2012 NFL Draft: Debating What the Miami Dolphins Should Do with the No. 8 Pick

Fans of the Miami Dolphins are searching for answers, and while the biggest question may be if this team wants to win now, there are other smaller questions that will lead to their ability or inability to do so.

One of the checkpoints along the way is the NFL draft. The Dolphins whiffed big time on the last checkpoint, free agency, but with the eighth overall pick, there's still a good chance that Miami could land a high-impact player to improve the team.

But where should the Dolphins turn with the eighth overall pick?

To debate the topic, we bring in B/R's very own Dolphins featured columnist, Alex Miglio, who can also be found on Twitter. You're the expert on the team, Alex, so I'll let you lead us off.

Alex: Miami's front office has flip-flopped a bit about one big issue recently: franchise quarterback.

First, reports said Stephen Ross mandated that Jeff Ireland find a franchise quarterback as soon as possible. More recently, however, the team reiterated their love for Matt Moore.

What does this all mean for their first pick?

I believe the Dolphins are targeting Ryan Tannehill. The recent comments may have been made as a smokescreen, and they also may have been made to keep Moore's confidence level up after the Dolphins went after Peyton Manning, Matt Flynn and Alex Smith before settling on David Garrard, who will be competing for the starting job. 

Tannehill would satiate a rabid fanbase looking for something positive this offseason, but that would not be the reason to draft him. It seems Ross and Ireland do not particularly care what the fans want because they have not really done much in free agency. I am a big fan of operating via the draft rather than big-name free-agent pickups, so there is no issue there from me, but that does not sell newspapers. (Well, perhaps it does, but for the opposite reasons.)

The Texas A&M product is well known to offensive coordinator Mike Sherman, and despite mixed reviews from scouts, Tannehill remains firmly entrenched as the third-best quarterback in the draft. In a pass-happy league, the Dolphins need someone who can develop into a franchise quarterback, and Tannehill is their best bet past Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III.

Erik: I see where you're going with Tannehill, but there's one reason I think it shouldn't happen, and another reason why I think it won't happen.

Why it shouldn't happen: Yes, Sherman and Tannehill are familiar with each other, and yes, they worked together at Texas A&M. That familiarity would seem to connect the two.

However, they weren't exactly a winning combination at Texas A&M, so why would they be in the NFL? The Dolphins aren't exactly equipped with the talent around him to make the transition easy, and he's not really a prototypical West Coast offense type of guy.

Why it won't happen: If Ireland has anything to say about it, the Dolphins will probably stay in the trenches with their first pick. They've done that in three of Ireland's four drafts, with two offensive linemen in Jake Long and Mike Pouncey, and a defensive linemen in Jared Odrick.

Clearly, that strategy hasn't helped them build a winning franchise yet, but it's a trend that's hard to ignore. Compound that with Miami's needs at right guard and tackle, and it's my feeling they'll go offensive line in the first round.

Alex: Lord help Jeff Ireland if he drafts an offensive lineman in the first round again.
Long and Pouncey are good players, yes, and they are certainly the best two players on that line. Fans would go into full, open rebellion if Ireland selects an offensive lineman at No. 8, I think.

The only player worthy of that selection who might be there is David DeCastro, despite conventional wisdom stating teams should not draft guards that high. Anyone else would be a major reach. Riley Reiff was once a popular player to mock there for the Dolphins, but his stock has fallen precipitously in recent months as he and his short arms did not impress at the combine. 

If Ireland is going to force a trench player at the position, I think defensive end is more likely. Given the team's recent comments about Moore, it could even be most likely.

Two guys the Dolphins could target as defensive ends are Quinton Coples and Melvin Ingram. Coples has been on Ireland's radar since before the Senior Bowl, and despite his motivational issues, he could be at the top of Miami's draft board. Ingram is a guy who has risen steadily in recent months, an Adalius Thomas-type tweener who could fit in nicely opposite Cameron Wake in a hybrid 3-4 defense.

Erik: I should clarify that I don't think they should draft a trenchman with the eighth overall pick, but rather I think they will. You're right about the Dolphins' need on the defensive line, specifically at end. If they can get a book-end for Wake, their struggles in the secondary could evaporate quickly.

The problem there is there aren't any perfect fits at No. 8. Ingram has short arms and could get swallowed alive by larger offensive tackles, specifically those in the AFC East such as Nate Solder and D'Brickashaw Ferguson.

Coples is a prototypical 4-3 end, not exactly a fit in the hybrid 3-4, but there are the motivational issues you speak of. Can a first-time head coach, and an offensive-minded one at that, get through to him?

I think the Dolphins would be smart to trade down. There just aren't any prospects that strike me as must-have players for the Dolphins in the Top 10. Trade down, collect some value and get a bang-for-the-buck player later in the first.

If they could even trade down just a few spots and land Courtney Upshaw, that would be a great move for them. They'd get their book-end for Wake, and they wouldn't be reaching for him, either.

Based on need, the Dolphins really can't go wrong, which is sad because just weeks ago we were talking about the Dolphins as potential contenders in the AFC East if they would have been able to land Manning. One Brandon Marshall trade and a bunch of missed free-agent opportunities later, it's back to the depths of the AFC East ocean for the Dolphins.

Alex: Trading down is the best scenario in my book, and I think they will entertain offers if they come along.

The truth is, eighth is not a good spot to be drafting from—most players are reaches at that point. While it may be risky to trade down past the Bills and Chiefs, two dark-horses to draft Tannehill, netting extra draft picks is worth it, even if Miami must settle for Brandon Weeden or another year of Moore.

If Justin Blackmon or perhaps even Trent Richardson were to fall to the Dolphins, they would have some serious bait to dangle to other teams.

This team is not one good draft away from contending for a Super Bowl. While they may say they are "re-tooling" rather than "re-building," the offense is going to take some serious work.

Grabbing extra picks is a good way to accelerate the process. If the Dolphins can trade down to the middle of the teens—say, 14th with the Cowboys or 18th with the Chargers—they very well could still have a shot at Tannehill. If not, any number of trench players will work, and they would no longer be reaches.

Incidentally, one position we have not talked about is wide receiver. There is a reason for that—they will probably wait on the position. Looking at Green Bay's track record, the Packers never go higher than second-round pick. I think the Dolphins will look to add a couple of receivers outside of the first round.

Erik: I agree with virtually everything you just said, and with that, I think our debate has drawn to a close.

Thanks again, Alex, for your time, thoughts and words. We'll be sure to hook up again for future Dolphins debates. For the readers, be sure to check back for more AFC East debates in the near future.

Follow Erik Frenz on Twitter.