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2012 NFL Draft Grades: New-Look Cleveland Browns Given A-Minus

The Cleveland Browns definitely got their man in running back Trent Richardson on Thursday night, and then promptly snagged quarterback Brandon Weeden later on in the evening to complete the 1-2 punch. Despite numerous sources feeling that Weeden was a slight reach and not necessarily the team's most pressing need at that point, Sporting News felt otherwise when it released its 2012 draft grades:

Cleveland Browns (A-minus)
Key picks:
RB Trent Richardson, QB Brandon Weeden, T Mitchell Schwartz, WR Travis Benjamin.

They also went for the extreme makeover, offensive edition. It's just Weeden isn't Luck.

Eight teams were given a higher grade (A+ or A) than the Browns, but few did so while also re-tooling their entire offense. Even though the selection of Weeden will remain a question mark in the coming months, the Browns did manage to pick up a key tackle in California's Mitchell Schwartz and a blazing-fast receiver in Miami's Travis Benjamin, two players who will most likely play a significant role early on in their careers.

For more on the Cleveland Browns, head over to Dawgs By Nature. For more on the 2012 NFL Draft, check out SB Nation's NFL Draft hub. And for continuous draft coverage, make sure to visit Mocking The Draft.

Photographs by spatulated, Triple Tri, and chrischappelear used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.