NFL Draft Review: AFC North

Baltimore Ravens

Notable Selections: DT Terrence Cody, OT Michael Oher, WR Torrey Smith & CB Lardarius Webb

Recap: Living up to expectations isn?t easy. Just ask Ozzie Newsome, who is widely regarded as one of the league?s best talent evaluators. Since ?09, Baltimore?s added several quality starters through the draft. Oher?s solidified himself as the starting right tackle, though he struggled on the left side. Smith and Cody are solid starters and their best years are likely ahead of them. The closest thing to a game-changer, however, is Webb, who?s emerging as one of the AFC?s most underrated corners.

2012 Selections: LB Courtney Upshaw, OG Kelechi Osemele, RB Bernard Pierce, C Gino Gradkowski, S Christian Thompson, CB Asa Jackson, WR Tommy Streeter, & DE DeAngelo Tyson

Outlook: Because their roster consists of several veterans, Baltimore isn?t without long-term needs. Upshaw has to contribute immediately because of LB Terrell Suggs?s Achilles injury. I think he can. He plays hard, works hard, and is just an all-around clean player. The addition of Osemele gives the Ravens an option to replace Ben Grubbs and Jackson is an intriguing small-school prospect. There isn?t anything particularly flashy about this class, but there?s a whole lot of substance, and that's exactly how Baltimore builds their roster.

Cincinnati Bengals

Notable Selections: QB Andy Dalton, WR A.J. Green, TE Jermaine Gresham, LB Rey Maualuga, & OT Andre Smith

Recap: Mike Brown receives a lot of criticism for many bonehead decisions over the years. QBs David Klinger and Akili Smith immediately come to mind, but recently, he?s done a good job drafting talent. Nevertheless, the ?11 draft will make or break Cincinnati?s future. The good news is Green appears to be a homerun. He?s the most dynamic rookie receiver since Randy Moss and he?s not slowing down. Dalton?s interesting. He played well a year ago, but the jury is still out on his ability. Is he simply a game-manger? Does he have the ability to create with his arm and legs? Those questions remain unanswered.

2012 Selection: CB Dre Kirkpatrick, OG Kevin Zeitler, DT Devon Still, WR Mohamed Sanu, DT Brandon Thompson, TE Orson Charles, CB Shaun Porter, WR Marvin Jones, S George Iloka, & RB Dan Herron

Outlook: The Bengals acquired extra choices after moving down in round one, not to mention they had an extra first rounder because of a trade that sent QB Carson Palmer to Oakland. Regardless, Cincinnati did an excellent job of addressing their needs, but also not reaching for many of their players. Each selection represents quality value. Many organizations overvalue their talent after a postseason appearance. The Bengals did the opposite and created more competition at several positions.

Cleveland Browns

Notable Selections: CB Joe Haden, C Alex Mack, QB Colt McCoy, DE Jabaal Sheard, & S T.J. Ward

Recap: The Browns are playing from behind and their previous drafts reflect this fact. Of their eight picks in ?09, six of them are flat-out misses. The team did add Haden and Ward a year later under President Mike Holmgren. In fact, Haden is coming off an outstanding year, where he may have put himself in the discussion of elite corners. That year also saw Montario Hardesty and McCoy in rounds two and three, respectively. Both picks whiffed in a big way and the Browns all but accepted this as fact, when they chose a running back and quarterback in round one of this year?s draft.

2012 Selections: RB Trent Richardson, QB Brandon Weeden, OT Mitchell Schwartz, DT John Hughes, WR Travis Benjamin, LB James-Michael Johnson, OG Ryan Miller, LB Emmanuel Acho, DT Billy Winn, CB Trevin Wade, & FB Brad Smelley

Outlook: The Browns have many needs, so it?s not surprising to see them accumulate several draft picks. Their trade with Atlanta in ?10 netted them an extra first-round pick, though they did lose Julio Jones, as a result. Nevertheless, the Browns took Weeden with that choice, and thus, the front office has forever tied itself to a 28-year-old signal caller from Oklahoma State. They?re playing a dangerous game. Many teams are beginning to panic because they don?t have a franchise quarterback. The Browns may have done that, but they deserve credit for landing Richardson, who should solidify their running game for the next 5-10 years.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Notable Selections: WR Antonio Brown, OT Marcus Gilbert, DE Ziggy Hood, C Maurkice Pouncey, & WR Mike Wallace

Recap: Pittsburgh is the NFL?s model for consistency. We?re talking about an organization that?s had three coaches in 43 years. They draft very well, too. Pouncey is already an all-pro caliber center, Hood is starting to develop, and Gilbert started 13 games a year ago. It?s also hard not to love the additions of Brown and Wallace from the draft. Both receivers had over 1,000 yards receiving in ?11 and they developed soon after the Steelers decided to part ways with troublesome WR Santonio Holmes. Neither was a first-round pick.

2012 Selections: OG David DeCastro, OT Mike Adams, LB Sean Spence, DT Alameda Ta?amu, RB Chris Rainey, WR Toney Clemons, TE David Paulson, CB Terrence Frederick, & OG Kelvin Beachum

Outlook: Very few teams deserve the benefit of the doubt. The Packers and Ravens immediately come to mind as examples. The Steelers do as well. Kevin Colbert is quietly the best general manger in football that nobody mentions. He fills out his roster well and his team is always among the toughest in football. In addition, he finds starters from the mid-rounds. The Steelers' receiving core is a testament to this success. In the future, Ta?amu could be a starter in Pittsburgh?s 3-4 defense. He was a fourth-round pick.

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