Richardson goes No. 3 to Browns

New York, NY (AP) - Four former University of Alabama standouts were selected in the first round of the NFL Draft for the second straight year.

The Cleveland Browns took Alabama running back Trent Richardson with the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL draft, trading three selections to Minnesota to move up one spot.        

Desperate for playmakers to help one of the league's worst offenses, the Browns sent the Vikings picks in the fourth, fifth and seventh rounds so they could get Richardson, the Crimson Tide star viewed as the most complete back in this year's draft and perhaps the best since Adrian Peterson in 2007.     

It was a bold move by Browns general manager Tom Heckert. Last year, Heckert passed up Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones at No. 6 and acquired extra picks from the Falcons. He used one of them in the package for Richardson.

Richardson, who played his high school football at Escambia High in Pensacola, was the highest pick for a running back since Reggie Bush in 2006, who went second overall to the Saints

Bucs trade down, select S Mark Barron in NFL draft

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Alabama safety and Mobile native Mark Barron with the seventh pick of the NFL draft.    

Barron will be plugged into a defense that was among the worst in the NFL a year ago, when the Bucs went 4-12 and allowed a franchise-record 30.9 points per game.         

TampaBaybegan the night with the fifth pick. But after Cleveland moved up one spot to No. 3 to ensure they'd get Alabama running back Trent Richardson, the Bucs traded down to No. 7 in a deal that also landed a fourth-round pick from Jacksonville.          

Cornerback Morris Claiborne also was high of the Bucs' wish list. However, Dallas pulled off a deal with St. Louis to move up eight spots to No. 6 to take the former LSU star.

Bengals take CB Dre Kirkpatrick with 17th pick   

CINCINNATI-- The Bengals took cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick from Alabama with the 17th overall pick in the draft, trying to fill one of their two most glaring needs.

The Bengals had one of the best cornerback tandems in the NFL in Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall, but Joseph left for Houston after the 2010 season and Hall tore an Achilles tendon last year.      

Cincinnatigot the pick from Oakland as part of the deal for quarterback Carson Palmer, which didn't turn out so well for the Raiders, who failed to reach the playoffs last season.

Patriots trade up to get Alabama LB Hightower        

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots have selected Alabama linebacker Dont'a Hightower with their second pick in the first round of the NFL draft.         

The Patriots traded their own first-rounder, the No. 31 pick overall, to Denver along with a fourth-rounder for the No. 25 overall pick.       

Hightower is 6-foot-4 and 260 pounds.