National Football League

AFC North draft capsules

Published Apr. 23, 2015 8:34 p.m. ET

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12, 19. CLEVELAND BROWNS (7-9)

LAST SEASON: Browns were in playoff position at 7-4 before unraveling and dropping their last five in row, their seventh consecutive losing season. Quarterback Brian Hoyer was benched down the stretch in favor of rookie Johnny Manziel, who played poorly in two starts, admitted he didn't work hard enough and spent 10 weeks in rehab this offseason. Cleveland's offense lacked playmakers and defense couldn't stop run, finishing last in NFL.

THEY NEED: QB, DT, WR, TE, RB.

THEY DON'T NEED: OL, S, CB.

POSSIBLE FIRST PICK: Washington DT Danny Shelton. The 6-foot-2, 340-pound run stuffer would address Browns' interior weak spot. NT Phil Taylor is coming off knee surgery and entering final year of contract. Coach Mike Pettine wants to construct team around defense, and Shelton would be another building block.

OUTLOOK: GM Ray Farmer was aggressive last year, swapping top picks with Buffalo, acquiring a first-rounder in `15 and drafting CB Justin Gilbert and Manziel top 22. There's still huge uncertainty at quarterback and it's possible Farmer, who has 10 picks and owner Jimmy Haslam determined to find quarterback, may make run at Oregon's Marcus Mariota.

21. CINCINNATI BENGALS (10-5-1)

LAST SEASON: Bengals reached playoffs for fourth season in row, and lost opening game for fourth time in row. QB Andy Dalton fell to 0-4 in playoffs with one TD pass and six interceptions overall. MLB Vontaze Burfict had two knee operations and it's unclear when he might return, so Cincinnati signed free agent LB A.J. Hawk. DE Michael Johnson returned after one season with Tampa Bay, bolstering a defense that had fewest sacks in NFL. DT Geno Atkins had subpar season returning from ACL surgery.

THEY NEED: OT, LB, DT, WR, CB.

THEY DON'T NEED: QB, RB, P, K.

POSSIBLE FIRST PICK: Miami OT Ereck Flowers. Stanford OT Andrus Peat.

OUTLOOK: LT Andrew Whitworth is entering 10th season, RT Andre Smith his seventh, so it's time to start considering an eventual replacement at tackle. Burfict's concussion and knee injuries leave concern at linebacker. With Atkins struggling, they need to get more of pass rush up the middle. CB Terence Newman left for Minnesota, leaving Leon Hall (age 32) and Adam ''Pacman'' Jones (32) as incumbent starters with a hole to fill in the and youngsters Dre Kirkpatrick and Darqueze Dennard competing for bigger roles.

22. PITTSBURGH STEELERS (11-5)

LAST SEASON: Pittsburgh shook off slow start to win AFC North title behind one of NFL's most dynamic offenses. RB Le'Veon Bell emerged as one of league's best all-around backs, WR Antonio Brown broke most single-season team records he didn't already own, QB Ben Roethlisberger tied for league lead in yards passing. It helped overcome defense that stumbled through its worst statistical year this millennium.

THEY NEED: Help, and lots of it, on defense. S (Troy Polamalu retired), CB (so did Ike Taylor), DE, LB.

THEY DON'T NEED: Anything on offense. Likely will search for TE Heath Miller's eventual replacement and some depth at RB in later rounds.

POSSIBLE FIRST PICK: Washington CB Marcus Peters, Nebraska LB Randy Gregory, Michigan State CB Trae Waynes, Florida State DT Eddie Goldman.

OUTLOOK: Steelers, as much as any team in league, prefer to build through draft. They'll need perhaps their most productive class of GM Kevin Colbert's and head coach Mike Tomlin's tenure to address defense that is both subpar and thin. Pittsburgh hasn't taken CB in first round since Chad Scott in 1997, drought that will likely end. Peters may be most talented defensive back in draft but has disconcerting temper issues. Gregory could give them long-term bookend to Jarvis Jones at OLB, but failed marijuana test. Pittsburgh needs to find someone to play right away. New defensive coordinator Keith Butler will have his first real chance to put stamp on unit that needs plenty of work.

26. BALTIMORE RAVENS (10-6)

LAST SEASON: Ravens set franchise record with 409 points and earned postseason berth for sixth time in seven years under John Harbaugh despite finishing third in AFC North behind Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. After upsetting Steelers on road in opening round of playoffs, Baltimore lost 35-31 to New England, which went on to win Super Bowl.

THEY NEED: WR after losing speedster Torrey Smith to SF via free agency. RB, CB, TE, S and DL are also positions that lack depth.

THEY DON'T NEED: QB, PK, LB, although another pass rusher would help ease pressure on Baltimore's two sack specialists, Elvis Dumervil and Terrell Suggs.

POSSIBLE FIRST PICK: Arizona State WR Jaelen Strong, Washington CB Marcus Peters, Oklahoma NT Jordan Phillips, Wisconsin RB Melvin Gordon (if somehow he's available that late).

OUTLOOK: Ravens have 10 picks and plenty of holes, which doesn't necessarily mean GM Ozzie Newsome will use 26th overall selection to fill need. Newsome usually utilizes initial selection on most talented athlete available, which is why he took Alabama LB C.J. Mosley last year even though that position was already solid. Newsome will make deal at some point in draft, perhaps on first night.

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