Miami Dolphins 2012 Draft First Round Pick Ryan Tannehill Introduced

The Miami Dolphins introduced their first round draft pick, quarterback Ryan Tannehill, yesterday. Tannehill was selected with the eighth overall pick by the Dolphins, and is expected to sit for the start of the 2012 season behind incumbent starter Matt Moore or free agent acquisition David Garrard.

However, Tannehill is looking to compete with the two veterans, even as he uses them as mentors.

You can watch the Tannehill press conference over on the Dolphins website. The transcript of the press conference is below:

MIAMI DOLPHINS 1ST ROUND PICK RYAN TANNEHILL PRESS CONFERENCE

(Opening Statement from Jeff Ireland) - "I just wanted to say a few words before Joe and I have to get back up in the draft room. This is a very exciting time for Ryan, I would like to introduce his wife Lauren and their lives. This has been a very exciting time for the Miami Dolphins, I think we have had a very productive weekend thus far and that excitement started when we chose Ryan in the first round. We're looking forward to a great draft continuing, we have five more picks to go, and you are going to have the opportunity here in a few moments to see what we saw as a staff in Ryan. In a few months you are going to have the opportunity to see what we saw in him as a player. That's what fires me up, there is no ambiguity in what we chose here. We chose a fine young man, with a great family with a huge upside and we are excited to have him. So on behalf of Steve, and our head coach Joe Philbin and our entire Miami Dolphins family, I'd like to welcome Ryan and his wife Lauren to the Miami Dolphins."

Steve Ross Statement - "Ryan, I certainly echo all of Jeff's words and we are thrilled to have you and I would like to present you with your jersey."

(Opening Statement) - "I just want to say a few words. I want to say how honored I am to be one of the newest members of the Miami Dolphins. I'm so blessed to be here, so excited to be part of this great organization with a rich history and tradition. I'm really excited to get down here and start working. I want to say thank you to Stephen Ross, Jeff Ireland, Coach Philbin, and the rest of the staff for believing in me, thinking that I'm going to be the guy in the future, and I'm excited to get started. I'm excited to get to know my teammates, to get into the locker room, and to start competing on the field. It's been a long run. It's been a lot of fun, and I couldn't have gone to a better place."

(On what he's been doing since he was drafted) - "I had the draft night and went out to dinner afterwards. Got on a plane the next morning, yesterday morning, flew down here...got here in the afternoon...came up here and kind of got the grand tour of the facility. I think this is definitely the best facility I've seen. I've only seen a few during my visits, but this is definitely the best facility. I got to meet a lot of the people around the building, more the coaching staff, offensive...defensive I haven't gotten the pleasure of meeting yet. I went to a great dinner last night. This morning I got up and I've been looking at the playbook. I wanted to get off to a fast start and I feel like we're doing that."

(On if he has expectations on himself to be ready to play) - "There's no expectation. I don't think they (the team) have any real expectations for me, they just want me to come and compete and that's what I want to do. I'm a football player; I'm a competitor. I want to be on the field and I want to compete, but I also realize that I'm a rookie coming in. There are veteran quarterbacks on this team that I have a lot to learn from. I respect those guys for what they've been and what they've gone through so far in their careers. I definitely want to learn from those guys as much as I can, but compete with them at the same time."

(On if the playbook holds any familiarity to him) - "It was pretty familiar. I was excited. It's been a while since I've seen those things...I guess a few months. I'm really excited to get back into it. Yeah, there's been some changes, but the foundation of it is all the same. I'm excited to get into the new stuff that they've added in the past few months that we didn't have at A&M and to get on the field and start running the plays."

(On his background) - "I've got two younger brothers, Tyler and Tobin. My middle brother Tyler goes to Texas State in San Marcos. Tobin is a freshman at Big Spring. My dad is an administrator, a principal, former coach. He was a coach when I was growing up and went into administration right when I got into high school, and my mom is a teacher."

(On if his hometown is a typical small town) - "Yeah. It's a small Texas town. Not much to see there, but it's a good town with good people."

(On his transition from wide receiver to quarterback) - "It was a moment I'd been waiting for a long time. I wanted to be playing quarterback the entire time I was a receiver so when I finally got my opportunity I wanted to make the most of it. I had great teammates around me. They really helped ease the transition for me. We just went out and had fun. I'd been preparing a long time for that moment. Once you get to the game, it's just about going out and having fun playing the game and letting your preparation take care of everything. It's not about worry if it's your first start. You've done the work, you have prepared now go out and have fun and play the game."

(On how they handled the transition in practice) - "I definitely didn't get the number of reps I would have gotten if I was the starting [quarterback] but I definitely took some quarterback reps. It wasn't like I was a receiver who only played receiver and never saw anything from under center. I was still in quarterback meetings and never really went to receiver meetings. I was still trying to learn and get better as much as I could as a quarterback during that time."

(On if his background as a wide receiver will come into play in the NFL) - "I hope not, not unless it's a throw back or some kind of trick play. I'm excited to be a quarterback here and I think that's the best fit for me."

(On not being selected by Texas Tech, was that a disappointment) - "I guess it was a little bit of a disappointment because I grew up going to the games. I played in a Wing-T offense in high school. Texas Tech was throwing it 60 times a game. I wasn't interested in that, but all of it worked out for the best. I wouldn't change it for anything. I took a recruiting visit to (Texas) A&M and fell in love with the place. Coach (Mike) Sherman came in and we had a great run so it worked out just the way it supposes too."

(On did it give you motivation against Texas Tech to performance well against them) - "I don't think so. I got that question a lot. I was just excited to get my chance, to get my opportunity to go out there and lead a team and play the quarterback position."

(On why did you decide to get married at 23) - "Can you blame me? (laughing) I've been dating her for awhile now. I found the woman that I love. I'm set. I can't expect anything more. I don't need any more added distractions or anything like that. I found the person I want to spend the rest of the life with and why wait."

(On your core beliefs, did it help you decide to get marry) - "I don't think so. Definitely, I think faith plays a big part of who I am, but it wasn't like I felt like I needed to get married young or anything like that."

(On how you met and propose) - "Yeah, we actually met in Florida. We met at Panama City on Spring Break actually. Kind of a strange story there (laughing). Ended up meeting in Florida, we both went to (Texas) A&M. I met here and went back and dated. Actually propose to her the night before the spring game this past year after we had our spring break and award ceremony and all that stuff. We went to a park near my house that we went to a lot and did it there."

(On how would you describe your skill set) - "I think of myself as an athletic guy who can make all the throws from the pocket, but is able to use my athleticism to escape the pocket whether it's escaping pressure or design naked or bootleg or throw accurately on the run. That's the key of playing quarterback. You got to be able to throw on time. You got to be able to throw accurately. I feel like I have those things, but I definitely need to get better in those areas."

(On looking at the position helps you since playing receiver) - "Absolutely, I think so. Having that experience, that background. Maybe it's not ideal, but it does give me a perspective that quarterbacks most likely don't have. It helps me relate in a way that most guys can't. I've been in their shoes. I've run most of the routes that they're going to be running. I know where you want the ball. Where you don't want the ball, when you want the ball, those types of things, so I definitely think it's an asset."

(On seeing Coach Mike Sherman since you've arrived) - "Yeah, I got with him yesterday. Just kind of reconnected, but spent most of the time with Coach Zac Taylor this morning so going over the new stuff that they put in and it all looks great. I can't wait to get started."

(On what were your impressions with Coach Joe Philbin) - "Coach (Joe) Philbin is great. I met him down in College Station. He came down for my Pro Day spent some time with him at dinner the night before. After I threw, we had a few hours in the film room going over the white board and watching film. He's definitely a football guy. Loves the game, seems like a great coach and I can't wait to learn from him. Did a great job in Green Bay, excited to have him down here in Miami and there's a lot to learn from him."

(On what is your response of your critics about your Big 12 games) - "Well, I take the losses extremely hard. I don't feel like it's all my fault. I feel like I definitely could of performed better in those games. But I feel like I've learn from those experiences. Not something where if something keeps reoccurring because we're making the same mistakes. It's a team game. Obviously, I didn't perform my best at some of those games and I learn from those experiences. I'm going to get better and you can't let the same mistake happen twice so that's all you can do and keep pressing on."

(On when are you going to begin taking the leadership role) - "Every leadership style is different. First of all, you have to get the respect from your teammates. That's done in a lot of different ways. I want to get to know the guys. This is a new locker room and I have to get to know everybody so I'm excited to get in there. I haven't really gotten to meet anybody yet so I'm excited to do that. Got to get the respect of the guys you're your performance on the field is a big part. You have to be able to make plays on the field and get the respect so get to know them personally. Bring guys together is a big part of being a leader is to be able to bring guys together and make people better. That's the biggest thing. A leader makes the player around him better. I'm going to do whatever I can to help guys out. Familiarity with the offense should help that aspect a little bit. I've been playing in this system. I feel like I can lend some things I've learned over the years. Just excited to go in there and compete with the guys and start working out."

(On what type leadership style do you have, vocal or by actions) - "I think a little bit of both. I'm not a ra-ra guy. I'm not the guy who gets in the middle of the field and starts leading chants. Definitely not afraid to be vocal with the team or with the offense I think that's the part of being a quarterback. I think I lead by example, but I think there are certain times when you have to speak up and you have to get guys together and use your voice."

(On competing with other NFL quarterbacks at Texas A&M, does it help you a little better with the struggles you went through) - "I guess so, but I'm excited for those guys and where they're at right now. But I feel like everything happens for a reason. It's just the way it worked out. I've learned a lot. Maybe it's not ideal, but it's the way it worked out and I wouldn't change it."