Hurricanes RB Miller falls to Dolphins in draft

"  DAVIE, Fla. (AP) Miami Hurricanes running back Lamar Miller kept falling in theNFL draft until the Miami Dolphins traded up to take him.Despite pressing needs at receiver and safety, the Dolphinsselected Miller in the fourth round. He had been projected as alikely second-round pick and perhaps even a late first-rounder.''I was upset at first,'' he said after waiting more than 36hours to hear his name announced. ''But now I'm happy with whereI'm at.''Fearful that another team might be about to take Miller, theDolphins moved up six spots and grabbed him shortly after the draftresumed Saturday.''I expected him to go a little bit earlier, but that's thedraft,'' general manager Jeff Ireland said. ''For whatever reasonhe was still there, and I thought he was too good a value to passup.''The Dolphins still don't have an elite pass catcher forincumbent quarterback Matt Moore or rookie Ryan Tannehill, theirfirst-round pick Thursday. They did add a potential possessionreceiver by selecting Michigan State's B.J. Cunningham in the sixthround.And Miller could provide a multiple threat as an understudy toReggie Bush. He rushed for 1,272 yards and nine touchdowns with theHurricanes last year, and he's an elite kickoff returner and acapable pass catcher.''We look at Lamar Miller as a back that has the opportunity tocreate explosive plays,'' coach Joe Philbin said. ''He's a guy whocan break tackles, and he has very good speed. It was hard toignore the guy.''After deciding to forgo his final two years of collegeeligibility, Miller will play in the same stadium where he starredwith the Hurricanes.''To be in my hometown, to get a chance to play for a SuperBowl, that's always a great thing,'' he said. ''I'm just ready toput the team on the map.''Miller became the second Hurricanes player taken by theDolphins. In the third round they selected defensive end OlivierVernon, the first Hurricane drafted by the Dolphins since 2004.''We got a chance to visit with all the University of Miamiguys,'' Ireland said. ''We want to try to create a relationshipwith the Hurricanes and coach Al Golden. I like the way he coacheshis players. I believe in his program. We had a good long talkabout the players we drafted, and I think we're just scratching thesurface of the two. They're two tremendous prospects. Theirceilings are endless.''The Dolphins drafted Stanford offensive tackle Jonathan Martinin the second round and Missouri tight end Michael Egnew in thethird round. In the fifth round they took Oregon outside linebackerJosh Kaddu, and their seventh-round picks were Texas defensivelineman Kheeston Randall and Nevada receiver Rishard Matthews.Six of the Dolphins' nine choices were offensive players. Theydidn't take a safety, where a void remains after the release ofveteran Yeremiah Bell last month, and Ireland said the draft wasthin at the position.The draft was the second for Ireland since the departure ofDolphins football czar Bill Parcells. Ireland said a high successrate on his picks this year will be critical.''We're trying to win championships, and I believe this is thebest way to build a team,'' Ireland said. ''It's extremelyimportant for this franchise that we hit on a lot of theseplayers.''Cunningham was Michigan State's leading career receiver with 218catches. The Dolphins hope he will help fill the void created bythe departure of Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall, who was tradedto the Chicago Bears in March.''I'll line up inside, outside, wherever you want,'' Cunninghamsaid. ''However they utilize me - special teams, whatever they needto do - I'll come out and I'll produce for them.''Tannehill, the first quarterback taken in the first round by theDolphins since Dan Marino in 1983, was formally introduced at amorning news conference. Holding his new No. 17 jersey, he posedfor photos with owner Stephen Ross.''Hope one day we can retire this number,'' Ross said.''I couldn't have come to a better place,'' Tannehill said.''I'm honored to have been selected by such a greatorganization.''Tannehill's coach at Texas A&M was Mike Sherman, theDolphins' new offensive coordinator. Tannehill immediately beganstudying the playbook and liked the looks of it.''It was pretty familiar,'' he said. ''I'm really excited to getback into it. There have been some changes, but the foundation ofit is all the same. I'm excited to get into the new stuff thatthey've added in the past few months that we didn't have atA&M, and to get on the field and start running the plays.''Tannehill and the rest of the rookies will report for anintroductory camp next weekend, and the objective will be modest,Philbin said.''Hopefully when we get plays going to the right, we'll geteverybody to go to the right and not run into one another,'' hesaid. ''It's more of an orientation that a real camp.''"