The Dolphins entered the 2020 NFL Draft facing a critical juncture in their rebuilding efforts.

Miami, with 14 scheduled picks, started an aggressive rebuild in 2019 and this year's draft was seen as the big payoff for those efforts. The Dolphins didn't disappoint; they landed 11 new talents via selections and added young running back Matt Breida via trade with the 49ers.

Miami's 2020 draft picks:

No. 5: Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
No. 18: Austin Jackson, OT, USC
No. 30: Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn
No. 39: Robert Hunt, IOL, Louisiana
No. 56: Raekwon Davis, IDL, Alabama
No. 70: Brandon Jones, S, Texas
No. 111: Solomon Kindley, IOL, Georgia
No. 154: Jason Strowbridge, EDGE, North Carolina
No. 164: Curtis Weaver, EDGE, Boise State
No. 185: Blake Ferguson, LS, LSU
No. 246: Malcolm Perry, RB/WR, Navy

Best Pick: Tua Tagovailoa

For the Dolphins to firmly plant their feet in the ground and insist that the board falls to them and then see Tagovailoa drop into their lap was a stroke of genius. Miami will need to keep Tagovailoa healthy but assuming it can, the Dolphins’ bold play should have their quarterback position in the best shape since the days when Dan Marino was behind center.

Biggest Surprise: A Well Balanced Draft

Miami’s needs were predominantly on the offensive side of the football, but this team was well balanced in its investments on both sides of the football. To see the Dolphins firmly commit so much to the defensive line with three selections was a bit of a surprise. But then again, general manager Chris Grier and coach Brian Flores are Bill Belichick disciples.

Day 3 Sleeper: Curtis Weaver

Weaver isn't necessarily an under the radar prospect, and his tumble outside the top 150 was definitely a stunning surprise. Weaver is a bit of an unorthodox player, but it is difficult to argue with some of the results he put on tape while dominating the Mountain West. There's a bit of a vacancy on this roster for pressure reps off the edge, Weaver may be able to claim it.

X-Factor: Player Development

With this many selections, the odds are in Miami's favor to walk away with enough quality starters to nearly fill a full hand. But some of the Dolphins' selections, such as first-round picks in Igbinoghene and Jackson, will need some coaching to further develop their promising physical skill sets. If they take well to coaching, Miami may have blown this thing out of the water.

Summary

In all, the Dolphins did exactly what they set out to do: provided this franchise with a new foundation of players thanks to a massive influx of talent. Miami's identity is clear. It wants to bully the line of scrimmage, as evidenced by the three new heavy-hitting offensive linemen, and want to stack up offenses at the point of attack. These Dolphins stayed calm early in the draft to let the board come to them and then flipped the switch on Day 3 to get aggressive and attack falling talents. This was a job well done.