9 Dolphins Players Who Will Prove to Be Fan Favorites on HBO's Hard Knocks

Once I heard that the Miami Dolphins agreed to become this year's Hard Knocks team, two moods simultaneously came over me: fear and exhiliration. 

Surely, this was Stephen Ross' doing, I thought. And, despite Joe Philbin's best efforts to say otherwise, I still believe Ross is largely responsible for this. 

But, now that I've had time to digest the news, I'm in full support. 

The Dolphins are in desperate need of an image overhaul, and Hard Knocks will allot them an opportunity to reverse the damaged portrait fans currently have of the organization. 

These nine players are crucial to this image resuscitation, and their stories and personalities will win Dolphins fans over. 

Richie Incognito

The spotlight never shines on offensive linemen. but that will change when HBO's cameras invade Miami's facilities. 

Richie Incognito has garnered a reputation as a hot-headed, dirty player—he ranked fifth on Sports Illustrated's meanest NFL player poll—but he's stayed out of trouble on and off the field since joining the Dolphins in 2010. 

Despite his brute nastiness on the field, Incognito has an amazing sense of humor, and it's sure to shine through on Hard Knocks. He's one of the funniest, if not the funniest Dolphins player on Twitter. See for yourself. 

Davone Bess

Unbeknownst to many Dolphins fans, Davone Bess defied incredible odds to reach the NFL and become one of the game's premier slot receivers. 

Bess grew up with an absentee father, witnessed his uncle's murder at his 10th birthday party and spent 15 months in a juvenile detention facility for driving a car with stolen merchandise in it—subsequently losing his scholarship to Oregon State. 

After his release from jail, Bess earned a scholarship from Hawaii, fought his way onto the Dolphins roster as an undrafted free agent and has been a focal point on the team's offense since. 

Now, Bess spends much of his time speaking at local high schools and participating in charity work. 

Rest assured, HBO will be all over this. 

Jimmy Wilson

Another player who overcame serious adversity is second-year safety Jimmy Wilson. 

In 2007, Wilson shot and killed his aunt's boyfriend. The trial dragged on for two years, but in 2009, the jury decided Wilson acted in self-defense, and he was acquitted.

His story doesn't end there, though.

The Dolphins took a seventh-round flier on Wilson in the 2011 NFL draft. Expectations for a small-school product with a checkered past were low, but Wilson emerged as the MVP of Dolphins training camp. 

Now, he's vying for a starting role, and fans will take a liking to this "candid and humble" player. 

Matt Moore

What's not to like about Matt Moore?

He's the ultimate underdog. 

The Panthers opted not to re-sign Moore last summer in order to make room for Cam Newton. Because of the lockout, Moore was only with the Dolphins for roughly six weeks before he was called into action. 

Despite quarterbacking a hopeless team with meager time to adapt and learn the system, Moore led Miami's resurgence. He finished the season with a 6-6 record and ranked amongst the league's most efficient passers. 

Reggie Bush

Reggie Bush is already a fan favorite, but I think Hard Knocks will afford him an opportunity to shed the high-maintenance, superstar persona he's developed—whether it was ever warranted it or not. 

For those of you who don't know, Bush has an insane work ethic.

HBO will definitely focus on Bush because he's Miami's most recognizable player, and they're bound to showcase his famous work ethic. 

Dolphins fans may develop a new-found appreciation for Bush and his dedication to the team. 

Les Brown

Hard Knocks annually features players on the roster bubble, so Les Brown is a virtual lock to get plenty of face time. 

But, Hard Knocks has never featured a player quite like Brown. 

Brown is the latest basketball player-turned-tight end, but unlike his predecessors, he's fresh out of the corporate world. Before the Dolphins signed him in April, Brown was working in the accounting department of Huntsman Gay Global Capital. 

Although Brown's chances of earning a roster spot are slim, he's definitely going to earn the affection of Dolphins fans. 

Tyrone Culver

One of the most heated positional battles will take place at safety, where Reshad Jones, Chris Clemons, Jimmy Wilson, Tyrone Culver and Tyrell Johnson will vie for the two starting jobs (though Jones seems to have a grasp on one of the spots). 

Although Tyrone Culver probably won't win one of those starting jobs, he'll emerge as one of the most lovable players on the roster. 

Culver has been with the Dolphins since 2008. He's only started six games over the span and spends most of his time on special teams. Culver's resilience is beyond impressive; the Dolphins could've easily replaced him with a youngster by now, yet he manages to stick around every year. 

Cameron Wake

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have given Miami sports a pompous, entitled reputation, but Cameron Wake is the antithesis of that notion. 

Even though Wake is one of the NFL's most feared pass-rushers and just signed a $49 million contract, he still drives a 2004 Acura TL, and he still wears his CFL sandals to "serve as a reminder of how far [he's] come."

Low-key, humble stars like Wake are few and far between, and Hard Knocks will allot him a forum to become a fan favorite. 

Karlos Dansby

Karlos Dansby hasn't lived up to the $43 million contract he signed in 2009. 

Plain and simple. 

But, Dansby started to live up to expectations toward the end of last season, and he's one of the more vocal personalities in Miami's locker room.

HBO always gravitates toward polarizing personalities like Dansby, and assuming he doesn't make any more outlandish statements, he's bound to become a fan favorite as well.