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Draft Needs: AFC North

Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Reuters

The AFC North was one of the quietest divisions in free agency, though the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals all had limited cap space to work with. 

As for the Cleveland Browns, owner Jimmy Haslam said the team would bolster its roster primarily through the draft and appears to be sticking with that plan.

Let's take a look at some players the AFC North teams may be targeting in the draft. 

NFC
EAST | NORTH | SOUTH | WEST
AFC
EAST | NORTH | SOUTH | WEST

Pittsburgh Steelers

Positions of need: Outside linebacker, cornerback, safety, tight end, running back

The Steelers re-signed linebackers James Harrison and Arthur Moats in free agency, but given the depth of this year's draft class, they may look to add a pass-rusher or two. They also have a glaring need at cornerback following the departures of Ike Taylor and Brice McCain, and could be in the market for a safety following the retirement of Troy Polamalu. 

Pittsburgh is in relatively good shape on the offensive side of the ball, though finding an heir for longtime starting tight end Heath Miller wouldn't be a bad idea. They could also look at drafting a running back to help fill the void of Le'Veon Bell while he serves a three-game suspension.

Potential draft targets: Wake Forest's Kevin Johnson, Michigan State's Trae Waynes and LSU's Jalen Collins are among the cornerbacks the Steelers could target with their first pick. 

If Pittsburgh goes the pass-rushing route, Kentucky's Alvin "Bud" Dupree or UCLA's Owamagbe Odighizuwa are potential options.

Cincinnati Bengals

Positions of need: Linebacker, safety, offensive line, wide receiver, tight end

Vontaze Burfict is in the midst of a lengthy recovery process after undergoing microfracture surgery on his knee and may not be ready for the start of the season, leaving the Bengals thin at linebacker. They could also use some depth at safety and along the offensive line, as there are a number of players set to become free agents in 2016.

Cincinnati was unable to find a viable replacement for departed slot receiver Andrew Hawkins last season and there are a number of prospects that could fill the role. The loss of Jermaine Gresham also leaves the team in need of a blocking tight end. 

Potential draft targets: Stanford's Andrus Peat, LSU's La'el Collins and Miami's Ereck Flowers are names to watch for at offensive tackle.

Linebackers Shaq Thompson of Washington and Eric Kendricks of UCLA could be good fits for the Bengals as well.

Baltimore Ravens

Positions of need: Wide receiver, cornerback, defensive line, running back

The Ravens are in need of a deep receiving threat after losing Torrey Smith to the San Francisco 49ers. They could also use some depth at cornerback behind starters Lardarius Webb and Jimmy Smith, both of whom missed time with injuries last season.

Head coach John Harbaugh is confident defensive tackles Timmy Jernigan and Brandon Williams can replace Haloti Ngata, but the Ravens may look to beef up their defensive line. Running back depth is another area of concern and they'll have plenty of options if they choose to address the position in the draft.

Potential draft targets: It seems likely that the Ravens will use their first-round pick on a wide receiver or cornerback. Arizona State's Jaelen Strong, Michigan’s Devin Funchess and Ohio State's Devin Smith have all been named as potential receiver targets for the team. 

Cornerback options include Florida State's P.J. Williams, Utah's Eric Rowe (who can also play safety), UConn's Byron Jones and Washington's Marcus Peters.

Cleveland Browns

Positions of need: Quarterback, tight end, wide receiver, defensive line

After taking a conservative approach to free agency, the Browns will be looking to hit the jackpot in the draft. The team holds 10 picks - including a pair of first-rounders - but has a number of needs at crucial positions and has to draft wisely. 

Quarterback remains a sore spot for the Browns, who tried, and failed, to acquire Sam Bradford from the St. Louis Rams. They also couldn't hold onto Jordan Cameron, leaving them with Rob Housler, Gary Barnidge and Jim Dray at tight end. 

Defensive end John Hughes signed a four-year deal to return to the team, but the Browns could use some additional help along the defensive line.

Potential draft targets: If the Browns want Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, they'll almost certainly have to trade up for him. They could use the No. 12 or No. 19 pick on Minnesota tight end Maxx Williams, but he's being touted as more of a back-end first-rounder. 

A number of mock drafts have Cleveland taking Washington nose tackle Danny Shelton, which makes sense given how bad the team's run defense was last season.

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