Quarterback Twins: Is Dillon Gabriel a Fit for Miami?

Admittedly, when a team is committed to a starting quarterback, it is highly unlikely a team would, as some would say, waste their first draft pick on another quarterback. Based on current circumstances, I believe this might be the perfect time for the Miami Dolphins to roll the dice and consider doing just that.

I do not mean pick just any quarterback. I am talking about choosing a specific quarterback who complements Tua Tagovailoa so well that if he were to miss an extended period of playing time, this particular quarterback could come in. The offense would not skip a beat. The transition from Tua to the next quarterback would be so seamless that the team would not even know that a change had been made.

If this quarterback had been on the Dolphins’ roster this past season, the Dolphins would have probably been a playoff team.

I am talking about Dillon Gabriel. He and Tua share so many similarities that they could resemble twin quarterbacks. They both played their high school ball in Honolulu, Hawaii; they share similar throwing and running styles for quarterbacks.

Accuracy and touch are strengths of their game. While no one will confuse either of them for Michael Vick or Steve Young, they are both elusive in the pocket and can scramble their way out of trouble.

Temperamentally, they are similar in their leadership styles.

The most overlooked similarity is that they are both left-handed throwers. If Dillon were to replace Tua, the offense would not need to be re-aligned. The angle and spin of the ball off the hand of a left-hander are quite different from those of a right-handed thrower. How much practice time on reps and plays could be spent more productively with two left-handed quarterbacks who can utilize the same playbook?

Most analysts believe Dillon, at 5’11 “and 202 lbs., is undersized to be a starting quarterback. Tua is a little bigger, at 6’1” and 215 lbs.

Even though they are similar in age, Dillon is 24, and Tua is 26. Dillon may welcome an opportunity to come to Miami, knowing with limited opportunities to be a starter elsewhere, there is a good chance he will get substantial playing time in Miami where he could showcase his skills.

I know the Dolphins have needs on the line, but the best way to protect their quarterbacks and get the team into the playoffs lies in their backup. Dillon fits the bill.