NFL Supplemental Draft 2012: How Josh Gordon Will Fit with Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns selected former Baylor wide receiver Josh Gordon in the 2012 NFL Supplemental Draft, giving their young offense another dangerous weapon.

Gordon will join fellow rookies Brandon Weeden and Trent Richardson—both of whom were first-round picks in April's NFL draft—on the Browns roster, and all three will have an opportunity to start.

Back in May, Browns GM Tom Heckert said he expects Weeden to start at quarterback (h/t The Cleveland Plain Dealer), and obviously, there's no question that No. 3 overall pick Richardson will be the first-team running back.

So just how strong is Gordon's chance of joining them? Well, according to Heckert (via the Plain Dealer, once again), the Browns firmly believe that Gordon can start opposite of Greg Little, and they will give him the opportunity to win the job in training camp. 

This should come as no surprise, as Gordon has all the physical tools necessary to be a legitimate No. 2 receiver in this league. He's big (6'3", 224 pounds), fast (4.52 40-yard dash time) and he was highly productive in his last season at Baylor. 

Gordon caught 42 passes for 714 yards in seven touchdowns in 2010, his final season at Baylor. Unfortunately, he was suspended for possession of marijuana as a junior in 2011, and he decided to transfer to Utah, where he never played a down.

However, he did practice with the team every day, and he appears to have moved past his prior drug troubles. Gordon is saying all the right things about the incident, supplying this quote, via ESPN.com.

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"It was against school policy, of course, and I was (suspended) in the summer," Gordon said. "I've definitely put that part of my life behind me. I don't plan to ever go back there. It was a difficult time, but I learned from it, and I've moved on."

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If Gordon's words are true, the Browns just obtained a valuable asset. Gordon is an incredible athlete, and once he gets acclimated to the speed and physicality of the NFL, he should be a productive member of their receiving corps.

Cleveland desperately needed some more firepower for its quarterbacks, as Little was the only consistent contributor last season. Its second-best receiver, Josh Cribbs, caught just 41 passes for 518 yards, and nobody on the team had more than four touchdown receptions.

Although I doubt Gordon will immediately exceed those numbers, he is certainly a better long-term option than any of their other receivers not named Little. And, after spending what is essentially a second-round pick on him, there's not a ton of risk involved.

This is a good move by the Browns, and it should help them escape the bottom of the NFL's offensive rankings.