Dolphins general manager Randy Mueller took a minute on Easter Sunday to congratulate Beck, who could be a Miami draft pick this weekend.

Mueller's personal touch had the feel of a college recruiter who becomes involved in a player's daily life, not a GM who spends his days wheeling and dealing with multimillionaires.

''He knows what's going on well enough in my life to know when our baby comes,'' Beck said. ''That's keeping up.''

Mueller isn't about to miss a beat as he assumes charge of the Dolphins' ongoing pursuit to replace Hall of Famer Dan Marino, whose retirement after the 1999 season has been followed by a parade of unsuccessful passers.

Beck may not be the answer, but he has been a hot topic of conversation between Mueller and first-year Dolphins coach and longtime quarterback guru Cam Cameron, who together visited Beck last month in Provo.

Beck, who completed nearly 70 percent of his passes and threw for 32 touchdowns and just eight interceptions for last season's 11-2 Brigham Young team, has steadily moved up on mock draft boards.

The 6-foot-2, 216-pounder is one of the top options among a group of quarterbacks behind likely top-five picks JaMarcus Russell of LSU and Brady Quinn of Notre Dame.

''He has great feet in the pocket and an innate feel for how to keep a play alive, and I think he actually sees windows before they open up, which is atypical of a college player,'' said Mike Mayock, a former NFL defensive back, who is a draft analyst for the NFL Network.

Beck, who spent two years on an LDS Church mission, is 25 and believes his experience and maturity could separate him from the rest of the second-tier QBs.

''Most quarterbacks, it takes time to develop. If you're a defensive lineman or running back, it would be a little different,'' Beck said of his age.

With Daunte Culpepper's knee an uncertainty, the Dolphins are chasing a short-term answer at quarterback by working on a trade for Kansas City veteran Trent Green. But they're looking for long-term answers in the draft.

Unless Quinn falls farther than expected or the Dolphins pay a high price to move up from the No. 9 spot, Miami will have to find Cameron's next project in the second round or beyond.

''There are five or six guys who are probably first-day worthy,'' Mueller said. ''All have ability to play in this league.''

In addition to Beck, Stanford's Trent Edwards, Michigan State's Drew Stanton and possibly Houston's Kevin Kolb make up the short list.

Beck's accuracy and decision-making are impressive, but his size and three-quarter delivery aren't ideal.