Dolphins: WR DeVonta Smith wants Mac Jones over Tua Tagovailoa

The Miami Dolphins are still benefitting from the trade of Laremy Tunsil to the Houston Texans in 2019. They own the Texans’ top two picks in the 2021 NFL Draft, and that means the rights to the third overall pick this upcoming April.

There are a few directions they could go with this pick, including Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell, a trade back with a team still in need of a quarterback, a package for superstar quarterback Deshaun Watson, or a new toy for Tua Tagovailoa. If they decide to go in the direction of a new wide receiver, many believed it would be in the form of a former teammate of Tagovailoa, Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith.

How does DeVonta Smith fit with the Dolphins?

In today’s edition of Sports Illustrated’s Monday Morning Quarterback, Albert Breer shed some light that may have a direct correlation to the chemistry between Tagovailoa and Smith:

"“All 31 teams in attendance at the Senior Bowl had the chance to do a 15-minute speed-dating interview with the Alabama quarterback, but maybe the most interesting anecdote I could possibly give you on him from that week in Mobile comes from his Heisman Trophy winning receiver DeVonta Smith. One team asked Smith, point blank: Tua Tagovailoa or Jones? The question was barely finished before Smith answered: Mac Jones. He was bold and definitive about it, as I heard it.”"

If this is truly the case (although the likelihood of a smokescreen from a team picking behind the Dolphins is high), then the likelihood of Smith heading to Miami is shrinking.

Dolphins can target the better Alabama WR anyway

So what if Tagovailoa and Smith do not have the chemistry that most anticipated?

There is a better wide receiver coming out of Alabama this season than the Heisman winner anyway, and his name is Jaylen Waddle. The speedster consistently takes the top off of defenses better than Smith, separates underneath of defenses better than Smith, and shows great fluidity in his hips to run sudden and precise routes in addition to his elite top-end speed.

There is still a solid chance the Dolphins go offensive tackle in the first round two years in a row and land Sewell with the third overall pick. There is still a high probability the Dolphins continue to expand their draft assets landed from the Tunsil trade and commit highway robbery on a quarterback needy team in a trade back as well.

However, if they decide to go with a wide receiver with the third overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, then Smith seems unlikely. However, at the end of the day, this could be a team like the Philadelphia Eagles or New York Giants leaking this information in order to get Smith to fall in their laps.