NFL Draft Rumors: Miami Dolphins Must Select QB Ryan Tannehill

The Miami Dolphins hold the No. 8 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, and with that selection they must take Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill. 

The Dolphins have swung and missed when trying to land several signal-callers this offseason. They lost out on Peyton Manning, Matt Flynn and Alex Smith, and also balked the price tag to trade up and position themselves to select Baylor's Robert Griffin III. While taking Tannehill at No. 8 could be seen as an "over-draft" by some, Miami can't miss out on getting a guy who could be a franchise-type quarterback in the long run. 

After acing his pro day, Tannehill solidified himself as a top-10 pick in this year's draft. Though he may not actually see the field in his rookie season because of how raw he is, the Texas A&M product could eventually turn into a fantastic NFL quarterback. 

Tannehill has all the tools a team could possibly want from a guy under center. The only real knock on him is that he only played quarterback at Texas A&M for one-and-a-half seasons after converting from wide receiver. That said, he is smart, has great mechanics, phenomenal intangibles and possesses good arm strength and accuracy for a guy who is still developing.

Talent isn't the question when it comes to Tannehill, but just when he'll be ready is a concern.

Miami is an ideal fit for Tannehill because of the presence of new head coach Joe Philbin. While he was the offensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers, Philbin oversaw the development of reigning NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers and Matt Flynn. The Dolphins also recently hired Mike Sherman to be their offensive coordinator, and he was Tannehill's head coach at Texas A&M. 

The Dolphins just can't afford to let another long-term solution at quarterback pass them by. They missed out on Manning, Flynn, Smith and Griffin, and they can't lose out again, especially because their current quarterback rotation will likely be some combination of Matt Moore and David Garrard. Typing that last sentence just made me shudder. 

Tannehill has the talent to be a great quarterback in the NFL. The Dolphins can't afford to let him go by in the 2012 NFL Draft.