A wide receiver is nothing without their quarterback and a quarterback is nothing without a good offensive line. First round pick Austin Jackson and second round pick Robert Hunt have the responsibility for protecting new quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Austin Jackson, the former USC Trojan offensive tackle was picked eighteenth overall in the 2020 NFL Draft by Miami in April in a pick the Dolphins acquired through the Minkah Fitzpatrick Pittsburgh Steelers trade. Robert Hunt was picked 39th overall in the 2020 Draft.
However, it remains unclear for Jackson and Hunt when Tua Tagovailoa will start for Miami. Will his starting gig begin in week 4 or 5 or will Miami give him the whole season to sit behind Ryan Fitzpatrick?
Austin Jackson and Robert Hunt will not be granted the luxury of being able to ease in and watch from the sidelines. They will both expected to start week 1.
AUSTIN JACKSON WILL LOOK TO START WEEK 1
Austin Jackson will more than likely start on the left hand side whereas Robert Hunt, who can also play guard, is likely to be the right offensive tackle.
In an off season like no other, NFL rookies will suffer from the cancellation of pre season games. This will give rookies a free pass if things do not go to plan as they can point to a lack of an off season.
Austin Jackson and Robert Hunt will go into week 1 with no NFL game experience. We should allow them time to get to grips with the NFL.
Some rookies adapt straight away but others take time. Hunt and Jackson are going to need time so we should not be expecting production on the field for at least the first half off the season.
Austin Jackson and Robert Hunt will hope to give the Miami Dolphins something theyve missed in years, a good offensive line.
However this season goes for Hunt and Jackson, their rookie year can be seen as a chance to learn the game and can help them build towards their sophomore year and beyond.
This is also a good thing for Tua Tagovailoa. The more experience the two rookie offensive lineman get, the better chance they have of aiding the quarterback’s progression.
Tua Tagovailoa will want as much protection as possible, so having the chance to play behind Jackson and Hunt who both will have had game experience is only going to help Tagovailoa improve and have a better chance of success.
In conclusion, Hunt and Jackson are going to be work in progress and are not going to set the world alight straight away due to the lack of pre season games.
They should both be treated with caution but also optimism as they will have the chance to be part of success under promising head coach Brian Flores.
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