How Would You Grade the Cleveland Browns’ 2012 NFL Draft?

It was an eventful NFL draft for the Cleveland Browns, starting in the first round, as the team traded up to the third overall pick to select running back Trent Richardson, following that up with the selection of quarterback Brandon Weeden.

Most Browns fans seemed enthusiastic about the first round, but that quickly dissolved into confusion and frustration when the team chose to address the offensive and defensive lines with its early picks on the draft’s second day. Regardless of that reaction, it’s a draft class with a lot of potential and it addressed both the need for offensive playmakers and the need for depth in the trenches. Only time will tell what it does to the team’s actual performance.

Here’s a look at the 2012 draft class for the Browns:

RB Trent Richardson – Round 1 (No. 3 overall)

QB Brandon Weeden – Round 1 (No. 22 overall)

OT Mitchell Schwartz – Round 2 (No. 37 overall)

DT John Hughes – Round 3 (No. 87 overall)

WR Travis Benjamin – Round 4 (No. 100 overall)

LB James-Michael Johnson – Round 4 (No. 120 overall)

OT Ryan Miller – Round 5 (No. 160 overall)

LB Emmanuel Acho – Round 6 (No. 204 overall)

DT Billy Winn – Round 6 (No. 205 overall)

CB Trevin Wade – Round 7 (No. 245 overall)

RB Brad Smelley – Round 7 (No. 247 overall)

Now that you’ve had some time to think it over, look at every prospect, and generally settle down from all of the excitement, what is your initial grade of this draft? Obviously it’s hard to give a true grade of the draft class until the players actually step onto the field, but hey, let’s start evaluating anyway.