It's no secret that the Dolphins are actively searching for a new starting quarterback, after Chad Henne had an underhwleming 2010. In fact, the Fins have already met with Cam Newton, and are scheduled to talk with Ryan Mallett in a few days.

With that in mind, and the fact quarterbacks are historically iffy propositions on draft day, let's take a look at the top signal-callers, and who the Dolphins have a chance to select with the 15th overall pick. Now, I'm not the college football fan I once was, but I have been able to gather enough information to have an opinion on most of the candidates.

Blaine Gabbert, Missouri. His name sounds like it belongs to one of those typical 1980s villains, with the slicked-back hair and the rich parents, who torment the movie's hero. The funny thing is, Gabbert even looks the type, with his long blonde hair and sculpted physique. He seemingly came out of nowhere after a so-so collegiate career to be the top quarterback coming out this year. According to scouting reports, Gabbert is the most mechanically sound QB in this year's draft, and he has good arm strength. But it's the production that worries me. Operating out of the spread offense, an offense tailor-made for big QB numbers, he only threw for 40 combined TD passes in his final two college seasons. In fact, Newton's one season at Auburn was better than Gabbert's two combined years as a starter at Mizzou. He'll probably be gone when the Dolphins pick at No. 15, but that isn't a big loss.

Cam Newton, Auburn. The biggest wild card in this year's QB class. Will he be a Michael Vick-type of QB, or a Vince Young, another great college signal-caller who has failed to make much noise as a pro? Since Newton had a tremendous Heisman-winning season, I was able to watch more of his games than the other QBs. He, of course, is a big, strong player who runs a 4.6 40. I like his throwing motion; he has a nice, easy release. And although he completed 66 percent of his passes out of the spread for the Tigers last year, he was notoriously bad throwing to open receivers at the NFL combine. I wonder if it was nerves, but if Newton can improve his footwork in the pocket -- and show his off-field issues are resolved -- I like him for Miami. The problem is, he'll likely be gone by the time the Dolphins are set to draft.

Ryan Mallett, Arkansas. Another intriguing prospect who I watched a couple of times, Mallet has a rocket arm and can make all the throws. But, he's not very mobile, and there are off-field questions about him as well. His accuracy is also an issue. To me, he seems a lot like Henne, who the Dolphins have already struggled with, and Henne doesn't have the character issues that have doged Mallett. This pick may be logical, but it's not very exciting, especially when the Dolphins have to rebuild what was a porous offensive line in 2010. Still, he's the odds-on pick for Miami.

Jake Locker, Washington. He would have been the top pick had he come out last year, but he stayed and had a terrible season in Washington, hurting his draft status. Locker is not terribly accurate; his career-high at Washington was just a 58-percent completion rate. There are also questions about his decision making, and he missed 10 games due to injury and his hard-charging style. I'm not sold on him either, but if the Dolphins could get him in the second round, I wouldn't mind.

Colin Kaepernick, Nevada. A raw talent who produced big numbers in Nevada's pistol offense, Kaepernick has a strong arm and good running ability. His release is a bit slow, and his mechanics need work, but he could be a long-term sleeper for some team. I don't see Miami wasting its time on a project like him, especially when Tony Sparano was nearly fired last season. And, I haven't seen enough of Kaepernick to render a verdict on whether he can play or not. Again, if he's a later choice, I wouldn't mind if the team took a chance on him.

Andy Dalton, TCU. A good decision-maker who can also move out of the pocket, Dalton was the trigger man for four seasons at TCU, leading the Horned Frogs to an undefeated season last year. Questions revolve around his size (he's only 6-foot-2) and his arm strength. Some scouts think he may be the second-coming of Drew Brees, and a great QB for the West Coast offense. I saw Dalton play a couple of times, and did not come away impressed. Needless to say, I don't think the Dolphins take him in the first round. But later on, maybe.

Christian Ponder, FSU. Here is a QB I followed through his two seasons as a starter. He has good mobility, and a couple of years ago I would have thought he could be a great QB at the pro level. But, Ponder injured his right shoulder in each of the last two seasons, and last year he just didn't look right when he returned. I remember him floating some sideline passes that badly missed their targets, or turned into interceptions. Maybe he wasn't completely healthy when he played at the end of last year, but based on what I saw, he looks like a Chad Pennington-type with running ability, but without Pennington's accuracy. If his arm strength is back to where it was two years ago, I'd take him, but if not, I'd pass. The Dolphins certainly wouldn't waste their first pick on him when he's projected to go lower.

There are other QBs on the list, but I feel these will be the top six choices, and the truth is I don't know enough about the other players to make any sort of judgment.