The Miami Dolphins may be looking to move on from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in the coming years. And with a 1-5 start to the season, the time to start looking at the draft’s top prospects — especially at the quarterback position — has long begun.
Back in 2024, Tagovailoa inked a four-year, $212.4 million extension with the Dolphins. Unfortunately, everything surrounding our favorite team has been downhill ever since. And with the potential for a complete overhaul from top to bottom — and an out in the contract in 2027 — the Dolphins will inevitably have to start looking for the next quarterback that fits the system, Miami’s new general manager and head coach ultimately desire.
That search may have already started….
According to ESPN’s NFL Draft analyst, Jordan Reid, the Miami Dolphins have several representatives at today’s Oklahoma-South Carolina matchup, led by general manager Chris Grier. (No, I would not let Chris Grier pick the next QB)
If the season ended today, there’s a very good chance Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza would be the first quarterback selected and the likely No.1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Each week, he continues to showcase dual-threat abilities and the highly sought-after “It” factor. That said, there’s still a ton of football to be played, and as we discussed last week, quite a few quarterbacks have a chance to rise to the top of the draft class in the coming weeks.
Two of those quarterbacks will battle today, both coming off disappointing losses a week ago.
Last week, vs. Steve Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns, Oklahoma’s John Mateer saw his improbable comeback — after suffering a broken bone in his throwing hand — fall short. It was clear he wasn’t the same player we saw throughout the first weeks of the season, completing just 52.6% of his passes for 202 yards and three interceptions in a disappointing 23-6 loss. How he bounces back today could define the Sooners’ season and be the deciding factor on what’s next for the 21-year-old.
On the other sideline, Gamecocks’ QB LaNorris Sellers will take the field, following a 20-10 loss to LSU, where he completed just 55.6% of his passes for a pedestrian 124 yards and an interception. Like Mateer, Sellers has been banged up a little bit this season, but the NFL wants to see what these guys can do. The time is now for both Sellers and Matter to prove they are capable of being “the guy at the next level”.
Before the season, Sellers was at the top of my list of QB prospects, but Mendoza continues to impress, breaking away from the pack. That said, I don’t see Miami ending up with the No.1 overall pick, no matter how bleak things currently look. So if a quarterback is what the next regime wants, guys like Mateer and Sellers will have to prove they have what it takes to be franchise-altering players.
(Please note: Both Sellers and Mateer can go back to school in 2026.)
What are your thoughts on the Miami Dolphins getting an up-close look at John Mateer and LaNorris Sellers? Does it make you a bit “queasy” to hear that Grier is spearheading this thing? Who is your favorite QB prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft? Let us know in the comments section below!
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