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While the Miami Dolphins have taken the suspense away from the drama of the number-one player in the NFL Draft by signing offensive lineman Jake Long to a five-year contract this week, there’s still plenty to look forward to in this weekend’s annual draft.

Especially for New England Patriots fans.

While most team officials do anything to throw the opposition off their trail and not tip their hand, there are still slips of the tongue or it’s just obvious that a top player fills an obvious need for a club.

But the Patriots are never easy to read.

The owners of the No. 7 overall pick, as well as seven others in rounds two through six, it’s impossible to guess what New England might do. Will Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli decide to stay at No. 7? Will they move down, believing there’s not great value at the spot?

Or might they make possibly the most surprising move of all and trade up to get the player they most want?

If the Pats, well, stand pat, it could be Southern California linebacker Keith Rivers, Ohio State defensive end/linebacker Vernon Gholston or possibly cornerback Leodis McKelvin of Troy that hears his name called.

Draft pundits believe New England’s biggest needs are at linebacker and cornerback; those same experts have said for years that the Pats need to get younger at linebacker, and the team has not really gone the draft route to fill that position.

In eight prior drafts under Belichick and Pioli, seven linebackers have been drafted, and none higher than the fifth round.

Interestingly, the two youngest linebackers on the roster, Eric Alexander and Pierre Woods, were both signed as undrafted rookies.

And the Patriots don’t always draft for perceived need. In 2005, offensive guard was not a glaring issue.

But Logan Mankins was the best player available on the team’s draft board when their pick at No. 32 came up, and Mankins has developed into one of the best young offensive linemen in the league.

Using that logic, however, makes it plausible that New England would move up. In one of the few things that have become obvious with the play-it-tight-to-the-vest coach, Belichick has made no secret of the value he places on defensive linemen.

Former LSU tackle Glenn Dorsey is 6-foot-2, 300 pounds, and is a force on the line.

He was recruited by Belichick friend and former Tigers’ coach Nick Saban, who coached current Pats Jarvis Green and Alexander, and former corner Randall Gay.

The draft’s other Long, Virginia defensive lineman Chris, might be worth moving up for as well.

Chris Long projects as a rush linebacker in New England’s 3-4 defensive scheme and was so revered with the Cavaliers that his number was retired before he graduated.

Dorsey and Long both traveled to Foxboro to meet with team officials in the weeks before the draft.

Moving down could pave the way for a pick like Virginia offensive lineman Branden Albert, Tennessee State corner Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie or Kansas corner Aqib Talib.

Sliding out of the top 10 is a sound financial move, given that the guaranteed money promised to such players is considerably less than that paid to those taken in the first third of the first round.

Months and months of evaluation boil down to 10 minutes this afternoon.

Pick right and the Patriots will have a player that will contribute for years to come.

Pick wrong, and the man-hours invested and millions of dollars spent are for naught.

We’ll know New England’s decision around 4:15 p.m. Or later. Or earlier.

smanza@projo.com