Dolphins take Jake Long with No. 1 pick in draft
NFL
Miami signs the Michigan tackle to a five-year deal reportedly worth $57.5 million with $30 million guaranteed.
The Miami Dolphins have made their decision: It's Jake Long.
The Dolphins have agreed to terms with the Michigan tackle, making him the No. 1 overall pick in this year's NFL draft.
According to the NFL Network, the five-year contract is worth $57.5 million and includes $30 million in guarantees.
The decision puts the St. Louis Rams on the clock and means they probably will select a defensive lineman second. The three most likely candidates are Virginia's Chris Long, Louisiana State's Glenn Dorsey and Ohio State's Vernon Gholston.
The Dolphins announced the signing today, four days before the official start of the draft, in a news conference that included Long, Dolphins Coach Tony Sparano and General Manager Jeff Ireland.
It's the first draft under the regime of Bill Parcells, vice president of football operations. The Dolphins finished 1-15 last season, nearly joining the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the only team to lose every game.
"Jake was our guy from the beginning," Ireland said. "I don't make a habit of telling you what's on our board, but he was on top of the board from the beginning. ... There wasn't a whole lot of debate. We all felt comfortable with the player."
Long, who is 6 feet 7, 315 pounds, was a two-time All-American and three-time Big Ten Conference offensive lineman of the year. He was flagged for penalties only twice in his entire college career, once for a hold during his redshirt freshman season, and for a false start last fall.
At the scouting combine, Long confided that he simply knows how to get away with infractions without getting caught.
"Absolutely," he said. "I'll admit that I hold. I'll get my hands inside and hide it that I'm holding. I'll try to hide it so the refs can't see it."
sam.farmer@latimes.com
