Apr 22, 2008 6:05 pm US/Eastern
Dolphins To Tap Jake Long As Number One Pick
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
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Jake Long is the 2008 number one overall pick by the Miami Dolphins
CBS
The Miami Dolphins and Michigan OT Jake Long have reached a contract agreement that will make Long the number one overall pick in the NFL Draft this season. The Dolphins chose the 6'7", 320 lb offensive lineman over DE Vernon Gholston, DE Chris Long and DT Glenn Dorsey.
Jake Long will reportedly receive $30 million in guaranteed money as part of his five-year contract, according to the
NFL Network. The total value of the contract is $57.5 million. The deal is worth less guaranteed money than 2007 number one pick QB Jamarcus Russell, but Long's contract is also for one year less.
"He was the guy we were targeting all along," said Dolphins General Manager Jeff Ireland.
Long is a two-time All-American offensive tackle. He was a 2007 Outland Trophy finalist, which is given to best lineman in the country.
Perhaps one thing that played in Long's selection was his character. In the time of the NFL crackdown on bad behavior by players, like Pacman Jones, Long seemed to be the safest of the picks. "We feel like he has all the qualities we're looking for in our offensive line," said Dolphins coach Jake Long
Jake Long only gave up three quarterback sacks in the final 26 games of his career at Michigan. One of those sacks was coincidentally to the other man rumored to be a possible selection of the Dolphins at number one, Vernon Gholston.
Long will be thrown into the fire immediately as he is already penciled into the starting lineup. "We see Jake as a left tackle, left tackle is what we need and left tackle is where he is going to be playing," Sparano said.
The selection of Long is considered a safe pick for the Dolphins. Typically, offensive linemen taken near the top of the draft have little trouble adjusting to the NFL and can make an immediate contribution to the team. Long will have the tall task of trying to anchor an offensive line that couldn't protect a quarterback or open holes for a running back in 2007.
The Dolphins could move 2007 LT Vernon Carey back to his more natural position of RT. Combined with free agent signing, G Justin Smiley, the Dolphins could be well on there way to trying to duplicate the formula put together by the Cleveland Browns. The Browns spent their 2007 first-round pick on OT Joe Thomas who worked with free agent signing G Eric Steinbach to help revitalize what was once the worst pat of the team for the Browns.
Long becomes only the second offensive lineman selected as the number one overall pick. The other was LT Orlando Pace who was selected number one by the St. Louis Rams in 1997.
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