The Ravens and Bengals each made 10 selections at the 2008 draft, while past deals limited the Browns to just five picks, all in the final four rounds. The Ravens were the only team that loaded up on offensive talent, but all four teams addressed needs at wide receiver, and the Bengals sent a message by drafting three. With a run on cornerbacks early in the draft, the Ravens, Browns and Steelers were unable to address key needs at that position.
Safest pick: RB Rashard Mendenhall (Steelers). Mendenhall's power game will nicely complement the speed of Willie Parker, who is coming back from a broken leg suffered late last season.
Riskiest pick: QB Joe Flacco (Ravens). When Matt Ryan was taken by the Falcons, the Ravens traded back from No. 8 to No. 26 and then traded up to No. 18 to hang their franchise's hopes on the University of Delaware product.
Best Day 2 value: WR, Andre Caldwell (Bengals). The brother of Rams WR Reche Caldwell could become a focal point in Cincinnati's offense sooner rather than later as Chris Henry was released and Chad Johnson continues to insist on a change of scenery.
AFC North draft recaps
The Ravens got their quarterback of the future, Joe Flacco, after the Falcons selected Matt Ryan. The looming retirement of Pro Bowl offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden has created a major void along the offensive line, which the team started to address in the fourth round by taking David Hale. Linebacker Tavares Gooden brings some much-needed youth to an aging, but still talented, defense.
Baltimore's complete draft
Trading Leigh Bodden created a major hole in the Browns' secondary, but Cleveland didn't have many picks, and none until the fourth round, to address the need. With the 3-4 scheme that coach Romeo Crennel runs, a team needs a solid rotation of linebackers, so the Browns took a good one in UNLV's Beau Bell. Cleveland also needs a running back in the near future, but again, the lack of picks, especially early choices, hurt the club's ability to address the need.
Cleveland's complete draft
With pressing needs defensively, the Bengals moved quickly to take linebacker Keith Rivers in the first round, and found value in underrated defensive tackle Pat Sims in the third. The team lost defensive end Justin Smith in free agency but did not take a pass-rushing replacement. Is the Chad Johnson era over in Cincinnati? The team acted like it was by taking two receivers in the first three rounds.
Cincinnati's complete draft
The loss of guard Alan Faneca in free agency created a void along the offensive line that the Steelers addressed in the fourth round with tackle Tony Hills. Pittsburgh also met one of Ben Roethlisberger's biggest requests -- a tall receiver. Second-round pick Limas Sweed is 6-foot-4. The Steelers didn't have a pressing need at running back, but Rashard Mendenhall adds some explosiveness and was just too good to pass up in the first round.
Pittsburgh's complete draft
