The Miami Dolphins have made no secret of their desire to acquire a top-flight quarterback this offseason. Now a new name is joining the mix of potential acquisition targets alongside Peyton Manning and Matt Flynn: former Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

 

Tannehill is seeing his draft stock skyrocket during this week's NFL Combine. The NFL Network's Mike Mayock told the Miami Herald Monday, "I like everything about him except he stares his receivers down." He thinks Tannehill will be selected in the top ten of the draft. Earlier this year it was questionable whether Tannehill would even go in the first round.

 

Though he did not become a regular starter until midway through his junior season, Tannehill completed 62.5% of his passes in college for 5,450 yards and 42 touchdowns against 21 interceptions. In his senior year, he threw for 3,744 yards with 29 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.

 

Unlike other teams in the top 10 of the draft who may be tempted to take a chance on Tannehill, the Dolphins have some inside information on him. New offensive coordinator Mike Sherman was Tannehill's head coach at Texas A&M, and he is not shy about praising the prospect.

 

"They always say a great quarterback makes those around him better," Sherman told the Sun-Sentinel last week. "I thought [Brett] Favre did that. I think Aaron Rodgers does that. I think Tannehill does that as well."

 

Tannehill would like a reunion with Sherman in Miami. "Miami would be exciting," he told the Herald on Saturday. "Coach Sherman runs a West Coast offense as well as moving the pocket, and that’s a couple things I do well: throw on the run, bootlegs, whatever it may be to get outside the pocket and make throws downfield. I like what he did."

 

All this discussion could become moot if the Dolphins can sign Manning or Flynn, however. They will get their chance to court one or both quarterbacks beginning in March, while the NFL Draft does not begin until late April.