The Dolphins are eyeing several tight ends from a deep draft class and might pick one in the middle rounds to compete with restricted free agent Anthony Fasano and backup Joey Haynos.

Sporting News analyst and former Browns scout Russ Lande said the players who most display the skills Miami is seeking (downfield receiving skills, good size, skill to develop into solid blockers) are Arizona's Rob Gronkowski, Southern California's Anthony McCoy, UM's Jimmy Graham and Penn State's Andrew Quarless.

The Dolphins also like Oklahoma's Jermaine Gresham, who showed he's over the knee injury that sidelined him in 2009 and likely is to be taken between Miami's picks at Nos. 12 and 43. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. has Gresham as the only first-round tight end (25th overall), but UF's Aaron Hernandez and Gronkowski could go soon after.

Gronkowski missed last season because of back problems ``and that's a concern, but he's elite at blocking and pass catching,'' Lande said. ``I love Hernandez's receiving skills, but he looks like an undersized H-back. Bill Parcells loves big kids, and he's the opposite of that.''

Lande said McCoy is a second- or third-rounder and ``the most intriguing guy from a Dolphins perspective: strong, great size, long strides and big hands to catch balls over the shoulder.''

Miami has shown an interest in McCoy and Graham, who has met with the Dolphins' Jeff Ireland and could go between the second and fifth rounds, analysts said. Quarless, who interviewed with Miami, could be a third- or fourth-rounder, Lande said.

Iowa's Tony Moeaki, Pittsburgh's Dorin Dickerson, BYU's Dennis Pitta, Oregon's Ed Dickson and Wisconsin's Garrett Graham have appealing pass-catching skills, but their blocking needs work (as does Jimmy Graham's). Dickerson is undersized at 6-2, 226 pounds.