And the first pick of the 2008 NFL draft is ....

[Triple B]

Dolphins to make Jake Long draft's top pick by Jay Glazer

Michigan offensive lineman Jake Long and the Miami Dolphins have agreed to terms on a six-year deal, FOXSports.com has learned. The deal, to be voided after five years, is worth $30 million guaranteed and has a total value of $57 million over five years.

Long is slated to fly into Miami later Tuesday to join his new team.

There has been much speculation recently that the team was setting up a smoke screen in their interest of Long, but apparently it wasn't a ruse.

Long, a 6-7, 315-pound tackle, was a two-time All-American at Michigan and was twice named Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year.

He will be the first offensive lineman to be drafted No. 1 since 1997, when the St. Louis Rams took Ohio State tackle Orlando Pace. It will be the fifth time in league history an offensive lineman has gone No. 1.

Long has insisted he's not consumed with the possibility of going first.

"It doesn't matter to me when I get drafted," he said. "I'll be happy wherever I go and I'm going to do everything I can to have a great career."

With the deal done, the St. Louis Rams are on the clock. The Dolphins have nine total picks in this weekend's draft.

Long gave up just two sacks and was called for only two penalties in his entire career. He joined Pace, Michigan State's Tony Mandarich and Ohio State's Korey Stringer as the only Big Ten linemen to be selected the conference's best in consecutive seasons.

Long's toughest challenge came off the field on the night the Detroit Pistons won the 2004 NBA title. The off-campus house he was living in caught fire and the only way out of his second-floor room, which was filled with smoke, was through a window. He kicked out the screen and belly-flopped on his buddy's Bronco.

Long suffered a sore shoulder from his fall onto a truck, and smoke inhalation landed him in the hospital for a week. He made a full recovery.

During his sophomore season, he missed the first seven games with an ankle injury. Long weighed 335 pounds as Michigan slumped to a 7-5 record that was so startling, it motivated the entire team to get into better shape, including its star tackle. Long lost 20 pounds and kept the weight off the next two seasons.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8060536

[cygnus34]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/football/pro/dolphins/sfl-draftsign042208,0,3632394.story

[flsportsfan83]

Great pick. The Miami front office knows what they are doing now.

I am a happy Fins fan.

[Bull Dozer]

Very happy about this. 

[theman123]

Pretty good pick, I can't complain,