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Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III already have robbed next week’s NFL Draft of much of its early drama, but that doesn’t mean the quarterback position is without intrigue.
Though Luck and RG3 appear certain to go 1-2 on Thursday night at Radio City Music Hall, there will be plenty of interest in where and when Texas A&M passer Ryan Tannehill ends up.
Despite beginning his career at wide receiver and starting just 20 games under center in college, Tannehill has been this year’s fastest riser when it comes to pre-draft buzz among scouts and coaches.
Even Tannehill admits his lack of experience makes him something of a question mark.
“That’s definitely a legitimate question,” the 6-foot-4, 220-pound prospect said at the Scouting Combine. “I did only start 20 games at quarterback. It’s a question that deservedly needs an answer. I learned a lot in those 20 games, but I definitely
have a lot to improve on.”
Tannehill can thank the combination of strong offseason workouts and quarterback-desperate teams — one in South Florida, in particular — for a sudden burst of popularity.
Having missed out on Peyton Manning and Matt Flynn in free agency and needing a franchise thrower, the Dolphins — whose new offensive coordinator, Mike Sherman, was Tannehill’s college coach — are making a lot of noise in league circles about taking the strapping Texas native.
Though that might sound like a reach, there even has been speculation the Browns might beat Miami to the punch and take Tannehill with the fourth overall pick — though Tannehill required surgery in early February to insert a screw in his broken foot.
Madness? Not to Sherman and others who watched Tannehill tear up the Big 12 by throwing for 5,450 yards and 42 touchdowns and completing a school-record 62.5 percent of his passes in just 1 1⁄2 seasons at the helm of the Aggies.
On the other hand, Tannehill had such a short tenure at quarterback because his coach recruited him at that position but moved him to receiver because he thought Jerrod Johnson was better. That coach? Sherman.
Mark Sanchez’s roller-coaster career could be a warning sign, making observers cautious about Tannehill. Sanchez had a similarly short career at USC (just 16 starts) before the Jets made him the sixth overall pick in 2009.
Andy Dalton showed last season that teams can wait until the second round and still pick up a quarterback capable of starting right away, and there appear to be several in the Dalton mode this year.
Brandon Weeden of Oklahoma State, Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins and Brock Osweiler of Arizona State all seem to fit that bill, though enough teams are badly in need of a QB that it wouldn’t astound scouts if five or even all six go in the first 40 or so picks.
With the passing-game explosion comes the necessity for capable cornerbacks. Roughly 15 corners have no worse than a third-round grade on most draft boards.
LSU’s Morris Claiborne heads the cornerback class, but much of the attention is on Janoris Jenkins. The troubled North Alabama prospect, who transferred from Florida, might be the most talented of the bunch but has had numerous off-field personal woes that are forcing most teams to tread very lightly.
Where Giants stand
There’s a remote chance the Giants in the late rounds select a quarterback, but don’t bet on it. Help for the secondary always is in play, and Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith in the first round could produce in sub packages and on special teams. Cornerback could be a target. Aaron Ross (now with the Jaguars) is gone, re-signed Terrell Thomas is coming off ACL surgery and 2011 first-round pick Prince Amukamara is coming off a stem-cell injection to strengthen his healing broken foot.
— Paul Schwartz
Where Jets stand
There is a huge need at safety, and that could be where they go in the first round. Alabama safety Mark Barron is the best safety in this draft. The Jets could trade up to grab him. If not, they will look for a safety later in the draft.
It seems unlikely the Jets would select a quarterback after trading for Tim Tebow last month, but with GM Mike Tannenbaum, you never say never. Tannenbaum is fond of quoting former Packers GM Ron Wolf, who said you should take a quarterback every year.
— Brian Costello
bhubbuch@nyppost.com