The Cleveland Browns were one of the main highlights of the 2014 NFL Draft by not only drafting players, but by executing trades.
From May 8-May 10, 2014, the Browns drafted six new players and traded for three future draft picks.
The highlight of the team’s draft was trading up from the No. 26 pick, which was obtained from the Indianapolis Colts for RB Trent Richardson, to the No. 22 pick, held by the Philadelphia Eagles, to draft QB Johnny Manziel from Texas A&M University.
Sports fans and media have nicknamed Manziel ‘Johnny Football’ for both his play on the field and for posting photos of himself partying on his Twitter account.
In addition to drafting at No. 22, the Browns had the No. 4 pick, but traded it to the Buffalo Bills for the No. 9 pick in the 2014 draft as well as the team’s first and fourth round picks in the 2015 draft.
The Browns then traded up from the No. 9 pick to the No. 8 pick with the Minnesota Vikings to select CB Justin Gilbert out of Oklahoma State University. To trade up to the No. 9 pick, the Browns additionally gave up their fifth round pick, No. 145.
This became the first of three separate trades for the Browns.
They also traded their fourth and six round picks, Nos. 106 and 180, to the San Francisco 49ers for the No. 94 pick in the third round to select RB Terrance West out of Towson University, a Division I-AA school. The team also dealt their seventh round pick, No. 218 to the Baltimore Ravens, in exchange for the team’s sixth round pick in the 2015 draft.
With their remaining three draft picks, the Browns addressed their offensive line, outside linebacker position and cornerback position again. With the No. 35 pick in the second round, selecting OT Joel Bitonio from the University of Nevada, LB Christian Kirksey out of the University of Iowa was drafted in the third round with pick No. 71, and CB Pierre Desir out of Lindenwood (MO) University was drafted in the fourth round with pick No. 127.