The Miami Dolphins needed a weapon at receiver, so they took Alabama receiver Jaylen Waddle at No. 6 overall in the NFL Draft on Thursday.

But why go with Waddle over Heisman Trophy winner Devonta Smith?

Dolphins coach Brian Flores said Waddle first got on their radar for his performances with Tua Tagovailoa in 2019.

“Obviously, we watched a lot of Tua last year,” Dolphins coach Brian Flores told reporters after the draft. “In doing that, we saw really all the players at Alabama, and Waddle was somebody who definitely stood out as a receiver, as a returner, just a really good player.”

Tagovailoa and Waddle had an excellent rapport in 2019. Waddle caught 33 passes for 560 yards and six touchdowns, and showed significant improvement in 2020 before suffering an ankle injury in the fifth game of the season.

Flores also said he was impressed with Waddle’s character and demeanor throughout the pre-draft process.

“And then getting to know him was … that kind of, I would say, confirmed a lot of the things we had heard,” Flores told reporters. “We just think he’s a very, very good player, a good person and somebody who would fit our locker room.”

The Philadelphia Eagles ended up drafting Smith at No. 10 overall.