Report: Dolphins looking to move up for offensive tackle

Despite all the talk centering around the quarterback position, an offensive tackle has emerged as a Dolphins favorite based on a couple of reports over the past two days.

NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport tweeted Wednesday afternoon that the Dolphins have been exploring a trade for the third overall selection with the idea of taking Georgia tackle Andrew Thomas.

Sources: The #Dolphins have called the teams in front of them for a possible trade up from No. 5 and are gauging the price to come up to No. 3 to potentially take an offensive tackle. We could see a run on tackles in the Top 10 like never before.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 22, 2020

This follows another report from Julie Donaldson from NBCS Washington also suggesting the Dolphins wanted the third overall selection, ostensibly to get Andrew Thomas.

I am hearing from multiple sources Miami is looking to move up to #3. Specultion suggest it could be for OT, maybe Andrew Thomas out of Georgia. Then Jeff Okudah from Ohio State goes to Detroit at 5, and Tua Tagovailoa to Chargers. #NFLDraft
— Julie Donaldson (@juliedonaldson_) April 21, 2020

Thomas is among the four offensive tackles in the 2020 NFL draft rated in the upper tier along with Tristan Wirfs of Iowa, Mekhi Becton of Louisville and Jedrick Wills Jr. from Alabama.

The reasoning behind moving up to No. 3 to get an offensive tackle is that the New York Giants, picking at No. 4, are widely believed to select an offensive tackle in the first round.

Now, the one element missing from both the Rapoport and the Donaldson reports is the price involved.

While Detroit Lions GM Bob Quinn has said he'd be willing to trade the No. 3 pick, the feeling is that he doesn't want to move down too far, suggesting that it would take the fifth overall pick for the Dolphins to make that move up.

Based on the draft value chart, the cost for moving up from fifth to third in the first round would be the 40th overall pick. The Dolphins have the 39th overall selection.

Of course, the Dolphins could try to get the pick another way to keep the fifth pick. Based on the value chart, the 18th and 26th picks in the first round are worth a combined 1,600 points, still 600 shy of the third pick.

Thomas said at the scouting combine he was scheduled to have a formal interview with the Dolphins during his time in Indianapolis.

This was the scouting report on NFL.com by Lance Zierlein, whose NFL player comparison for Andrew Thomas was Ja'Wuan James: "Three-year starter and current bellcow of a line that is a consistent front-runner for the Joe Moore Award. He's played both tackle spots but may get first crack at playing on the left side, due to the dearth of talent there. Thomas is a gritty player with above-average recovery talent to "get the job done" when his process breaks down. He's a Day 1 starter who comes in well-coached and technically savvy, but occasional leaning, lunging and inconsistent knee bend in pass pro could be isolated and attacked by pass-rush wolves looking to feast if he doesn't get those areas cleaned up."

In his mock draft this week for Pro Football Network, long-time draft analyst Tony Pauline had the Dolphins taking Thomas at No. 5 after staying put.

The Dolphins last selected an offensive lineman in the first round in 2016 when they took Ole Miss tackle Laremy Tunsil with the 13th overall selection.