Parcells and The Dolphins Make a Statement With No. 1 Draft Pick

By choosing offensive left tackle, Jake Long, with their first pick in the 2008 NFL draft, Bill Parcells and the Miami Dolphins have made a statement.

Parcells didn’t go with a high profile pick such as quarterback Matt Ryan, running back Darren McFadden or one of the flashy defensive players such as Chris Long or Glenn Dorsey.

Parcells was brought into the Dolphins’ organization to do a job, and that job is to rebuild the struggling franchise.

So far, Parcells has stayed true to the task at hand by drafting Jake Long with the Dolphins’ number one pick.

Parcells used the Dolphins’ number one pick to draft a player that will be the backbone of the offensive line for many years to come at the all important left tackle position.

Parcells strategy for drafting Long with the number one pick is beginning to shake out.

There is talk of the Dolphins trying to work out a trade whereby they would swap Jason Taylor for an additional selection in the opening round.

The Dolphins also have the first pick in the second round of the draft.

Matt Ryan will most definitely be drafted in the first round but there are several other quarterbacks who could still be available to the Dolphins with their second round pick and who might have even better potential than Matt Ryan.

Joe Flacco, Chad Henne and Andre Woodson will all likely be available by the time the Dolphins’ second round draft pick comes around.

If the Dolphins do wind up trading Jason Taylor and receive an additional first round draft pick, they will most likely draft a high profile defensive player leaving the first pick in the second round open for the possibility of drafting a quarterback.

This foreseeable strategy by the Dolphins has ‘rebuilding’ written all over it.

By the start of the second round alone, the Dolphins could have drafted Jake Long, who will be the pillar of their offensive line for years to come, a high profile defensive player and a quarterback.

The Dolphin’s road to rebuilding the franchise is by no means short. It will take years for the Dolphins to become a legitimate contender again.

But Parcells appears to be up for the task at hand.

Drafting an offensive lineman, possibly a high profile defensive player if they are able to acquire an additional first round draft pick, and then a quarterback with their first selection of the second round is as good a place as any to start the rebuilding process.