NFL executives used to insist it takes three years to properly evaluate a draft class. Unfortunately, that crap doesn’t fly anymore. In today’s NFL, teams realize the best way to build a contender while staying under the salary cap is to get immediate contributions from players on their rookie contracts. With that in mind, we are kicking off a new series examining how every team has done over the last three drafts.  

To prevent our evaluations from turning into a novel of biblical lengths, we will focus on three players from each team’s recent draft classes: the best pick, the worst pick and the X Factor. This week: the AFC North. If you missed last week’s piece, check out our AFC East Draft Review. 

Baltimore Ravens

Best Pick: LB C.J. Mosley (First Round, 2014) 

Mosley authored a sensational rookie campaign, winning Rookie of the Month honors twice and getting invited to the Pro Bowl. He was the only player in the league to finish with at least 125 tackles (133), three sacks and two interceptions. He also chipped in eight pass break-ups and a forced fumble while starting all 16 games. He played more snaps (1,101) than any other rookie in the league and figures to be an impact player for a long, long time.

Worst Pick: DB Matt Elam (First Round, 2013)

Elam has spent a lot of time on the field, appearing in all 32 games since he was drafted (including 26 starts). Unfortunately, his stats do not reflect that. He has just one interception, one forced fumble and a half-sack over the last two seasons, numbers that are not up to par for a former first-round pick.

“Matt Elam has to be a better player for us next year,” Ravens GM Newsome said. “He has to be.”

X Factor: RB Bernard Pierce (Third Round, 2012)

Pierce fits here because there is so much uncertainty in Baltimore’s offensive backfield. It remains to be seen if Pierce can help fill that void (Justin Forsett is scheduled to be a free agent), but there is no doubt he has the ability. He averaged a robust 4.9 ypc as a rookie in 2012. That number dropped to 2.9 in 2013, when the Ravens running game came unhinged. Last season, under offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak’s zone-blocking scheme, Pierce fell almost completely out of the rotation. Perhaps new coordinator Marc Trestman can revive the powerful Pierce.

Cleveland Browns 

Best Pick: RB Terrance West (Third Round, 2014)

There are not nearly as many candidates for “Best Pick” as there are for “Worst Pick.” We’ll go with West here, who led the team with 171 carries for 673 yards (3.9 ypc) and four touchdowns. He also added 11 receptions and another score through the air. He ran for at least 94 yards in each of Cleveland’s divisional road games and should post even better numbers in 2015 as he becomes more of a focal point in the offense.

Worst Pick: QB Brandon Weeden (First Round, 2012)

Not many teams whiff on two first-round quarterbacks in a three-year span, but the Browns are special. While the Johnny Football era got off to a rough start, Weeden’s time with the team had a rough start and a rough finish. He started 20 games in Cleveland and finished with 23 touchdowns and 29 turnovers. He was released after just two seasons, meaning he had even less trade value than Blaine Gabbert … ouch.

X Factor: QB Johnny Manziel (First Round, 2014)

The bad news is Manziel’s rookie season could not have gone much worse. It had a little bit of everything: poor production, terrible mechanics, off-field distractions and a season-ending injury. The good news is it was just his rookie season and he appears in-line to get another shot in 2015. With Brian Hoyer’s contract set to expire, Manziel is penciled into the starter’s role. As long as the Browns do not trade up for Marcus Mariota or make a similarly stunning move, Manziel will get a chance to prove himself all over again.

Cincinnati Bengals

Best Pick: RB Jeremy Hill (Second Round, 2014)

Hill made the most of his opportunities as a rookie, racking up over 1,100 rushing yards despite coming off the bench for half of the season. He averaged over 5 yards per carry and scored nine touchdowns, making him Cincinnati’s most important offensive player not named A.J. Green. Most of the talk about the Bengals centers on Andy Dalton, but with Hill and Giovani Bernard in the offensive backfield, passing the ball may not be necessary.

Worst Pick: DE Margus Hunt (Second Round, 2013)

After a quiet and ineffective rookie season in 2013, Hunt generated a lot of buzz last preseason. Unfortunately, the hype proved to be for naught as he finished the 2014 season with just seven tackles and a sack. He still has a ton of potential, but “potential” gets coaches fired in the NFL. And Marvin Lewis, who is in the final year of his contract, is quickly running out of patience with the inconsistent SMU product.

X Factor: CB Darqueze Dennard (First Round, 2014)

Dennard failed to crack the rotation as a rookie, playing only 77 snaps. He was stuck behind a slew of veterans in Cincinnati’s secondary, but given that the Bengals ranked just No. 20 against the pass, one would think there would be room for the gifted athlete from Michigan State. He should have a much bigger role in 2015.

“I probably should have gotten him on the field more,” said defensive coordinator Paul Guenther of Dennard. “But it’s tough when you have Leon [Hall], you have Pac [Adam Jones], you have Terence [Newman]. But sometimes you’ve got to be around those guys for you to learn really what it’s like to do it.”

Pittsburgh Steelers

Best Pick: RB Le’Veon Bell (Second Round, 2013)

Bell put up monster numbers in his second season, racking up over 2,200 yards from scrimmage and scoring 11 touchdowns. His speed makes Pittsburgh’s offense infinitely more dangerous and his evasiveness in space is second to none. It is debatable whether he is the best running back in the league (DeMarco Murray and Jamaal Charles can both make a strong case), but what is not debatable is that Bell is Pittsburgh best pick over the last three years.

Worst Pick: OT Mike Adams (Second Round, 2012)

It has been three years of disappointment for Adams. He started 16 games over his first two seasons, playing awfully more often than not, then failed to win the open left tackle position in last year’s training camp. He will never be anything more than a reserve swing tackle who will likely be allowed to walk as soon as his rookie contract expires. The Steelers expected more when they selected him with the No. 56 overall pick in the 2012 draft.

X Factor: OLB Jarvis Jones (First Round, 2013)

The Steelers still aren’t sure what they have in Jones. He had a tough rookie campaign, getting benched midway through the season and finishing with one sack. He appeared primed to make a sophomore leap, but a wrist injury wiped out over half of his second season. He will get another shot to make an impact in 2015, especially if Jason Worilds departs as a free agent. The Steelers need Jones to deliver.

How would you grade the most recent drafts by AFC North teams? Talk about it with Michael Lombardo during his weekly NFL Chat on Friday at 2pm EST. But you don’t have to wait until then … ask your question now!