2012 NFL Mock Draft: Greg Cosell Offers View on Potential Miami Dolphins Pick

The Miami Dolphins swung and missed at quarterbacks Peyton Manning, Matt Flynn and Alex Smith this offseason, but at least one noted film guru thinks an option in the draft outside the top two picks has plenty of appeal.

According to Greg Cosell, the executive producer for NFL Matchup and senior producer for NFL Films, Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannenhill receives high grades for his "pocket command" and "anticipation" on throws, two attributes that are typically indicative of success at the quarterback position in the NFL.

Cosell went as far as far to say Tannehill is a better prospect than Christian Ponder, who the Minnesota Vikings took in the first round last April and went on to start a majority of the Vikings' games down the stretch in his rookie season.

"

Tannehill better prospect than Ponder. NIce feel in pocket. Good pocket mobility re: lack of experience. Willing to make stick throws.

— Greg Cosell (@gregcosell) March 23, 2012"

Lacking experience hurts Tannehill and he'll "need work with progression reading," according to Cosell. But both of those knocks can be fixed once he's drafted and having the "best pocket command and mobility" in this year's draft class will certainly help him overcome those correctable errors. 

The Dolphins will likely get their chance to take Tannehill at No. 8 overall, although it remains possible that the Cleveland Browns take him at No. 4 or another team sneaks ahead of Miami to get him first.

While the Dolphins have taken a lot of heat this offseason for their failures in free agency, getting a high-ceiling rookie like Tannehill might be the best eventual outcome. 

2012 NFL Mock Draft 

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

2. Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor (via trade with St. Louis Rams)

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

4. Cleveland Browns: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU  

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

6. St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State (via trade with Washington Redskins)  

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

8. Miami Dolphins:  Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

9. Carolina Panthers: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

10. Buffalo Bills: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

11. Kansas City Chiefs: Dontari Poe, NT Memphis

12. Seattle Seahawks: Nick Perry, DE, USC  

13. Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

14. Dallas Cowboys: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB/S, Alabama

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Quinton Coples, DL, North Carolina

16. New York Jets: Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama  

17. Cincinnati Bengals: David DeCastro, G, Stanford 

18. San Diego Chargers: Cordy Glenn, G, Georgia

19. Chicago Bears: Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois

20. Tennessee Titans: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

22. Cleveland Browns: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame 

23. Detroit Lions: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State 

25. Denver Broncos: Devon Still, DT, Penn State

26. Houston Texans: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

27. New England Patriots: Mark Barron, S, Alabama

28. Green Bay Packers: Fletcher Cox, DL, Mississippi State

29. Baltimore Ravens: Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

30. San Francisco 49ers: Brandon Thompson, DL, Clemson

31. New England Patriots: Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama 

32. New York Giants: Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama