Browns Trade for Trent Richardson, Patriots Moving Up Among Big Surprises in First Round of NFL Draft

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Apr 27, 2012

Browns Trade for Trent Richardson, Patriots Moving Up Among Big Surprises in First Round of NFL DraftThe first round of the 2012 NFL Draft provided plenty of surprises on Thursday night.

The Cleveland Browns may not have had the first pick, but they kicked off the excitement on the night by swapping picks with the Minnesota Vikings to ensure that they got their man — Alabama running back Trent Richardson.

The fun kept coming as the round continued. The Dallas Cowboys and Jacksonville Jaguars were just two of the teams trading picks on Thursday, as this year's first round had eight trades which is four more than last year.

While teams like the Cowboys and Jaguars made splashed by jumping higher into the top of the draft, the New England Patriots may have pulled off the biggest surprise of the draft by changing direction.

Bill Belichick and the typically conservative Patriots, finally decided to move up on draft day rather than heading in the other direction as is usual for the team.

The Patriots ended up with Syracuse defensive end Chandler Jones and Alabama linebacker Dont'a Hightower in the end, helping to solidify one of the league's worst defenses in 2011 with two solid players who can contribute immediately.

Click here to see all 32 Picks from the 2012 NFL Draft >>

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