Cleveland Browns: Grading the Team's First Round of 2012 NFL Draft

Trent Richardson and Brandon Weeden immediately change the landscape of the Cleveland Browns’ offense for the better.

The Cleveland Browns defied conventional wisdom twice in the first-round of the 2012 NFL Draft.  However, it may be just what the doctor ordered for a Browns offense that was anemic in 2011.  Colt McCoy lost favor with the front office after failing to build on and improve from a promising 2010 campaign.  After a failed bid to move up to select Robert Griffin III, it was only a matter of time before the front office turned their sights to Weeden.

With the No. 3 overall selection, the Browns ignored critics of drafting a running back at the top of the draft and selected arguably the best player of the 2012 draft class.  Trent Richardson’s elite ability and high ceiling won over the Browns’ front office that will look for him to be the feature back of the Browns’ offense for years to come.

Traded No. 4, No. 118, No. 139, No. 211 for No. 3 Pick: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

Reach Grade: A+

Grade: A+

Analysis: Trent Richardson immediately fills in the hole left by the departed Peyton Hillis.  His elite strength, elusive rushing style, field vision, solid hands and willingness as a pass blocker make him an ideal fit in the Cleveland Browns’ version of the West Coast Offense.

The Browns get an A+ here for having the courage to use their acquired crop of picks in order to ensure they got their top option after previously losing the bidding war for the rights to Robert Griffin III. This pick showed an aggressiveness that the Browns have been lacking in recent years. Instead of trading down, they used picks they've amassed in order to get the guy they wanted.

The picks the Browns surrendered in order to move up one spot were not going to be instant game-changers like Richardson.  Don’t forget, the Browns still have the 37^th, 67^th and 100^th picks in the draft.  They can address the need for a playmaker at wide receiver and a starting right tackle with those picks.

"He's a terrific runner," Browns head coach Pat Shurmur said. "He can run with power. He can make you miss when he gets in the open. He can score. I like the fact that when he is asked to pass protect, he will do it aggressively. When you throw him the football, he catches it. Unless I am missing something, that's what runners have to do."

No. 22 Pick: Brandon Weeden, QB, Oklahoma St.

Reach Grade: C-

Grade: B-

Analysis: Brandon Weeden is officially the oldest player drafted in the history of the NFL Draft. That didn’t deter the QB hungry Cleveland Browns from taking him with their second first-round selection.

The selection of Weeden brings about the end of Colt McCoy's tenure as starting quarterback in Cleveland. Seneca Wallace filled in for McCoy and played eerily similar to the franchise’s starting quarterback.  McCoy’s lack of arm strength, poor decision-making and low velocity on passes, ultimately led the Browns to replace him with someone who fits their offense better.

Weeden will be “the guy” for the Cleveland Browns in 2012. "In our opinion, he is (the guy)," Browns General Manager Tom Heckert said. "We took the kid at the 22nd pick of the draft. We're hoping he is."

“There’s some teams we know that were interested in him behind us, so we decided to go ahead and pick him,” Tom Heckert said when asked why the Browns picked Weeden at No. 22 instead of waiting until their second-round pick. “When you’re talking about a quarterback, we just didn’t think it was worth taking a risk.”

Weeden was a reach at this position in terms of value because of the lack of return the Browns will get on this first-round pick. However, the average length of a QB’s career in the NFL is 4.4 years.  Weeden can, ideally, give the Browns five to 10 seasons while they turn their franchise around. Is that worth using a first-round pick at this position?

As many have already said, if Weeden was 22-years old, he might have been the No. 3 pick in the draft after Andrew Luck and RGIII. Weeden has the ability to excel from day one in Cleveland’s offense. He can make all the throws in the route tree but will have to learn to utilize second and third reads in his progressions. His first-read at Oklahoma State, Justin Blackmon, is now a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Interesting to note: Oklahoma State, with Weeden at the helm, beat Stanford (Andrew Luck), Baylor (RGIII) and Texas A&M (Ryan Tannehill) in 2011.

Round 2/3 Outlook

The Cleveland Browns have missed out on the top three wide receivers in this draft class.  However, there are several intriguing options remaining such as Alshon Jeffrey, Rueben Randle and Stephen Hill.

Likewise, the offensive line position will also need to be addressed within the next couple of rounds.  Do not be surprised if the Browns take a chance on an offensive lineman with the No. 37 selection in order to shore up the right side of the line and keep the heat off Brandon Weeden.

As much as there is sense in solidifying the o-line after selecting Weeden, the front office needs to examine the tools at his disposal. After they do that, they should come to the realization that they can obtain offensive line prospects in the third and fourth round and that they must add a threat at wide receiver that can utilize Weeden's strong arm.

If the Browns decide to draft a wide receiver with the No. 37 pick, it should be Rueben Randle from LSU.  Randle has size, speed and the experience of competing in the SEC, the toughest conference in college football. Both Randle and the other options have tremendous up-side, but he really has the edge in that he can reach that potential sooner. After selecting a QB who will be 29-years old in his rookie season, the Browns can’t afford waiting to develop anymore project players.

Stephen Hill, another option at wide receiver, has blazing speed and draws physical and athletic comparisons to Calvin Johnson. Hill, though, is tremendously raw and comes from an option-offense.  His route-running ability is a question mark and his experience in the quick, short to intermediate passing game is non-existent. This may steer the Browns away from him as they have yet to develop Carlton Mitchell, a later-round pick who has failed to turn his excellent speed and physical attributes into results on the field.

Questions about Alshon Jeffrey’s work ethic and ability to separate have pushed the former first-round projected wide receiver into the second round.  If the Browns decide Jeffrey is the guy, they could end up with a top 10 running back, a top 10 QB (if he were not 28) and a top 10 WR (who fell because of commitment concerns).

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