A league source told ProFootballTalk that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross was pushing general manager Jeff Ireland to draft Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
Either way, Ireland himself denied that Ross holds a heavy hand over Ireland in terms of the draft.
"Steve is very engaged, but he's also very supportive in leaving the decisions to the draft up to me, and coach (Joe) Philbin, and our scouts and football staff," Ireland told PFT Live Monday, according to NFL.com. "... I don't feel at all any pressure to draft a need position or anything like that ... and I don't feel pressure from the owner, and he's not pressuring me for that matter.
"I don't know where that's coming from. He allows me to make the football decisions, he's always allowed me to make the football decisions, along with my head coach and our staff. He understands the process, he understands the thought process, he stands by our draft analysis, and he knows the kind of preparation that goes into it -- and he's fully supportive of us making the best pick that improves our football team the best.
Follow Nick @NickStDenis"Steve is very engaged, but he's also very supportive in leaving the decisions to the draft up to me, and coach (Joe) Philbin, and our scouts and football staff," Ireland told PFT Live Monday, according to NFL.com. "... I don't feel at all any pressure to draft a need position or anything like that ... and I don't feel pressure from the owner, and he's not pressuring me for that matter.
"I don't know where that's coming from. He allows me to make the football decisions, he's always allowed me to make the football decisions, along with my head coach and our staff. He understands the process, he understands the thought process, he stands by our draft analysis, and he knows the kind of preparation that goes into it -- and he's fully supportive of us making the best pick that improves our football team the best.
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