Dolphins bring in one of draft’s polarizing QBs. And new vet corner weighs in
The Dolphins’ $67 million investment in Malik Willis ($45 million guaranteed) has not dissuaded them from spending considerable time with the draft’s top quarterback prospects.
The Dolphins not only brought in Alabama’s Ty Simpson and UM’s Carson Beck, but also summoned Penn State’s Drew Allar to team headquarters, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported this week.
The Dolphins had no need to spend time with Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, who is very likely going to be drafted first overall by the Raiders. But the Dolphins brought to their facilities the quarterbacks that many evaluators have ranked second, third and fourth. (Some have LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier higher than Beck or Allar.)
Allar is polarizing, because the production hasn’t matched the physical attributes.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. said Allar is more talented than Simpson: “He’s 6-5, 228 pounds. He can make every NFL throw, and he has got the ability to beat you with his legs. He needs to be a better decision-maker, tie his feet to his upper half better, which will allow his accuracy to improve.
“Those four games late in 2024, he struggled with accuracy issues. This year he fixed that and got hurt [in Game 6]. If you want to draw up a quarterback that is going to look the part in the NFL for a franchise quarterback, it would be Drew Allar. But [there are] accuracy issues, decision-making issues. He could be the third quarterback taken. He could be the sixth quarterback taken.”
Allar threw 61 touchdowns and 13 interceptions while completing 63.2% of his passes in 45 games at Penn State, including 8 TDs and three picks last season before he sustained a broken left ankle while scrambling in an Oct. 11 game against Northwestern.
ESPN’s Field Yates lamented that “he doesn’t play urgently enough in the pocket. Sometimes he can be a bit methodical. Don’t know that he always processes at a very high level.”
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein rates him a fourth-rounder and sizes him up this way: “Allar looks the part with prototypical size and an effortless arm that can make any NFL throw. However, inconsistent touch and ball placement are a major hindrance. In big moments and big games, he hasn’t proven he can rise to the occasion or sustain efficiency.
“The stats looked good in a conservative offense as a sophomore, but his play became more erratic once the playbook was opened up and more responsibility was put on his plate. He can be slow to process and get to his best option. He also struggles to adjust his pre-snap plan to fit the coverage.
“It’s worth noting Allar’s receivers struggled to win man-coverage matchups for him. Against zone, he makes anticipatory throws and beats coverage at an adequate clip. Mechanical fixes are possible, but confidence, poise and recognition must be the foundation of any rebound. Allar projects as an average backup with high-end traits.”
Of the 23 confirmed Dolphins 30 visits, five are quarterbacks: Allar, Simpson, Arkansas’ Taylen Green, Iowa’s Mark Gronowski and Kansas’ Jalon Daniels.
Because Beck attended the University of Miami, he does not count as a 30 visit.
As for Willis, receiver Malik Washington said Tuesday that what has stood out so far about the Dolphins’ new quarterback is “the release he has, how quick it is. We know he can run — the combination is what has made him a great player. He has a zip on the ball.”
Washington said Willis “reached out to me after he signed. He is the type of person who will have us on one accord. He wants to work.”
Baker weighs in
The Dolphins have two cornerbacks on the roster who has made more than five NFL starts: Marco Wilson (37) and Darrell Baker Jr., who started six games for the Colts in his second year in the league (2023) and nine and 10 games for the Tennessee Titans the past two seasons.
Baker, 6-1, fits the mold of an NFL corner physically, but the production hasn’t measured up.
Last season, he permitted a bloated 135.4 passer rating and five TDs. In 2024, he allowed a 117.9 passer rating and four touchdowns for the Titans.
But Baker views his career differently from what the metrics suggest.
“I’m the guy who’s reliable, dependable,” he said Tuesday. “I’ve done nothing but get better every year. It shows on the field. I’ve gotten better in the run game. I’ve dropped some interceptions; now it’s time to capitalize on that.”
He said he had multiple options in free agency but picked the Dolphins because “it best fit... me” and the defensive system is similar to what he has played.
He said “the system is pretty simple. It allows us to play fast, physical, hard.”
He said coach Jeff Hafley is “a great guy. He’s big on discipline, accountability. You’ve got to love that, someone who will keep it real with you and honest. That makes it easy on us as a defense. Sometimes he comes into [meetings]; he’s able to settle the room down and make it simple.”
Baker — who was born in Panama — went undrafted out of Georgia Southern in 2022. His Dolphins deal will pay him $1.3 million if he makes the team, with $1.2 million guaranteed.
This story was originally published April 21, 2026 at 3:55 PM.
