Analyzing Matt Miller's Latest 2012 NFL Mock Draft for Each AFC North Team

In case you didn't know, Matt Miller is the resident draft and college football scouting guru at Bleacher Report. He painstakingly curates mock draft after mock draft throughout the year, even during times when the NFL draft is the farthest thing from many fans' minds.

So let's take a look at his latest mock draft, see who he projected to go to the four teams of the AFC North in the first round and determine if those players are the right fit.

Cleveland Browns (First Round: 4, 22)

Miller projects the Cleveland Browns to select Alabama running back Trent Richardson with their No. 4 overall first-round pick. This is because he projects the Washington Redskins to trade up to the No. 2 spot currently held by the St. Louis Rams to grab Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III.

While I think the Browns are in play for Griffin, by either trading up or the failure of other teams to make a deal with the Rams, I still agree with Miller that Richardson is the likely pick.

There's no clear indication that Cleveland wants to sign running back Peyton Hillis to a long-term deal, and, if they can draft Richardson, they'd have no reason to do so. While the Browns could use a quarterback, free agency can provide them with what they're looking for.

With the 22nd pick in the first round (which they acquired from the Atlanta Falcons last year when the team traded up to acquire Julio Jones), Miller believes the Browns will take wide receiver Kendall Wright from Baylor.

Fancy this, but in my very own first-round mock draft, I also have the Browns selecting Wright at this pick. Regardless, they will pick a receiver at No. 22. Whether that means Wright or another of the few first-round options, whoever is the best available when it's time for Cleveland to pick is who they'll draft.

The Browns lack a dedicated, top-tier receiver. If they grab Wright, in concert with Richardson and whoever they install at quarterback, the Browns might become a more competitive team in a short period of time.

Cincinnati Bengals (First Round: 17, 21)

At pick No. 17, Miller believes the Bengals could pick up Georgia guard Cordy Glenn, because their current guard, Bobby Williams, is almost 36 years old and Glenn's size would have him fit right in with the rest of the Bengals' large offensive line.

However, I can see the Bengals making a play for a guard in free agency or using a later-round pick on one if they find it to be a pressing need.

Glenn is an attractive pickup, and the Bengals have room to play around in the draft with nine picks and the potential to have the smartest free agency moves of any team. But I see the Bengals using this pick to grab Washington running back Chris Polk.

Miller has the Bengals using their 21st overall pick on Polk. Either way, Polk is a must-add for the Bengals this year. They are likely to part ways with Cedric Benson, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent, and they need a fresh, young replacement.

Polk is just what the Bengals need—he's highly productive, with tons of yards and the ability to handle a heavy workload. He's valuable in the passing game, and he knows how to run the ball with intelligence.

For what it's worth, I project the Bengals to snag a cornerback with this pick, having acquired Polk at No. 17.

Pittsburgh Steelers (First Round: 24)

There are a number of directions the Steelers can go with their first-round pick. They could select someone to play nose tackle, they could go with offensive line or they could pick a linebacker.

Miller has the Steelers going O-line in the first round, selecting Iowa State guard/tackle Kelechi Osemele to upgrade their guard position. Pittsburgh certainly needs to continue their line upgrades that they've been working on over the course of the past year.

However, I think the Steelers go with Cordy Glenn in the first round rather than Osemele.

Because Miller has Glenn off the board with the Bengals' first pick, he went with the next-best guard, which I can see the Steelers doing if Glenn is already taken. But I don't think Glenn will be spoken for by the time Pittsburgh picks.

Baltimore Ravens (First Round: 29)

What's pretty clear is that the Baltimore Ravens are going to go defense with their first-round pick; what's not as certain is which position they'll be going for. Miller projects that the Ravens will select inside linebacker Vontaze Burfict with this pick.

The Ravens have been predicted to draft their successor to Ray Lewis for years now, but have yet to follow through. This year, however, could very realistically be Lewis' last, and the Ravens will need to find someone just as brutal to replace him.

Burfict is certainly brutal, but he's also immature and appeared to suffer from a lack a work ethic in his 2011 season with Arizona State that has seen his draft stock drop.

But Lewis can serve as a mentor to Burfict, and hopefully he can reign in some of that wildness while keeping the violent streak that makes him a brutal inside backer. I fully agree with Miller's projection.