Mel Kiper 2020 NFL Mock Draft: Tua Moves Ahead of Herbert in Final Predictions

Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa, not Oregon's Justin Herbert, will be the second quarterback taken at Thursday's NFL draft.

At least according to ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr.

Kiper projected Tagovailoa to go No. 5 overall to the Miami Dolphins and Herbert to go No. 6 overall to the Los Angeles Chargers in his final 2020 mock draft. The Dolphins have been searching for a franchise quarterback to consistently lead them to the playoffs for years, while the Chargers no longer have Philip Rivers under center.

Kiper acknowledged he has "gone back and forth" on the Dolphins' selection but settled on the quarterback he has ranked higher than anyone else at the position.

While that naturally left Herbert to the Chargers, he also noted he "wouldn't be shocked if L.A. skipped quarterback altogether, drafted an offensive tackle and went all-in on Tyrod Taylor for 2020."

Which signal-caller goes after Burrow is one of the most intriguing storylines of the draft.

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller projected the same Nos. 5 and 6 picks as Kiper in his most recent mock draft and ranked the Alabama signal-caller as the second-best quarterback available and ahead of Herbert in his latest big board.

Production was not a question for Tagovailoa, who threw for 3,966 yards, 43 touchdowns and six interceptions in his last fully healthy season in 2018. Had he not suffered a season-ending hip injury in 2019, he could be challenging Burrow as a realistic candidate to go No. 1 overall to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Herbert doesn't have the injury concerns and led the Ducks to a Pac-12 title and Rose Bowl victory this past season behind 3,471 passing yards, 32 touchdown throws and just six interceptions.

As for the rest of Kiper's mock draft, he notably predicted the Las Vegas Raiders to take Utah State quarterback Jordan Love with the No. 19 pick and projected Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah—whom many see as the No. 3 pick behind Burrow and Chase Young—to drop to the Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 9.