday.
Miami moved back from No. 26 in a trade with the Green Bay Packers to take Igbinoghene, while acquiring No. 136 in the fourth round.
Saturday’s final day of the draft, which features rounds four through seven, will see Miami have two fourthround picks (Nos. 136 and 141), three fifth-round picks (Nos. 153, 154 and 173), one sixth-round pick (No. 185) and three picks in the seventh round (Nos. 227, 246 and 251).