Everyone already knows that the first two picks of the 2012 NFL Draft are going to be quarterbacks. Stanford's Andrew Luck with go first to the Colts, and Baylor's Robert Griffin III will go to the Redskins (because I don't, for one second, believe the smokescreen the Colts are attempting to put out there that they're "undecided" as to which quarterback to go with). The third pick, thus far, has been thought to be just as yawn-inducing, as the Minnesota Vikings have been linked to Matt Kalil ever since the Redskins made the trade to move up to the St. Louis Rams' spot at #2.
That is, unless a team happens to fall in love with a player. . .perhaps a quarterback. . .that could possibly entice them to move up to Minnesota's spot at #3. And, as was pointed out in the FanPosts earlier, it appears that somebody might have done just that.
Ryan Tannehill. . .COME ON DOWN!
If the Seahawks want Tannehill, it's now a certainty that they'll have to trade up from their 12th overall spot in this year's draft. Not only are the Dolphins looking at him as a very likely prospect, the Browns -- who have the fourth overall pick -- are also very interested in Tannehill. Childress echoed Schneider's comments about the intrigue Tannehill brings to the process as a college receiver before he was a quarterback -- he's the only player in FBS history to achieve a 400-yard passing game and 200-yard receiving game, and no other player in FBS history has totaled more than 4,000 passing yards and 1,500 receiving yards in a career.
"It's remarkable that a wide receiver came in as proficient as he did at a big-time program," Childress said. "I have no reservations [about the lack of big-time quarterback experience]. I like kids who haven't been playing the position since Pop Warner."
Well, I mean, if Brad Childress likes him, then BAM! Book it! Done!
I'm not sure why that first line about the Seattle Seahawks is there, considering that they just signed Matt Flynn to a contract and still have Tarvaris Jackson hanging around. When it boils down to it, the two teams that would be most interested in Tannehill. . .to crib from Dennis Green. . .are who we thought they were. They are the Cleveland Browns, who pick right after the Vikings at #4, and the Miami Dolphins, who currently hold the #8 selection. Adding to the intrigue of the Dolphins being interested is that former Green Bay Packers' head coach Mike Sherman is the Dolphins' new offensive coordinator. . .oh, and he was Tannehill's college coach at Texas A&M, too.
I still have trouble envisioning a scenario where the Vikings put themselves in a position to miss out on any of the big three non-quarterbacks in Kalil, Justin Blackmon, or Morris Claiborne. (I guess Trent Richardson belongs there, too, but come on. . .the Vikings aren't drafting Trent Richardson, and we all know it.) Miami's selection at 8 might be too far to drop for Minnesota, but I suppose stranger things have happened. After all, if the Dolphins are interested, Rick Spielman might be able to extract a pretty decent price from his former employers.
But, if you're one of those "trade down and stockpile picks" guys, then Ryan Tannehill did exactly what you wanted him to do. . .thrown a potential monkey wrench into the top part of the draft board.