The Miami Dolphins are still three rookie signings away from locking up their 2012 draft picks, but even that's not enough to curtail us from looking at the players who could be on the Dolphins' radar next spring. Now, bear in mind that my big board is still based on team need prior to this season--some of these players aren't going to make sense for Miami following the conclusion of the 2012 season. For right now, however, these players represent a major upgrade at several positions in Miami

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In my Sunday morning post, I brought up the issue of Dolphins fans having unrealistic expectations of Miami's 2012 rookie class, and then proceeded to highlight which players will be able to contribute the most right out of the blocks.

However, expectations regarding a rookie season and a full-blown career are two very, very different concepts, and represent a key lesson for Dolphins fans this season: don't expect to get the full dose of fireworks from guys like Ryan Tannehill, Olivier Vernon, Lamar Miller and Michael Egnew right off the bat. These guys could (and should) be difference makers in Miami, but the chances of them coming and immediately dominating are slim, to say the least, Rather, treat these guys like you would treat a rebuilding franchise (something the Dolphins qualify as) and understand that there will be lumps-a-plenty for some of these hotshot rookies.

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You'll never guess which Dolphins player made Mel Kiper's list of 2011 draftees he believes are poised to make the leap this season. Go ahead, I'll give you a second to think this one over. Please, take your time.

(clock ticks away as I watch the the Thunder/Lakers game and wonder how many more times I'll have to sit through commercials for that show Men at Work. The writing on that show just reeks of a trying-too-hard sitcom, and the guy who played Hyde on That '70s Show should've take a cue from Foreman and stayed away from telev--and there's another commercial for the show. Forget it.)

Anyway, if you answered Mike Pouncey or Daniel Thomas to the above question, you were waaaaay off. Rather, the Dolphins player who made Kiper's list is none other than Clyde Gates, Abilene Christian's speedster du jour. Surprised? You should be. I was. I mean, we're talking about a player who spent a lot of time without the ball last season (and looked wholly uncomfortable whenever he actually had the rock). Kiper could find fault in any player not named Andrew Luck or John Elway, so it's surprising to see him mention a second-year player who was on very few radars in 2011. Please tell us why, Mel.

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The tricky thing when evaluating any team's draft class is attributing realistic expectations to each drafted player in question. If you select a player in the first round, you want to see him on the field ASAP. Compare this expectation with that of a third-round quarterback. You wouldn't expect that guy to start right off the bat, would you? Yet, if your quarterback situation is a mess, it's certainly realistic to expect at least the possibility of said quarterback seeing the field some time during his rookie season. Still with me? Kind of confusing, I know, but important to note nonetheless.

Keep this logic in mind as we look at the Miami Dolphins' 2012 draft class.

1. Expectation of Ryan Tannehill -- Starter at some point in 2012

The book on Tannehill when he came out of Texas A&M was that he'd need an entire year of learning while on the bench, and this logic was why Miami's selection of Tannehill at No. 8 was so polarizing; again, you want to see first-round picks (and especially top 10 guys) on the field posthaste. Of course, word is now coming out that Tannehill could be the Dolphins' starting quarterback at some point in 2012 (perhaps sooner than later), which has forced plenty of haters to rethink their criticism of Jeff Ireland for the Tannehill selection. It's not absurd to think Tannehill will start from day one, but it's probably most realistic to think he'll simply take the field as a starter next fall. At what point during the season? That will remain to be seen.

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Chances are that most of you enjoy stuff outside of sports (and if that's not the case, you're likely insane), so I thought we'd continue with the camaraderie-building posts and find out what kind of music you guys enjoy when you're not talking about whether or not Ryan Tannehill will suck as an NFL quarterback.

Musical taste always varies, but it certainly seems like rap and classic rock are the most popular musical idioms among Phinsider members. Tex loves his alternative country rock. Kevin often dreams of joining the band Journey. I've been playing guitar for 16 years and still love the alternative music, power pop and classic rock I grew up listening to in the car (good music has a way of staying relevant regardless of current trends). Neil Young, Soundgarden, Counting Crows, Silverchair, Smashing Pumpkins and Kings of Leon are some of my all-time faves, and also love Motown, '70s R&B, and sometimes even rap (this phase usually only lasts about a week or two each year, however).

Please take a moment to tell me about your favorite groups and/or musicians.

Following on the heels of our discussion regarding favorite sports memories (thanks to those who contributed, by the way), let's flip the switch and look at something a little more ... agonizing.

Horrible sports memories. We all have them, and many of ours will probably be Dolphins related (a certain 1994 AFC Divisional Playoff game comes to my mind). Perhaps some of you are Yankees fans and have to live every day with what happened to your team in October 2004 (you have my condolences if that's the case; there's no coming back from a choke series of that magnitude). Even worse, maybe some of you guys are Cubs fans. If so, mental anguish is pretty much the name of the game for you (no to rub salt in the wound, but I still cannot believe the nonchalance with which the 2008 Cubs transitioned from a dominant regular-season team to a horseass postseason club).

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It's human nature in sports to focus on topics like "Which team will suck the most this season?" and "Which current athlete is the biggest jerk?", so let's take a second, reverse course and think about the players who have the best chance of being named Rookie of the Year on offense and defense this season. Newly-minted rookies Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III are sure to be favorites on the offensive side of the football, and there are literally a plethora of defensive players who could take the honor this season (smart money will be on Luke Kuechly, but Fletcher Cox, Morris Claiborne and Melvin Ingram are all strong candidates).

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Ah, there's nothing like the month of May to really make football fans feel close to their favorite team. We're officially at the point where tumbleweeds would be a compelling news item, so it's a probably a good idea to take a step back from the NFL and acknowledge the fact that three other sports (four if you count Nascar, and I am purely doing so because Kevin and Duke will be heartbroken if I omit that ... pastime) are currently in season. Hockey is actually my No. 1 fave sport (yes, more so than football), so I've been paying close attention to the NHL playoffs (loving the L.A. Kings right now, btw). I know most of you here are Heat fans (I promise to not make any more mention of flops, FBI refs or Miami's "improved" bench during this article. We're good. It's out of my system). Tex is a die-hard Texas Rangers fan, while Kevin has something like five favorite baseball teams (not sure how that's even possible or acceptable), and I am sure many more of you are big baseball fans. My point, you ask? I am getting to it! Patience, please.

(clears throat)

(takes a bathroom break)

(returns three hours later with a half-empty bottle of Crown Royal)

My point is that there's a good chance some of your all-time favorite sports memories don't involve the Miami Dolphins (I just opened the gate for a crapload of jokes from Pats and Jets fans, didn't I?). I'll even go on a limb and say the Dolphins aren't anywhere near my top 3 for greatest sports memories. Part of the reason for that, of course, is because they just haven't been overly wonderful during the majority of my lifetime (I was born in 1984; I was in high school the last time the Dolphins won a playoff game); the other reason is because I am a sucker for the sports stories that typically trickle out of the NHL, NBA and MLB. Don't get me wrong, the NFL can be downright captivating, but the "meat market" aspect of the game sucks, imo. Honestly, these players we know and love have a very small window when it comes to competing at their absolute athletic peak, and that fact has always bummed me out. I almost feel like getting attached to a football player is like getting attached to a character in a Friday the 13th film--enjoy them while they're around, because some maniac is going to butcher them into oblivion right before your eyes. The NFL is fantastic, but its violence is a doubled-edged sword. We (myself included) crave the big hits, but God only knows how many of those "big hits" a player's body chemistry can endure before it's curtains for his career.

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With free agency and draft madness in the rear-view mirror, Adam Schefter--heretofore known as the "Human Rickroll of NFL Media"--has gone back to what he does best: speculating along with every other writer, talking head and armchair quarterback in the country. That's not to say Schefter can't occasionally put out material that borders on actual quality, though.

In his latest NFL mailbag on ESPN.com, Schefter fielded a question regarding whether or not he thinks Ryan Tannehill will start for the Miami Dolphins in 2012. He notes that there is considerable pressure for the Dolphins to get their brand-new quarterback at some point next season, and touches upon the fact that, while Matt Moore is a capable starter, he's not "the guy" in Miami. If he was, Jeff Ireland would've played it safe and used the No. 8 overall pick on someone other than Tannehill.

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Most everyone is all about Miami Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland right now, and it's easy to see why--his 2012 draft brought a boatload of speed, size and brains to South Florida. Oh, and he drafted Miami's first first-round quarterback (Ryan Tannehill) since Dan Marino in 1983. That kind of ballsiness, paired with a relentless pursuit of top-notch athletes like Michael Egnew and Lamar Miller, is bound to make you some friends in a football city that desperately wants (and needs) to get in line with current NFL trends and blow out scoreboards. However, we won't know just how good Ireland's draft was until these new guys get on the field next fall. In the meantime, let us know which Dolphins draft selection was your least favorite of the bunch.

The best thing about the NFL Draft is that you can literally begin talking about next year's event just moments after the last one wraps up. As many here on The Phinsider have mentioned over the last two weeks, the 2013 NFL Draft will be a milestone for the Dolphins, as it will be the first draft in over a decade where the quarterback position isn't Miami's top need. That's a pretty exciting notion unto itself. For once, the Dolphins can actually hunker down and focus on bringing in high-round draft picks to bolster the pass rush, solidify the secondary and further add a lethal element to the receiver corps. Cue the heavy applause.

With an eye on bettering this team next season, yesterday I took some time to check out Mel Kiper's first 2013 Big Board. Aside from my usual reaction whenever reading an initial big board (I almost always question just how many of the listed underclassmen will actually come out), I have to admit how impressed I was with some of the Dolphins-ready talent on the board. I've repeatedly stated my early man-crush on NC State cornerback wunderkind David Amerson, but that's not to say I'd be averse to the Dolphins going with one of the three pass-rush barons (Georgia's Jarvis Jones, LSU's Barkevious Mingo and Sam Montgomery) who will be available next spring. Not surprisingly, all four of these players are in the top eight of Kiper's Big Board.

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Welcome to the NFL doldrums, everyone. We're officially in the phase of the offseason where it's acceptable to get hung up on roster moves that will have absolutely no effect on training camp, preseason or regular season. Wait, hold on ... I think I actually hear some activity going on. Let's take a closer look.

(Tumbleweed blows across a dirt street; horse neighs; sound of Omar simultaneously cooking his wife a "man's dinner" and belittling his Twitter followers can be heard in the distance)

Okay, so we're in full-blown hibernation mode. That's fine. It's never easy to go from the most exciting point of the offseason (the NFL Draft) to the least exciting point in one fell swoop. It's like going from 120 mph to 0 in 1.7 seconds on a high-powered motorcycle. For now, all we can do is continue critiquing the Dolphins' 2012 draft--one that has slowly become the darling draft among analysts over the last two weeks (who knew Jeff Ireland had it in him?).

Thus, it's time to tell us the Dolphins 2012 draft selection who will have the most success this season. Think Ryan Tannehill will get his shot this fall? How about Jonathan Martin coming and dominating at right tackle? Maybe Lamar Miller and Michael Egnew blow holes in the AFC East in 2012. Maybe Olivier Vernon comes in and makes everyone say, "We have to account for that guy and Cameron Wake?"

With the 2012 NFL Draft in the rear-view mirror, many Dolphins fans will have to find a different roster hole to complain about, now that Ryan Tannehill has been tapped as the future signal caller in Miami. Finding another position of concern shouldn't be too difficult of a task for us, though--the Dolphins' receiver corps is still somewhat underwhelming, and their secondary will probably be due for a little sharpening after next season (it's put-up-or-shut-up time for Sean Smith, and Miami's safety situation is still touch and go). Nevertheless, we want to know which position will be tops on your mind next offseason.

The dust has finally settled on the 2012 draft season (thank God), so now it is time to let us know which pick you were most stoked (excited ... primed ... hepped ... jazzed ...) about this past weekend. I was partial to the Jonathan Martin, Michael Egnew and Lamar Miller picks, but none of the Dolphins' selections really bummed me out (even the surprise Josh Kaddu pick in round five). Only time will tell if Jeff Ireland really knocked it out of the park with this draft, but it sure seems like he's off to a strong start, no?

Here we are, gents. After months and months of mocking, criticizing, re-mocking, re-criticizing, analyzing, getting punched in the face by the Dolphins lack of activity during free agency, discussing, re-analyzing and then once again re-mocking, we're finally on the doorstep of the 2012 NFL Draft. It's here, my friends and fellow fans, and it could be a doozy for those of you clamoring for the Dolphins to take the next step and fashion a blitzkrieg, "F you, we're going to blast your ass right off the field!" style of offense. If the Dolphins want to go grocery shopping for their brand-spanking-new West Coast offense this weekend, they'll likely walk away with some elite pieces of the puzzle. Quicksilver receivers? They'll be available. Mobile offensive lineman? They're invited to the party. Seam-threat tight ends? Take your pick--there's virtually dozens to choose from! It's going to be a sweet weekend in Dolphins country. You'll see. I never lie.

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... Oh, hi guys. Were you expecting me to reveal the Dolphins' selection in the draft this evening? Well, I can't do that for you--not because I want to be a sadistic jag toward anyone here, but because I really have no f'n clue where the Jeff Ireland and Co. will go with the eighth pick in this draft. Everyone thinks it'll be Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill (somewhere, Bacon is cracking open a tallboy at the thought of Tannehill raising a Dolphins jersey with Judge Dredd Goodell tonight). A lot of people think North Carolina defensive end Quinton Coples is a legit possibility for Miami. Ditto with South Carolina defensive end Melvin Ingram. Notre Dame wide receiver extraordinaire Michael Floyd is currently the darkhorse to play ball in South Florida next season. And you can never, ever, EVER rule out an offensive lineman for Miami in the first round. So many options, so little time ... and it's going to be madness for Dolphins fans when that eighth pick goes on the clock--true madness. Some of them will expect the worst (aka the "We're drafting the entire Ginn family" draft plan) tomorrow night. Some will just be glad to get some more talented prospects on the Dolphins roster. Other fans will party their faces off purely at the thought of the Dolphins breaking the 29-year-without-drafting-a-first-round-quarterback streak. Whatever your reasons for excitement, optimism or pessimism, take solace in this fact: the Dolphins selection tonight will be a bona fide game changer--a player who will help Joe Philbin and Co. move closer to their goal of painting the AFC East in rich, bold shades of aqua and orange.

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Since I spent a fair amount of time ripping draft analysts a new one in my Thursday morning column, I'd like to point out a draft suggestion that actually makes sense, and realistically considers what the Dolphins should do with the No. 8 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.

ESPN's Adam Schefter, our favorite whipping boy around here as of late, this morning published an NFL mailbag in which he fields a question about the Dolphins' best bet at the eight spot. Surprisingly, Schefter resisted the urge to climb on the "TRADE EVERYTHING FOR RYAN TANNEHILL RIGHT NOW!!!" bandwagon, and instead suggested that Miami could stay put and still indeed land the Texas A&M quarterback.

... Unless a team like Buffalo, Kansas City or Seattle is willing to trade up, Tannehill could slide to Miami," Schefter said. "However, if it costs the Dolphins only a mid-round pick to move up a spot or two to ensure they get Tannehill--assuming they really like him--they should not bypass that opportunity.

Amazing, considering where this info is coming from. You mean the Dolphins can go after Tannehill and not trade away their next four 1s and 2s for him? Surely you jest. And that's if the Dolphins even want the former Aggie standout. You never know with Jeff Ireland and Co.

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime of "Suck for Luck" campaigns, various other bandwagons for college prospects, and countless mind-numbing discussions about whether or not Ryan Tannehill sucks, we're just a week away from the 2012 NFL Draft ... and it can't get here fast enough--not when we're fortunate enough to have the likes of Jim Irsay, Bill Polian, Michael Lombardi, Todd McShay and plenty of other goons telling us what the Miami Dolphins should do with the No. 8 overall selection. If anything, this pre-draft season has absolutely brought the experts (see: jaded morons) out of the woodwork.

If Dolphins fans can learn anything from the 2012 NFL Draft, it's this: absolutely do not listen to these people or anyone else passing themselves off as an NFL draft expert. Sure, their predictions can be right-on sometimes, but these guys get paid to drum up controversy and page views, not inform the loyal football fans taking the time to read and consider their literary or verbal spew. If you have half a brain and a little bit of down time, you can probably come up with a list of needs for your favorite team and attempt to put their draft pieces together. Did your quarterback get bodyslammed more than Chris Jericho last season? You might be taking an offensive lineman in the first round. Did you find yourself cringing every time an opposing quarterback dropped back to pass? You might have a brand-new cornerback in your future. This stuff isn't rocket science; it just requires attention and a little bit of research. Some general managers (including ours) will throw you the curveball, but if you're a fan, you'll have at least an idea of which direction your team will go in the draft.

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