NFL Draft 2012: Breaking Down the Biggest Storylines Coming out of NFL Draft

With the 2012 NFL draft in the books, we look back on the biggest storylines from the last three days, including the winds of offensive change in Cleveland, the defensive makeovers for both the New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers and how trades impacted the first round.

We also look back on how the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers reshaped their roster for 2012 and beyond. 

Here are the top five biggest storylines: 

New Offensive Era in Cleveland

The days of Colt McCoy and Peyton Hillis leading the offensive show in Cleveland are over.

The Browns used first-round picks on replacing both, with Brandon Weeden (No. 22) and Trent Richardson (No. 3) now representing the future for the Browns offense. Cleveland also got a tackle in Mitchell Schwartz to plug in on the right side.

It's clear that GM Tom Heckert and vice president Mike Holmgren went into this draft with an eye on improving an anemic offense, and you'd be hard-pressed to say they didn't accomplish that goal. A lot rides on the development of the 28-year-old Weeden at quarterback, but Richardson and Schwartz should be instant impact players. 

Defense, Defense, Defense for Packers and Patriots

Think the New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers were cognizant of their defensive struggles last season? The two teams ranked last in total defense last season—New England finished 31st, Green Bay 32nd—aggressively attacked their defensive weaknesses early in this draft.

New England moved up twice in the first round to snag Syracuse defensive end Chandler Jones and Alabama linebacker Dont'a Hightower, and Green Bay did the same in the second, moving up to get Michigan State defensive lineman Jerel Worthy and Vanderbilt cornerback Casey Hayward. The Packers also added USC pass-rusher Nick Perry, who Green Bay will plug in opposite Clay Matthews. 

Overall, both the Packers and Patriots used their first six picks on defensive players, and neither team selected an offensive player until the seventh round. Safe to say that both clubs understood their weaknesses from last season and did everything they could to fix the leaks for next season. 

Pittsburgh Replenishes the Trenches

It should come as no surprise, but the Pittsburgh Steelers had another wonderful draft over the weekend. They did particularly well in bringing in reinforcements on both the offensive and defensive lines. 

Stanford guard David DeCastro represented a tremendous value at No. 24 overall. He should team with center Maurkice Pouncey to give the Steelers a potentially dominant inside duo. Getting Ohio State tackle Mike Adams was another top value pick in the second round. If they can keep his head on straight, Adams is a starting left tackle in the NFL. At the very least, he can push for a starting spot on the right side. 

In the fourth round, Pittsburgh did well to get Alameda Ta'amu, a nose tackle from Washington. Casey Hampton can't play forever, and Ta'amu should be a natural replacement down the road. 

Trades Define First Round

We may always look back on this draft as the one that began an annual trade frenzy in the first round. With a new CBA place that defined a rookie wage scale, teams were no longer hesitant to move up to get a player they coveted. 

The trades started before the draft even begun, with Washington giving up a historic amount of picks to move into the Rams' second overall selection. Cleveland then moved up to No. 3 to get Richardson, Jacksonville slid up a couple of spots to take Justin Blackmon and Dallas moved into the top 10 to snag Morris Claiborne. 

By the time the first round was over, eight draft-day deals had been completed. That number marked the most since 1970, but expect something close to eight every season now. Without the monetary restrictions on top picks, teams can move around freely for players they want. 

49ers Continue Offensive Makeover

The 49ers offense next season is going to look considerably different than the one you saw last in the NFC Championship game. Free agency brought San Francisco Randy Moss, Mario Manningham and Brandon Jacobs, but the 49ers weren't done bringing in offensive skill players. 

Illinois receiver A.J. Jenkins was the team's first-round pick, and while some considered it a reach at No. 30, Jenkins has starting ability. He should have an impact next season. In the second round, San Francisco took Oregon running back LaMichael James, whose dynamic skill set will complete the NFL's most well-rounded stable of running backs. 

Not everyone loved the 49ers' early picks. But if they can score more points next season—given the defense stays as dominant as it was in 2011—San Francisco will be a tough out in the NFC next season.