Cameron Erving to Browns: Full Draft-Pick Breakdown

It comes as no surprise that the Cleveland Browns spent one of their early picks on an offensive lineman; however, Cameron Erving was not one of their anticipated targets. 

With right tackle Mitchell Schwartz struggling and set to become a free agent after the 2015 season, it made sense for the team to address the position at some point within the first two days of the draft. But Erving, despite protecting Jameis Winston's blind side for a period of time at Florida State, was announced by the team as a guard on draft day.

Joel Bitonio was a dominant force at left guard a season ago while John Greco has been among the steadiest veteran guards in the league since stepping into a starting role in 2012.

So what do the Browns have planned for Erving?

It's possible that he'll beat out Greco for a starting job, but the real answer probably won't be revealed until the 2016 season. 

Veteran center Alex Mack has the ability to opt out of his contract after the season, and even his long-time teammate Joe Thomas expects him to do so. 

"

Alex Mack's out the door the next season. The Cameron Erving pick works. Best at center but can play all positions. Both lines improved.

— Marc Sessler (@MarcSesslerNFL) May 1, 2015"

With Mack wearing different colors, Erving could slide into the center position, where he will likely be most productive at the next level.

But what does this mean for the short term?

At worst, Erving offers the Browns incredible versatility in a backup role. But he could be given the opportunity to beat out either Greco or Schwartz for an immediate starting job. 

It's worth noting that Erving did not play guard during his time at Florida State. He switched from defensive tackle following the 2011 season and was immediately plugged in as the starting left tackle the following year. Making the transition to guard is obviously a possibility, but it's not a given that any tackle or center can simply shift over to guard and excel immediately.

Another outside-the-box idea would be to temporarily shift Bitonio to right tackle (he started 38 games at tackle during his collegiate career at Nevada), which would open up left guard for Erving during his rookie year before he shifts to center in 2016.

While all these scenarios are fun to talk about, we won't know for certain until Erving takes the field in training camp. Even if the Browns have a plan for Erving, he won't be starting at center, which means a position change is necessary, and there's no guarantee that it will be a smooth transition. 

Erving received first-round grades from almost every national draft analyst (he was No. 20 on Mel Kiper's big board), so it's easy to see why the Browns saw value in him. However, it is understandable if Browns fans are somewhat disappointed to see the team select a player who may not have an immediate role in turning around the franchise.

Hopefully the confusion in Erving's role is cleared up soon and fans can start to feel more confident about his future in Cleveland.

Grade: B

Ryan McCrystal is an NFL draft Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.

Follow @Ryan_McCrystal