The Miami Dolphins began the second day of the 2020 NFL draft seeing a slew of wide receivers, safeties and running backs taken to begin the second round.
Instead of following course, the Dolphins added their second offensive lineman, drafting Louisiana’s Robert Hunt with the No. 39 pick.
Miami will also make picks No. 56 in the second round, and No. 70 in the third round on Friday.
Hunt will give the Dolphins another versatile offensive lineman to develop and compete for significant playing time.
“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.”
Hunt 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 all-conference player in 2018, and a first-team all-conference player in 2019 despite starting in only seven games due to a groin injury.
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 Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with the fifth pick, USC offensive tackle Austin Jackson with No. 18 pick, and Auburn cornerback Noah Igbinoghene with No. 30 pick 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 fourth-round 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).
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