With the first pick in the 2008 NFL draft…

Those are the only words I can guarantee you will hear on April 26th - because not only is the first player to be selected still a mystery, I’m not so sure the team that currently holds the coveted pick will be making the selection when the time comes.

At the moment, that pick belongs to the Miami Dolphins. In 2008, that means King of Football operations Bill Parcells and his hand picked head coach Tony Sparano will be working the war room. Assuming they don’t trade the pick, a team with as many glaring holes to fill as the Dolphins have could realistically take any one of a handful of talented athletes with the top slot.

Some coaches say the best rule to follow is to simply take the best player on the board. If the Dolphins did that, then Darren McFadden, RB from Arkansas, would be donning the aqua and orange. And he’s not a terrible fit there. Ronnie Brown has been less then impressive - compiling only average numbers and failing to play sixteen games in any of his three seasons. No doubt - Brown had the chips stacked against him in south Florida - but combined with the fact that he is coming off a serious knee injury, the Dolphins at the very least must have McFadden on their radar. And what a blip he makes. McFadden is - as they say - the total package. Speed, quickness, vision, balance, and a hint of power that comes from a solid core. Game breaker should be tattooed on his back. McFadden is as close to a can’t miss prospect as the draft offers.

It’s no secret that Miami might be interested in a quarterback also. The combined play of Trent Green, Josh McCown, and John Beck did nothing to raise the hopes of the Dolphin faithful (though Beck does get a rookie free pass). Green has moved on, leaving McCown and Beck to battle it out in a match-up best dubbed, “Who Will be the Least Terrible?” Parcells, who carried Bledsoe and Testeverde around for years, has a tendency to find older QB’s who he feels can understand the system and play mistake free. If he breaks that trend and decides to draft a signal caller full of potential - he need look no further than Matt Ryan, QB from Boston College. While he may lack the cannon arm that is often a pre-requisite for this high a pick, Ryan is smart, accurate, cool under pressure, and physically put together like he was made-to-order for the NFL. Though his selection is unlikely here, I see him as the kind of QB Parcells will be eyeing in the future.

Beyond those high profile positions- the needs on the offensive and defensive lines are difficult to ignore - and it’s likely that the Dolphins will try to fill one of those needs with the lead-off pick. Not just because they are so lean there, and not just because Parcells is an old school, “it all starts in the trenches” type of guy - but because the harvest of top college lineman is superb in ’08.

Take Glenn Dorsey, DT from LSU. A hard nosed player with natural power and every down explosiveness off the ball - he does more then hold the line - he shoves it back. He may not rack up big sack numbers, but he does apply pressure and make tackles in the backfield. And he has two traits that Parcells loves - he’s tough and he’s smart. No one would faint if a player of Dorsey’s caliber went number one - but a previous stress fracture in his leg and some knee problems have him slipping a bit.

There is no remedy for an ailing offense that works quite so quickly as a stud offensive tackle. Enter Jake Long, OT from Michigan. Long has the look of a player who could anchor a team’s O-Line for a decade - and although tackles don’t sign many autographs, the idea of getting a fixture on the line is enough to make any head coach weak in the knees. If he lacks anything, it might be quickness, but he seems to make up for it with field smarts, good decisions, and quick adjustments. His build could almost be described as athletic - no small task for a man checking in at 6’7”- 315 pounds. Whoever is lucky enough (or perhaps cursed) to win the Miami QB job - will be grateful if Jake Long is on the roster. Come to think of it, so will everyone on the team.

That brings us to the fifth and final player on this list of those who might hear their name called out first on Saturday afternoon. A defensive end who will give an opposing quarterback nightmares is a good fit for any team - and the Dolphins would especially like to increase their pressure on passers. In any of the last dozen drafts - no player fit that request quite as well as Vernon Gholston, DE from Ohio State. Gholston came to football later in life then most professionals, and didn’t play defensive end until arriving at Ohio State. Despite having to learn so much so quickly, his amazing speed and natural athletic talent soon had him earning honors and emerging as a premier lineman in college. His lights out performance at the combine had coaches running around asking “Are these numbers right?”

So if the Dolphins feel an impact defensive end is the right choice for them - will they call Gholston’s name?

Not likely.

That’s because Chris Long, DE from Virginia is on the board. Long is considered by many experts to be the college player most ready to step into an NFL lineup. Rookie D-Linemen often struggle their first year - but Long has the appearance of a player who could make an immediate impact. Once not considered a top notch athlete - Long disproved that talk with a stellar combine. Critics said the same of Reggie White - who some thought was a bit plodding. Things worked out pretty well for him. You may also hear that Long’s edge is his intelligence. Don’t believe it. Sure, he’s smart and that’s good - but he also has strong hands and arms, making him tough to block, and a powerful drive in his legs that makes him tough to shake off when he’s dragging you down. Long has great balance and uses it to leverage even the big fellas. No one works harder and you can’t find anyone who remembers a time when Chris ran out of gas.

So with this much talent to choose from - what will Miami do? Here’s how I see the war room conversation going - in brief:

“McFadden doesn’t fit our biggest needs right now. We hope Brown can come back strong.”

“Ryan is too much of a reach at number one. Most college QB’s are. We’d rather groom Beck for a while and see if free agency has anything to offer.”

“Dorsey would be a nice fit, but we can’t risk a number one and then have a guy miss multiple seasons for injury. He may be too big for his body.”

“Jake Long will be a great lineman for some team, but not for us. He isn’t big or strong enough to impress us this high in the draft, and he isn’t quick enough to handle the speed rush that some teams will show him in his first or second year.”

“Chris Long is the smart, tough kid we need to come light a fire under our defense and start creating pressure in the backfield from day one. On top of all the talent and leadership he can bring to this team, he’s also a famously nice guy with high character.”

With the first pick in the 2008 NFL draft, the Miami Dolphins select, defensive end from Virginia, Chris Long.

That’s how I see it shaking out. Only time will tell. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear any of the names I mentioned here called out from the podium - nor would a trade down be all that shocking. All I know is - playing general manager up until April 26th can be a lot of fun.

Miami, you’re on the clock…