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Dolphins' top pick makes sudden impact

By ARMANDO SALGUERO
Miami Herald

Lionel Dotson is a very large man, with his 295 pounds filling out a 6-4 frame to overflow, and yet that large mass of muscle and bulk disappeared at times Friday afternoon.

Every time Dotson, a Dolphins rookie defensive end, plowed helmet-first into Jake Long it was as if a pagan sacrifice was disappearing into the mouth of a large volcano.

Long is Miami's prized first-round pick and the first player selected in last weekend's NFL draft. On Friday one could see why the pedigree so far is deserved.

During a 90-minute practice in which there was only minimal contact and no tackling, Long nonetheless seemed capable of a great amount of violence.

He elbowed linebacker Keith Saunders on one passing play as the tryout player was attempting to rush the quarterback. It was hardly sound protection technique but it was nonetheless effective, knocking Saunders off his path to the quarterback.

On another passing play, Long stepped quickly in front of 247-pound Titus Brown and seemed to easily stick with the smaller, lighter player.

And then Long enveloped Dotson on yet another play, latching on to the advancing defender and erasing him from a play before the team period of Friday's practice was complete.

''Today was fun,'' Long said afterward. ``It was a short practice. I wanted to keep going. I am excited we have two [practices Saturday] to keep putting the offense in and keep learning from them. I am very excited about it.''

THE HEAT IS ON

Friday was an easy day for the newest Dolphins. The weather was going only half-speed because it was cloudy and breezy and otherwise pleasant.

But despite the inviting climate, one should note the heat is on Long anyway.

He is today the highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL based on his $30 million guaranteed payday. And Dolphins fans expect their team to get its money's worth. No excuses.

''There's definitely pressure,'' Long said. ``I have that over my head every single day. And that pushes me to go out and work as hard as I can and prove to people that I can and earn the money. So I have to go out there and earn it and show people why I have it.''

He has it because the Dolphins need him to be the starting left tackle not just for 2008, but also for the next five years of his contract. It is not about him growing into the starting job by serving an apprenticeship on the bench.

Jake Long has to start from Day One.

But that universally known fact was seemingly taboo Friday. Long used his well-chronicled quick feet to sidestep the issue when he was asked if he expected to be the starter this year.

''I just expect to come in here and learn as quick as I can and show the coaches the type of player I am,'' he said.

As if on cue, Dolphins coach Tony Sparano also would not put an anvil-sized-weight of pressure on the rookie, saying only that he hoped Long eventually would become ``a pretty good player for us.''

But that was only a poorly veiled attempt to keep expectations about Long from soaring.

Last month when he was discussing what he expects from his first-round selection, Sparano drew a clear, distinct line between success and failure.

''Any first-round pick should be an impact player,'' Sparano said then. ``He should be a guy that can come on the field, contribute to us and play for us right away.''

LEFT TACKLE WANTED

That is not the only issue that Long has to overcome. Yes, starting immediately would mark a certain amount of success for him. But the position at which he starts is also important.

The Dolphins, you see, didn't pick Long to be a right tackle. It is not about him easing into the left tackle job by playing right tackle first. He needs to start and he needs to do it at left tackle, which is tougher to play than the right side because the best defenders play opposite the left tackle.

''Obviously, in my mind in our league, the left tackle has to play against the quicker athlete and the more explosive athlete,'' Sparano said. ``The right tackle maybe sometimes plays the bigger, stronger athlete. So the guy who you're looking for, athletically, has to be able to compete against those types of people out there.''

Long seemed more than capable of doing that Friday. Of course that was in a rookie camp that lacked proven veterans and full-speed contact. That test will come soon enough.

But for now, at least for one rookie minicamp practice, Long was dominant among his peers. And that made him seem worth the draft pick that brought him to Miami.

Salguero got it right on the fact that Long will be immediately annointed the starting left tackle.  I like what I'm hearing about this guy's performance so far.

But let's see what he can do come July when he's facing JT in full pads.

Given that long surrendered 3 sacks in his college career (If I recall correctly) and one of those was to a guy who was taken in the first round, I would expect nothing less than for him to dominate a group mostly consisting of Undrafted free agents.

OK, so he was taking people out of the game, but at this stage its a case of the technique he uses, is it sound, can it be used against the top guys in the league?

It was "two" sacks in his 4-year career, which matches the total number of times he was flagged for a penalty on the field.

Jake is going to be a monster, and our world needs more monsters in aqua and orange.