Photo courtesy of University of Virginia

Chris Long works out with Virginia head coach Al Groh. The defensive end could be the second overall pick in the NFL Draft today by the St. Louis Rams.

Now that the Miami Dolphins have removed all of the suspense from today's No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft, the No. 2 pick has become the old No. 1.

Barring any 11th-hour developments, considerable attention will be focused on Virginia defensive end Chris Long as St. Louis prepares to make the second overall pick.

Long had been discussed as a possible Dolphins pick before it was announced Tuesday that Miami had come to terms with Michigan offensive lineman Jake Long.

"I kind of that saw that coming," said Long in a Thursday teleconference with Virginia reporters. "To be honest, I'm not into doing the No. 1 pick thing. I'm more focussed on what happens after the draft."

Long spoke by phone from New York, where he was doing promotional appearances with other potential first-rounders. It appears likely that two Virginia players will be taken in the first round, Long and fellow co-captain Branden Albert, an offensive lineman.

By the time Albert started to move up in the draft projections, invitations to Radio City Music Hall had been mailed. He will be watching on television from his brother's home in Glen Burnie, Md.

"The only thing that's been taxing or annoying is that I haven't been able to get in a groove with my workouts," Long said. "You know that you're going to have to show up in some team's mini-camp in about two weeks, maybe less.

"The sense of urgency to work out is pretty high but the opportunity to do it is not as good. It's been fun. I'm looking at it as a new experience. You only live once and this is our moment in the sun."

As of Thursday afternoon, 47 percent of the respondents to a St. Louis Post-Dispatch poll had indicated they would like to see the Rams take UVa's Long with the second pick. However, many analysts believe that St. Louis will choose LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey.

"I think I'm definitely in the mix," Long said, "but, to be honest, I only know what you guys [in the media] know. I could turn on ESPN and find out everything I could know."

St. Louis is followed in the draft order by Atlanta, Oakland and Kansas City.

If St. Louis and Atlanta pass on Long, a major draft storyline would ensue. Long's father, NFL Hall of Famer Howie Long, spent his entire 13-year professional career with the Raiders.

"It's a real possibility," Long said. "People will be talking about, 'Would it be tough for you to play there? Would it be fun to play there?' No matter what pressure that brings, it's really just another place where I have to prove myself."

Long's father and mother will be accompanying him to the draft, as will UVa head coach Al Groh. Howie Long is an NFL analyst for Fox Sports, but ESPN is the television home of the draft.

"We talk like any father and son would," Chris said. "I think I'm calmer than him, for sure. Really, I've been the one who's like, 'Hey, Dad, just calm down. It'll be all right.' Shoot, I'll be better off at the end of the week than I was when I woke up Monday morning.' "

Chris Long has taken visits to St. Louis and Oakland team headquarters. He also has been to Kansas, but only to serve as a guest coach for Kansas State head coach Ron Prince, a former UVa assistant.

The Rams have given every indication that their interest is sincere. Before meeting with reporters March 18 at UVa's pro timing day, Long had a sit-down with St. Louis head coach Scott Linehan.

At Rams' headquarters, defensive coordinator Jim Haslett joined the meetings.

"As I sat down and watched film with them, I felt very positively about everything they put on the board," Long said. "The things they asked me to do there, I think I'm very capable of doing."

Long's visit to Oakland included a meeting with longtime Raiders' owner Al Davis, his father's old boss.

"It was an honor," Chris said. "It was crazy. He really does have a great reputation. It was cool to talk to him in his office."

Still, Long leaves the impression that the draft can't end soon enough, a feeling that hit home last year for Notre Dame quarterback and Cleveland draftee Brady Quinn, who waited maybe 15 picks after his name was first mentioned as a possibility.

"The further you fall, the better the team," Long said. "I'm just going to look for the positive in any situation."