The Miami Dolphins have a rich history that includes back-to-back Super Bowls in 1972 and 1973. Which draft class was the best in franchise history?

After much thought and consideration, the Dolphins' draft class of 1983 produced a mix of star power and long-time contributors. That combination makes this Miami's No. 1 draft class.

Here is an in-depth look at those players:

Dan Marino, QB, Pittsburgh, first round, 27th overall: It should be no surprise that the best player in franchise history leads the best overall draft class. Marino was part of the stellar quarterback class of 1983, which included fellow Hall of Famers John Elway and Jim Kelly. Marino holds nearly all of the Dolphins' major passing records, including passing yards (61,361) and career touchdown passes (420). Marino, a nine-time Pro Bowler, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005. The only thing missing from his terrific career was a Super Bowl win.

Mike Charles, DT, Syracuse, second round, 55th overall: Charles wasn’t a star, but he had a lengthy career as a role player. He played four seasons for the Dolphins and nine seasons total. He finished with 14 career sacks in 101 career games.

Reggie Roby, P, Iowa, sixth round, 167th overall: The strength in this draft class is in the later rounds. Miami found its punter for the next decade in the sixth round, and Roby was a mainstay with the Dolphins from 1983 to 1992. He played 16 NFL seasons for Miami, the Washington Redskins and the San Francisco 49ers. Roby made three Pro Bowls in his career, including two with the Dolphins.

Mark Clayton, WR, Louisville, eighth round, 223rd overall: The eighth round no longer exists in the NFL draft, but the Dolphins struck gold in this round by selecting Clayton, a little-known receiver coming out of Louisville. Clayton quickly developed chemistry with Marino and was an important part of Miami’s prolific passing attack in the 1980s and early '90s. Clayton finished with five 1,000-yard seasons and five Pro Bowls with the Dolphins.

Mark Brown, LB, Purdue, ninth round, 250th overall: In the ninth round, the Dolphins found another solid role player who had a lengthy career. Brown played 107 career games over nine seasons, the first six of which were with Miami. He registered 10.5 sacks and four interceptions.

Next best Dolphins draft class: The Dolphins found strength in numbers with the 1996 draft class. They hit a pair of home runs early and late in the draft, with first-round defensive tackle Daryl Gardener and fifth-round middle linebacker Zach Thomas. Both became pillars of Miami’s defenses in the late-90s and early 2000s. The Dolphins also found solid contributors in this draft in running back Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar, fullback Stanley Pritchett and safety Shawn Wooden.