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Justin Fields’ pro day was a hit. How that can help the Miami Dolphins

Quarterback Justin Fields had himself a day on Wednesday.

It was his second pro day of the so-called draft season, and it seemed like a grand unveiling of a player who has been fairly critiqued but also sometimes overly picked on by some draft analysts the past month.

After all that analysis the whispers around draft circles has been that Fields dropped in the eyes of some teams as a 2021 draft prospect.

Yeah, forget that.

Fields was excellent during his second showing in front of NFL scouts, general mangers and coaches — including San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan.

The 49ers hold the No. 3 selection in the draft after trading with the Miami Dolphins for the slot.

And, despite persistent talk in the national media that San Francisco is taking Alabama quarterback Mac Jones with that pick, it seems plausible Fields is actually the pick. And even if he’s not, his performance Wednesday was a strong push back on the idea the Ohio State quarterback’s draft value is dropping.

That, by the way, is wonderful news for the Dolphins.

Like super wonderful. Like, dance around the house in your underwear kind of wonderful!

Because it increases the possibility some team — perhaps the 49ers or perhaps someone else — will value Fields so much that it cause him to be selected No. 3 or No. 4 overall.

And if that’s happening, it helps the Dolphins as I will explain in a minute.

Before explaining, let’s just agree that the Dolphins should also be watching next Monday when North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance conducts his second pro day. (Yeah, two pro days is a vogue thing now).

Because if Lance does so well that he catches a team’s fancy to the point they want to trade into the top-five picks to get him, that also helps the Dolphins.

And while we’re at it, the Dolphins should be using their long-established University of Alabama ties to get receivers DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle to talk up quarterback Mac Jones some more.

Both players let it be known last month they prefer Jones to their former teammate Tua Tagovailoa as their quarterback.

Please repeat it for anyone who missed it, guys.

Say it louder.

Because anything that helps Jones rise in the opinion of any team — be it San Francisco or someone else — to the point he’s potentially going in the top five picks, is also a great benefit to the Dolphins.

So why are we all suddenly rooting boisterously for Fields, Jones and Trey Lance to see their draft stock skyrocket?

Because we know Trevor Lawrence is being drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 1.

And Zach Wilson is being drafted by the New York Jets at No. 2.

And San Francisco is picking a quarterback at No. 3.

And the Dolphins would love for another quarterback to be considered so awesome that he is selected by Atlanta or some team trading with Atlanta at the No. 4 spot.

So quarterback, quarterback, quarterback, quarterback.

That would be this draft’s version of four of a kind. Which would be a winning hand for the Dolphins because it means the first non-quarterback selected in this draft would go to the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 5.

And then, voila, the Dolphins select at No. 6.

In the four-of-a-kind scenario the Dolphins would have the opportunity to select the second-best non-quarterback in the entire draft.

A great opportunity for the Dolphins.

I must tell you, this is a long shot.

I personally don’t see Jones as a top-five draft pick. So if Fields goes to the Niners, I have a hard time believing someone will trade up to No. 4 to pick Jones.

But if San Francisco is wholly sold on Jones, as the national reporters have suggested, I do see a scenario where some team might value Fields and his superior arm and speed and athletic ability so much as to trade up for him.

This is the part of this column where I must tell you Fields is not conceding being the No. 3 pick to Jones. Because, again, he is very gifted and he put those gifts on display at this pro day.

That left some analysts believing Fields is the better pick at No. 3.

“You don’t move up to the third pick to grab a guy, and no disrespect to Mac Jones, but Mac Jones is not a transcendent player,” NFL Network analyst David Carr said on air. “Mac Jones is going to be a very good player in the NFL ... But you move all the way up there for a player like Justin Fields.

“Justin Fields has literally everything you can ask for.”

It should be said that Fields made certain Shanahan could envision him as San Francisco’s quarterback. He incorporated 49ers plays in his throwing script.

Fields even changed his stance to mirror what Shanahan did in changing Matt Ryan’s stance when he was the offensive coordinator in Atlanta.

So Fields worked throughout this pro day with his right foot back instead of forward.

This is a guy competing to be the No. 3 overall selection.

If he wins that competition, the Dolphins must hope someone believes Jones is worthy of picking No. 4.

Because that would help Miami.