Which rookie quarterback will be the most effective in 2020?
Yahoo Sports NFL Podcast hosts Terez Paylor and Charles Robinson are joined by Senior College Football Writer Pete Thamel and NFL Draft Expert Eric Edholm to debate which QB in the 2020 NFL Draft class will make the most immediate impact. Hear the full conversation on the Yahoo Sports NFL Podcast. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts.
Video Transcript
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TEREZ PAYLOR: Most impactful rookie quarterback in 2020? Pete, where you at?
PETE THAMEL: I'm going to go with Team Tua if--
TEREZ PAYLOR: Interesting.
PETE THAMEL: --he's healthy, which is always going to be the question. The rest of the Dolphins draft, to me, felt a little bit like we're going to take some time to run this out. They pick Noah, the DB, from Auburn. Their other pick, Austin Jackson, the tackle from USC-- both those are developmental guys.
And they picked a long snapper for crying out loud, all right? To me, this is not like a win now organization. There's not that win now urgency that there might have been with Tannehill there and Gase and Tannenbaum in the front office. To me, this signaled a new era for Miami.
Sure, Fitz could start early in the season. No question. But I think you're going to be more likely to turn the keys over to Tua when there isn't that, you know, carrot being dangled of the playoffs down the line in the season. Tua can have a huge impact in Miami, you know, six, seven games into the season and for the rest of the year.
I've said this-- I've said this before on other Yahoo platforms, and I believe it. I think Tua is much more talented and has a better skillset than Joe Burrow. I think Joe Burrow is an excellent quarterback who had a transcendent year, but I think his arm is pedestrian. And there's a lot working against him in Cincinnati, including scheme, teammates, et cetera.
TEREZ PAYLOR: Charles cannot wait to respond. Charles, what do you got?
CHARLES ROBINSON: Because I'm going to work my way from the outside in on this. Number 1, Tyrod Taylor is in the last year of his contract. You're not playing that guy very long thinking--
TEREZ PAYLOR: Right.
CHARLES ROBINSON: --for what reason? What reason? And you want to talk about buzz towns needing some flash, needing some-- it's not Tyrod Taylor--
TEREZ PAYLOR: They need it.
CHARLES ROBINSON: --as much as he wants to-- yeah, it's the Los Angeles Chargers moving into SoFi Stadium. You know, it needs something there to sell to fans. It's not going to be Tyrod Taylor. But again, working inside out. Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Hunter Henry, Austin Ekeler, OK?
TEREZ PAYLOR: That's good.
CHARLES ROBINSON: Take any of the rookie quarterbacks, and tell me who has a better skill position foursome than those guys right there. I mean, I don't think there's any question between a running back, two wide receivers, and a tight end if they're all healthy and on the field and the fact that they love Justin Herbert. No offense to Tua, but I truly believe that if Tua and Justin Herbert were both on the board at number 6, there's no question in my mind that the Chargers were sold on Herbert going, I think, back before his last year at Oregon started.
They believe in him big time. They've been looking at him for a long time. And I tend to believe when he gets on the field, he's going to have the most to work with.
TEREZ PAYLOR: The Bengals are close with Joe Mixon, AJ Green, Boyd, Tee Higgins, and Johnny Ross. That's pretty good. But you'd still rather take the Chargers. I think that speaks to what Burrow might have around him. Eric, where you at on this, man?
ERIC EDHOLM: Yeah, I was just going to say I'm really disappointed that we have a Boston guy here. We have a Michigan State guy. And nobody picked Brian Lewerke to the Patriots. I mean, look, this is--
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This is Bill Belichick's master stroke, you guys. He's been slow playing the issue out of you, you know.
PETE THAMEL: D'Antonio will check for Bill.
TEREZ PAYLOR: That is hilarious.
ERIC EDHOLM: Actually, it's J'Mar Smith. I'm sorry, right? Yeah. No. I mean, I think it comes down to, you know, like you think about how many games these guys can start. I still think Burrow's starting at least 12 games. Maybe I'm naive about this, but he's getting a chance one way or the other, right?
Tua-- maybe health dependent maybe, you know, until Ryan Fitzpatrick loses a leg or something. I don't know how that's going to work out. Herbert probably has a great chance to start as many games as anybody as Charles pointed out so. That's probably your debate right there, barring some wild, unforeseen injury or some other circumstances. So yeah, it's-- I think it's got to be one of those three. And you know, frankly, they all have some sneaky good weapons in some respects.
TEREZ PAYLOR: See, yeah I'm going with Charles and Herbert because I think, you know, they need people to come to that stadium. And the best way to do it is to get people to see the rookie quarterback there. I actually think it'd be a mistake to play Tua too soon. I think this needs to be a year where he plays on the scout team in rehab and then gets strong.
And most importantly, Pete, let those young offensive linemen they just drafted get a year stronger and a year more cohesive. Let Austin Jackson protect Tua next year when he gets his lumps out the way. Robert Hunt-- same deal. Solomon Kindley-- same deal. You know, let these guys all kind of grow together a year, then you put the franchise jewel behind them.
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