Dean Michaels

The Cleveland Browns needed to do something at the 2012 NFL draft to shake up perhaps the league's worst offense.

They did just that in trading up to No. 3 to select Alabama standout running back Trent Richardson.

Along with swapping the No. 3 for the No. 4 pick, the Minnesota Vikings also received a fourth-, fifth- and seventh-round pick in this year's draft.

As expected, there was no drama with the top two picks as Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck went No. 1 to the Indianapolis Colts and Baylor signal-caller Robert Griffin III being selected No. 2 by the Washington Redskins.

The Vikings selected USC offensive lineman Matt Kalil at No. 4, while Oklahoma State wideout Justin Blackmon went No. 5 to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Dallas Cowboys went with LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne at No. 6 and Alabama safety Mark Barron was the Tampa Bay Bucs choice at No. 7.

The Miami Dolphins chose Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill at No. 8, while Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly was the Carolina Panthers selection at No. 9.

Rounding out the top 10 were the Buffalo Bills, who opted for South Carolina corner Stephon Gilmore.

Notable Draft Quotes

Andrew Luck about the pressure replacing Pro Football Hall of Fame caliber quarterback:

Peyton Manning, arguably the greatest ever. He was my football hero growing up. I realize you don't really replace a guy like that. Those shoes to fill are huge. I'm not going to go crazy trying to do everything that Peyton did. I realize we're different personalities so I'll put my best foot forward and try to work hard every day. If one day I can be mentioned alongside Peyton in quarterback history, it would be a football dream come true

Robert Griffin III on the Redskins' offense

The receivers they just picked up -- Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan -- they've got a lot of weapons. Anthony Armstrong is one of the fastest guys in the league. Leonard Hankerson is a young guy that got hurt last year and can really make some plays. You've got Santana Moss, can't forget about that guy, from the U [of Miami]. I watched him growing up, not that he's old, but I look forward to playing with all these guys, just using their skills, and I want them to know that even though some do look at me as a running quarterback, I play quarterback first and then when nothing is there I try to make something happen. I'll play within the system and then get ready to do whatever I have to do if nothing is there

Trent Richardson on Alabama Coach Nick Saban's advice about the pros

He really just told me, "Make sure you never forget what you did to get to where you are. You carried yourself so well. Just be you, stay humble." If you're humble, you won't have any problems. Just work hard and do what you always do."

Matt Kalil on getting to block for Adrian Peterson

It's kind of cool. Being in seventh grade and watching my brother play in the Orange Bowl, and Adrian Peterson from Oklahoma and seeing everything he's done now, and now being able to block for him, he's probably one of if not the best running backs in the NFL. From what I heard about him, what kind of guy he is, what kind of leader he is, how tough he is, I have no doubt he's going to not miss a beat this whole next season, and it's going to be pretty fun blocking for him

2012 NFL Draft Round 1 Picks

Pick Team Player Position Colege
Source: NFL
1INDIANAPOLISLuck, AndrewQBStanford
2WASHINGTONGriffin, RobertQBBaylor
3CLEVELANDRichardson, TrentRBAlabama
4MINNESOTAKalil, MattTSouthern California
5JACKSONVILLEBlackmon, JustinWROklahoma State
6DALLASClaiborne, MorrisDBLouisiana State
7TAMPA BAYBarron, MarkDBAlabama
8MIAMITannehill, RyanQBTexas A&M
9CAROLINAKuechly, LukeLBBoston College
10BUFFALOGilmore, StephonDBSouth Carolina
11KANSAS CITYPoe, DontariNTMemphis
12PHILADELPHIACox, FletcherDTMississippi State
13ARIZONAFloyd, MichaelWRNotre Dame
14ST LOUISBrockers, MichaelDTLouisiana State
15SEATTLEIrvin, BruceDEWest Virginia
16NEW YORK JETSCoples, QuintonDENorth Carolina
17CINCINNATIKirkpatrick, DreDBAlabama
18SAN DIEGOIngram, MelvinLBSouth Carolina
19CHICAGOMcClellin, SheaDEBoise State
20TENNESSEEWright, KendallWRBaylor
21NEW ENGLANDJones, ChandlerDESyracuse
22CLEVELANDWeeden, BrandonQBOklahoma State
23DETROITReiff, RileyTIowa
24PITTSBURGHDeCastro, DavidGStanford
25NEW ENGLANDHightower, Dont'aLBAlabama
26HOUSTONMercilus, WhitneyLBIllinois
27CINCINNATIZeitler, KevinGWisconsin
28GREEN BAYPerry, NickLBSouthern California
29MINNESOTASmith, HarrisonDBNotre Dame
30SAN FRANCISCOJenkins, A.J.WRIllinois
31TAMPA BAYMartin, DougRBBoise State
32NEW YORK GIANTSWilson, DavidRBVirginia Tech

 

2012 NFL Draft Round 1 Notes

Record Number of Players Attend 2012 NFL Draft

26 NFL Draft Prospects were in attendance tonight at Radio City Music Hall for Round 1 of the 2012 NFL Draft -- the most in history. This year's total eclipses last year's record of 25 players.

A record five players from BCS National Champion Alabama were on hand: S Mark Barron, LB Dont'a Hightower, CB Dre Kirkpatrick, RB Trent Richardson and LB Courtney Upshaw.

Luck Of The Draw

Indianapolis selected Andrew Luck with the No. 1 pick of the 2012 NFL Draft, marking the fourth time a Stanford quarterback has been chosen first overall, the most of any college in history. Notre Dame is the only other school with multiple quarterbacks selected No. 1 in NFL Draft history (Angelo Bertelli, 1944; Frank Dancewicz, 1946).

Stanford Quarterbacks Selected First Overall (All-Time)

Year Player Team
Source: NFL
1954Bobby GarrettCleveland Browns
1971Jim PlunkettNew England Patriots
1983John ElwayBaltimore Colts
2012Andrew LuckIndianapolis Colts

 

Mulitple Draft Day Moves

There were 19 trades involving first-round selections in the 2012 NFL Draft, the most since at least 1970. The previous high during that span was 15 first-round trades in 1995.

It's A QB League

With the Colts' selection of Stanford QB Andrew Luck, the 2012 NFL Draft marked the fourth consecutive year a quarterback has been chosen first overall -- the second-longest streak in NFL Draft history. A quarterback was taken off the board first in each year from 2001-05.

It also marked the 31st time in NFL Draft history a quarterback has been selected first overall -- the most of any position -- and the 10th time in the last 12 years.

NFL Draft: First Overall Selections (2001-2012)

Year Player Position Team
Source: NFL
2001Michael VickQBAtlanta
2002David CarrQBHouston
2003Carson PalmerQBCincinnati
2004Eli ManningQBSan Diego
2005Alex SmithQBSan Francisco
2006Mario WilliamsDEHouston
2007JaMarcus RussellQBOakland
2008Jake LongTMiami
2009Matthew StaffordQBDetroit
2010Sam BradfordQBSt. Louis
2011Cam NewtonQBCarolina
2012Andrew LuckQBIndianapolis

 

With the Redskins' selection of Baylor QB ROBERT GRIFFIN III at No. 2 overall in Round 1, Luck and Griffin have become the fifth pair of quarterbacks to be selected No. 1 and No. 2 overall in the same year since the common draft was instituted in 1967.

Quarterbacks Selected Number One And Number Two Overall In The Same Year

Year No. 1 Selection No. 2 Selection
Source: NFL
1971Jim Plunkett -- New EnglandArchie Manning -- New Orleans
1993Drew Bledsoe -- New EnglandRick Mirer -- Seattle
1998Peyton Manning -- IndianapolisRyan Leaf -- San Diego
1999Tim Couch -- ClevelandDonovan McNabb -- Philadelphia
2012Andrew Luck -- IndianapolisRobert Griffin III -- Washington

 

Tannehill Two-Step

Miami selected Ryan Tannehill with the No. 8 overall pick, making him the first Texas A&M quarterback chosen in the first round since the advent of the common draft in 1967.

This is the second consecutive season the Aggies had a first-round selection. In 2011, the Denver Broncos selected LB Von Miller with the No. 2 pick.

Here are the Texas A&M quarterbacks selected in the NFL Draft since 1967:

Year Player Team Round
Source: NFL
1969Edd HargettNew Orleans Saints16
1983Gary KubiakDenver Broncos8
1992Bucky RichardsonHouston Oilers8
2009Stephen McGeeDallas Cowboys4
2012Ryan TannehillMiami Dolphins1

 

Party of Two

For the second time in school history, South Carolina has two first-round selections in the same NFL Draft -- CB Stephon Gilmore (No. 10, Buffalo) and DE Melvin Ingram (No. 18, San Diego). The only year in which the school had multiple players selected in Round 1 was 1981 (RB George Rogers, New Orleans, No. 1; TE Willie Scott, Kansas City, No. 14).

South Carolina Players Selected In The First Round (All-Time)

Year Player Position Team Overall Selection
Source: NFL
1979Rick SanfordDBNew England25
1981George RogersRBNew Orleans1
1981Willie ScottTEKansas City14
1988Sterling SharpeWRGreen Bay7
1993Ernest DyeTPhoenix18
2000John AbrahamDEN.Y. Jets13
2004Dunta RobinsonDBHouston10
2005Troy WilliamsonWRMinnesota7
2006Johnathan JosephCBCincinnati24
2012Stephon GilmoreCBBuffalo10
2012Melvin IngramLBSan Diego18

 

Wake Up The Echoes

WR Michael Floyd (No. 13, Arizona) left his mark at Notre Dame, establishing school records in receptions (271), receiving yards (3,686) and touchdown catches (37). He becomes the third Notre Dame wide receiver to be selected in the first round since 1967 and the first since Heisman Trophy winner Tim Brown (No. 6 overall, L.A. Raiders) in 1988.

Notre Dame Wide Receivers Selected in Round 1

Year Player Team Overall Selection
Source: NFL
1969Jim SeymourLos Angeles Rams10
1988Tim BrownLos Angeles Raiders6
2012Michael FloydArizona Cardinals13

 

SEC Flavor

The SEC had nine players drafted in Round 1 tonight, the most of any conference.

Since 2000, the SEC leads all conferences with 495 total draft choices:

Conference Draft Choices
Source: NFL
SEC495
Big Ten418
PAC-12367
Big XII351
Big East304
ACC304

 

NFL Draft 2012: Browns Trade Up, Select Richardson at No. 3; Luck-Griffin Go 1-2