Cleveland Browns Should Ignore Robert Griffin III, but Who Should They Draft?

When the NFL draft kicks off this April, much of the focus will be on where Heisman trophy winner Robert Griffin III will be playing in 2012.

Currently, rumors suggest that Cleveland are among the front-runners in the race for RG3, however the Browns would be better served looking to strengthen other parts of the offense.

There is no doubt that Griffin has the potential to become an elite quarterback. But going into the Browns offense as it is at the moment would be a hard task for anyone, let alone a rookie.

Colt McCoy has had a pretty horrendous year. Between his underwhelming performances and having his brain sloshed about in the infamous James Harrison hit, 2011 was a year to forget.

Yet with more productive pieces surrounding him, McCoy may discover the promise that caused the Browns to draft him third only two years ago.

Many people seem to be forgetting just how young McCoy is. After only 21 games—behind a terrible offensive line—he deserves another chance to mature into an NFL quarterback.

The Browns could then pick up a free agent to provide competition for McCoy. Entering the race for Matt Flynn may prove to be an expensive Kevin Kolb-esque mistake. But Flynn has been learning under one of the best men under center in the league, and many people think he's ready to step up and lead a team.

If Cleveland would prefer not to enter the bidding war for Flynn, they could look to bring in someone who could step in if McCoy struggled in the early part of the season. Kyle Orton seems best suited for this role.

If the quarterback situation still looks bad at the end of the season, Cleveland can look to draft Matt Barkley in 2013.

With Cleveland's receiving options best described as poor and Peyton Hillis looking almost certain to leave, these issues should definitely looked at before the quarterback position is even considered.

Using the 22nd pick that they acquired in the from Atlanta last year, the Browns are well placed to address both of these areas in the first round. Here are the two best scenarios for Cleveland with their fourth and 22nd picks.

Fourth pick: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama or Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State 

If St. Louis hold station and keep the second pick, it seems likely that they will give Sam Bradford someone to aim at and draft Justin Blackmon.

If that is the case, then Cleveland should look to draft Alabama running back Trent Richardson.

With Peyton Hillis likely to leave, the Browns will need to fill the gap in their ground game.

Richardson would be the perfect player to not just fill the gap left by Hillis, but to improve on it.

While playing for the Crimson Tide, Richardson showed that he has the potential to be a top back in the NFL.

He can break tackles and is an awesome inside runner. While not the fastest, his power more than makes up for it.

If the Rams get an attractive enough offer from a team looking to trade up for RG3, then Cleveland should look at taking Blackmon instead.

Blackmon looks like the top receiving prospect in the 2012 class. He may lack the elite speed but has great route-running ability and will provide a far better option for McCoy than he had in 2011.

Twenty-second pick: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor or Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

If the Browns have already secured Richardson, then they will need to use their next pick to open up some options downfield.

While the Browns should pass over RG3, they should look to his Baylor teammate Kendall Wright with their second pick.

Wright has the speed to be a serious threat down the field for the Browns. He seems to have safe hands and can make some pretty good catches in traffic.

He looks unlikely to be a bust and could really get the best out of Colt McCoy, who has the arm to make some big throws to Wright.

Alternatively, Cleveland may get Justin Blackmon and then need to bolster the running game with their second pick.

With Blackmon opening options down the field, Cleveland will have to turn their attention to the running game.

After a mediocre contract season, Cleveland should be glad to see Hillis go. After taking Blackmon, the Browns should look to Miami's Lamar Miller.

At 5' 11", Miller is a good size for the coaches to mold him into the back that they want.

In his sophomore year, Miller showed he had the toughness to play through injury, so there won't be too many worries about that.

He's a clever runner who can follow the blocks well and burst through gaps.

Either of these scenarios should look more attractive to the Browns than just going after the big-name quarterback in RG3.

What do you think the Browns should do in the first round of the draft? Is RG3 too good to pass up? Comment below.