2012 NFL Draft: Players the Dolphins Should Target in the First Round

With the Miami Dolphins picking at the No. 8 or No. 9 spot in the upcoming NFL Draft, they are picking far too low to have a shot at drafting their franchise quarterback. The Dolphins were really hurt when Matt Barkley decided to go back to school for his senior season, but will look to move forward with either Matt Moore, a free agent or a rookie. 

The Dolphins have a few holes that, if they can fill, they will be competing atop the league. Quarterback, right tackle, safety and outside linebacker are the positions with the most need and will look to be addressed in this draft.

Many draft experts, including Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN, have the Dolphins taking Riley Reiff, right tackle out of Iowa. Let's take a look at who else the Dolphins should keep an eye on when April rolls around.

Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

The only way the Dolphins will be able to take Robert Griffin III, better known as RGIII, is if they give up an arm and a leg and trade up to the No. 2 pick, where the Rams currently stand. This would be a monumental trade for the Dolphins, but it has the ability to pay off in the future. 

Griffin has the athletic ability of a Michael Vick, but has a better arm and more accuracy. Andrew Luck may be more NFL-ready, but Griffin has a much higher ceiling and could surpass Luck after a couple years in the league. 

Quarterback is one of the biggest holes for the Dolphins, as they are relying on Matt Moore to get them to the playoffs. With the hiring of Joe Philbin, it's possible that the Dolphins would be able to bring in Matt Flynn from Green Bay and give him a couple years to see if he can develop into a franchise quarterback.

It has also been speculated that the Dolphins are interested in trading for Peyton Manning, depending on his health. If the Dolphins are going to give up anything, they might as well give it up for someone that has the ability to lead the franchise for the next 15 years, not the next two years.

Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

This is the most obvious pick for the Miami Dolphins since they are picking at a spot where Riley Reiff is projected to go, and they have a gaping hole at the right tackle position. With an improvement at right tackle, the Dolphins would go from having an average offensive line, to having one of the top lines in the NFL.

Reiff is a really sound offensive tackle prospect that can play either left tackle or right tackle. He grades out a little bit better than Stanford's Jonathan Martin, but not quite as high as USC's Matt Kalil. He will be a major upgrade over Marc Colombo and would give us stability at both tackle spots for years to come. 

If Miami wants any quarterback to succeed, they have to be able to protect him at all cost. This wouldn't be the sexiest pick, but it's the right pick.

Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

I doubt the Dolphins will go the cornerback route in the first round, but it doesn't hurt taking a look at it. Vontae Davis is a solid corner, and Sean Smith can be great if he becomes more consistent. Other than those two, the Dolphins cornerbacks are below average at best, and Jimmy Wilson, who has shown potential, is extremely raw.

Dre Kirkpatrick would give the Dolphins one of the top cornerback duos as he and Vontae Davis would wreak havoc against any offense. Kirkpatrick's recent legal troubles will probably have some teams questioning his character, but he has the skills to be a shutdown corner in the NFL. 

Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

Jonathan Martin is another highly talented offensive tackle coming out this year. He isn't at the level of Kalil or Reiff, but will help improve any team's offensive line. If the Dolphins were to trade back from their eighth or ninth spot and miss out on drafting Reiff, Martin would be a great consolation prize.

He spent his career at Stanford protecting the blind side of the most valuable prospect to come out of college in a while, so I don't think he will be feeling a lot of pressure when he enters the league. A downside to Martin is that a lot of people believe the reason for his success was because Stanford's left guard, David De Castro, was the major contributor on the offensive line.

With Martin, the Dolphins might be able to get an extra second-round pick, and still solidify their offensive line for years to come.

Quinton Coples, OLB, North Carolina

It is clear that with the retirement of Jason Taylor, Cameron Wake will be the only one getting constant pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Koa Misi has yet lived up to his potential and nobody else seems to be stepping up as a pass-rusher. 

Quinton Coples has seen his stock drop for issues on the football field. He sometimes takes some plays off and won't always give you full effort. If he can improve this aspect of his game, he will be a terror for opposing quarterbacks in the NFL. He has all the skills needed to be an elite pass-rusher from Day 1 and would help the Dolphins become one of the elite pass-rushing teams in league.

The only way the Dolphins will take Coples is if they trade down to around the 15-18 range. I doubt he will be off the board by that time, and if the Dolphins indeed take him, they will have one of the steals of the draft.

David De Castro, G, Stanford

As I mentioned earlier, David De Castro gets a lot of the credit for the seasons that Andrew Luck has had at Stanford. People even question Jonathan Martin's ability just because he played next to this guy. De Castro is the premiere guard in this draft and is one of the best guard prospects to come out in a while.

His combination of size, strength and balance will have him dominating pass-rushers as soon as he steps on an NFL field. He can pass block just as well as he can run block, and he will give you all his effort in every play.

If the Dolphins want to get De Castro, they can take him at the spot they are now, but can also trade down and take him later. John Jerry proved towards the end of the season that he can step in and contribute and would be a great asset and improvement at right tackle over Marc Colombo.

Imagine a left side of the offensive line that includes Jake Long, De Castro and Mike Pouncey. Scary.