2012 NFL Draft Results: 7 Fanbases Disappointed After the Draft

I'm pretty sure the Cleveland Browns just used the 2012 NFL draft to demote Colt McCoy.

And if you're a fan of the Browns, I'd like to extend my most sincere apologies. Clearly, Tom Heckert and Pat Shurmur have fallen out of the rocker one too many times.

But not to worry, Browns fans, there were other teams who (almost) completely wasted the draft, too.

Keep in mind this is a complex list, not simply grading value or how well teams filled their needs. There is more to fan satisfaction than that.

The 12th Man

Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks made some splashes on draft day.

None of them more unexpected than grabbing linebacker Bruce Irvin with the No. 15 pick.

Initial reactions from analysts were quite uniform: This was an awful pick. Mel Kiper Jr. went so far as to call the pick "mind-boggling."

And because fans primary participation in the draft comes by way of draftniks like Kiper and his cohort Todd McShay, they must've been equally perplexed and upset.

After all, it's never okay to waste the 15th overall pick.

Since the pick, however, reports have come out that at least seven teams had Irvin in the top 15.

But the Seahawks didn't impress anyone in the subsequent rounds, either.

In the second round, the Hawks grabbed Bobby Wagner, who was expected to be available as late as the fourth round.

Even more egregiously, they used their first pick in the third round to acquire Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson.

Wilson makes about as much sense as backing up a rookie with a rookie, but we'll get to that in a few slides.

The former Badger would be among the shortest backups in the league, if he earns that spot on the depth chart. Couple that with the fact that Seattle just invested some pretty decent money in free agent Matt Flynn, and you've got yourself a head-scratcher.

The Black Hole

It's difficult to make significant progress in the draft when you don't have a pick until the end of the third round.

Nevertheless, the fans can't be overjoyed with how the draft went for the Oakland Raiders.

The trouble started last season, when former starting quarterback Jason Campbell went down with a broken collarbone. Campbell had been enjoying one of his better seasons as a pro to that point.

Boasting a 4-2 record at that time, the Raiders decided not to sign a free agent quarterback or roll the dice on Terrelle Pryor or Kyle Boller. Instead, they sent their 2012 first-rounder and 2013 second-round pick to Cincinnati for Carson Palmer.

Palmer promptly led them to an 8-8 record, and they missed the playoffs.

I put zero percent blame on Palmer, as he had virtually been retired prior to being acquired by the Raiders. They threw him on the field with no knowledge of the playbook whatsoever and after less than a week of practice.

Considering the results of the trade, and their inability to make any significant moves in the draft, you can't imagine Raider Nation is too pleased.

Who Dat Nation

The New Orleans Saints are in the midst of the worst offseason in franchise history.

Possibly the worst of any franchise, in any sport, in history.

Yeah, it's been bad.

The continued process of doling out punishment for Bounty Gate has been an impossibly brutal one for both the organization and its fans, who are no doubt still seething over losing their head coach for the entire season.

But the scandal also cost them their 2012 first-round draft pick, which would've softened the blow considerably for both the team and Who Dat Nation.

Perhaps worst of all, at least concerning the draft, the league's front office is yet to reveal individual player punishments for the upcoming season. The league has said that between 22 and 27 were involved. Punishments will likely include both fines and suspensions.

Had the league announced the specific punishments for players prior to the draft, the team could've had a better understanding of their 2012 needs. Instead, the Saints really had no idea who to target and came away with a fairly lackluster draft class.

It doesn't help that they only had five picks, and none before the third round.

When all these suspensions actually go into effect, fans might legitimately be asking their friends, "Um... who dat?"

The Hogs

When the Washington Redskins officially picked Robert Griffin III, the 'Skins fans must've been elated. They finally got "the guy" that is going to take their team to the next level. And in the NFC Beast, they need him to be something special.

But for the ensuing two days, Redskins brass did absolutely nothing to help Griffin with his NFL transition, and even a little bit to possibly hinder it.

By selecting another quarterback, Kirk Cousins, in the fourth round, the Redskins sent waves of confusion through the NFL fan kingdom.

Of course, Cousins was widely considered a good value in the fourth round. However, it seems like they could've added another offensive weapon for their franchise quarterback. Instead, they paid for a backup quarterback, when they already had two other sufficient backups on the roster.

Before you jump on that, I acknowledge that John Beck and Rex Grossman are not ideal. But when your team is as starved for talent as the Redskins, you can't be spending valuable draft picks on backups.

Even with Griffin, the Redskins will probably not make the playoffs. If he misses significant time to injury, Cousins isn't going to come in and lead the 'Skins to glory.

This pick was just troubling. With the overall lack of quality in the rest of their draft, the Redskins left plenty to be desired for the fans.

The Bay Area

Because they were such a good team in 2011, it's difficult to say that the San Francisco 49ers had many needs going into the 2012 NFL draft.

Honestly, they didn't.

Boasting one of the best defenses in the league last season, the Niners came in targeting offensive weapons, and were able to pick up a couple in the first two rounds.

But were they the right ones?

This was an extremely deep draft class for wide receivers, and there were a number of talented pass-catchers available deep into the third round.

However, the Niners decided to make A.J. Jenkins a first-round pick with their 30th overall selection. Was he worth it?

Most evaluators had Jenkins behind guys like Stephen Hill, Alshon Jeffery and even Brian Quick. The Niners must've seen something in the draft process that stuck out to them, but fans are left rolling their eyes in confusion.

LaMichael James is a luxury pick for a team that didn't have much else to use draft picks on. With Frank Gore aging, it was smart of the team to invest a pick on a running back. That being said, James isn't a running back.

Not really, anyway.

He's certainly never going to replace Frank Gore, nor any other legitimate running back in the league. He's a Darren Sproles type, and those guys are best suited in spread attacks, like the Saints, where the backs are deployed heavily in the passing attack.

Niners fans, I don't see how he fits, honestly. My condolences.

Da Bears

The Chicago Bears did a pretty decent job of addressing needs early in the draft, grabbing a pass-rushing complement to Julius Peppers in the first round and a wide receiver in the second.

But the players they picked seemed odd, at best.

With the 19th overall pick, the Bears went with Boise State defensive end Shea McClellin. While I don't hate McClellin by any means, he was probably the third-best defensive end still available (behind Whitney Mercilus and Chandler Jones), and that's never good for value.

Couple that with the fact that Israel Idonije is probably still their starting defensive end across from Peppers, it really makes you question the value of drafting McClellin at 19.

Though they did acquire Brandon Marshall via trade with the Miami Dolphins, the Bears were still in the market for another wide receiver. In the second round, they grabbed Alshon Jeffery.

Jeffery was once thought to be a top-10 pick, but struggled last season and throughout the workout process, which is why we saw him tumble down into the second round of the draft.

The issue with Jeffery going to the Bears is that he's basically the same receiver as Marshall, except slower, less agile and less effective after the catch.

Basically, Brandon Marshall Zero. Or Diet Dr. Marshall. Whichever you prefer.

Jeffery gives the Bears another red zone threat, but for as high as he was drafted, you'd like to see him give your team something it doesn't already have.

Overall, the Bears tried hard, but ultimately made some questionable decisions.

The Dawg Pound

Going in, the Cleveland Browns had 13 picks to work with in the NFL draft, tops in the league.

When all was said and done, they made only 11 picks, many of which were solid and could turn into contributors or better.

But the 22nd pick––which they turned into Brandon Weeden––has to go down as the worst pick in the draft.

I know Colt McCoy isn't the long-term answer at quarterback, and Browns fans are tired of going from quarterback to quarterback, searching for "the guy."

But how many people believe Weeden is that guy?

The first problem is that you don't even know if Weeden is going to be better than McCoy. As with every player coming into the league, Weeden is an unknown quantity.

With that in mind, he's also three years older than McCoy!

He's also older than Aaron Rodgers, Adrian Peterson, Maurice Jones-Drew and 50 players on the Browns roster.

This pick could've been used to add another piece to their mediocre offense, but instead they replace a guy that has never been surrounded by decent players. This pick does little for the Browns, and completely derails McCoy's career. It's a travesty all around.

FIFTY PLAYERS ON THE BROWNS ROSTER.

Sorry, I got a little carried away with how unbelievable that is.