For the seventh consecutive year – and third in primetime – NFL Network and NFL.com descend upon Radio City Music Hall in New York City for wall-to-wall coverage of the 77th annual NFL Draft Thursday, April 26 – Saturday, April 28. With an extensive roster of analysts, reporters and college head coaches, NFL Network and NFL.com’s live coverage kicks off with the first round Thursday at 8:00 PM ET, followed by Rounds 2-3 Friday at 7:00 PM ET and Rounds 4-7 Saturday at 12 Noon ET. Live draft day coverage on Thursday and Friday begins at 11:00 AM ET with two-hour editions of Path to the Draft, followed by the 2012 NFL Draft Kickoff pre-draft show. Saturday’s live coverage kicks off at 10:00 AM ET. NFL Network draft expert Mike Mayock headlines the on-air talent roster which will provide 48 hours of live “Draft Week” coverage beginning Monday, April 23. Tabbed the “most authoritative draft analyst on television” by Sports Illustrated, Mayock introduces the NFL’s next generation of talent to a new audience with a keen eye and proven track record. Additionally, NFL Network’s stable of former players such as Michael Irvin, Marshall Faulk, and Kurt Warner, former front office executives Michael Lombardi and Charley Casserly, and former NFL head coaches Steve Mariucci and Brian Billick have the draft covered from every angle with expert analysis gained from several years of NFL experience. Joining NFL Network’s on-air talent roster throughout the three-day showcase are LSU head coach Les Miles and Stanford head coach David Shaw. Miles and Shaw provide analysis of each of their former players during NFL Network’s pre-draft coverage on Thursday and Friday, and join the main set at Radio City Music Hall on Saturday to provide scouting reports on the players selected. If the Indianapolis Colts select Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck with the top choice, Shaw would be the first college head coach to work the draft on television as his player is picked first overall.
Below is an overview of NFL Network and NFL.com’s all-encompassing coverage of the 2012 NFL Draft.
THE COVERAGE
NFL Network
- Mike Mayock Unveils Only Mock Draft of the Year in Primetime: NFL Network’s top draft expert Mike Mayock debuts his first – and only – mock draft of the year in a one-hour special, Mayock’s 2012 Mock Draft Presented by Fiat on Wednesday, April 25 at 8:00 PM ET on NFL Network. On the eve of the 2012 NFL Draft from inside Radio City Music Hall in New York City, Mayock, alongside analyst Charles Davis, predicts how the first round of the draft will unfold and provides full analysis of each selection. Features interviews with top prospects Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III.
- Forty-Eight Hours of Live “Draft Week Coverage”: NFL Network provides 48 hours of live “Draft Week” coverage Monday, April 23 – Sunday, April 29. First-round coverage of the 2012 NFL Draft Presented by Verizon kicks off Thursday, April 26 at 8:00 PM ET. Rounds 2 and 3 begin Friday, April 27 at 7:00 PM ET, followed by Rounds 4-7 Saturday, April 28 at 12 Noon ET.
- Unmatched Talent Roster: With experts who are authorities on their positions and in their fields, NFL Network’s talent roster for the 2012 NFL Draft provides the respected and in-depth analysis fans crave. Hall of Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin breaks down the wide receivers, Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk examines how each running back will translate to the NFL level, and former NFL and Super Bowl MVP Kurt Warner lends his insight on the quarterbacks.
- Draft War Rooms Take Viewers Behind-the-Scenes: NFL Network offers behind-the-scenes video access into the Draft War Rooms of several NFL teams as team executives make their selections. Featured this season are the Indianapolis Colts, marking the third consecutive year NFL Network has been inside the draft room of the team with the first overall pick. Additional teams include the St. Louis Rams (6), Seattle Seahawks (12), Dallas Cowboys (14), Denver Broncos (25), Green Bay Packers (28) and San Francisco 49ers (30).
NFL Network Hits the Field and the Film Room with Top Prospects: Before their names are called on draft day, NFL Network hits the field and goes inside the film room with some of the top prospects in this year’s draft. Former head coach Steve Mariucci travels to Texas A&M to meet with quarterback Ryan Tannehill, Hall of Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin meets with Justin Blackmon at Oklahoma State and Hall of Fame safety Rod Woodson sits down with Alabama’s Mark Barron.
NFL.com
- Follow the 2012 NFL Draft Online with NFL.com LIVE Presented by Courtyard by Marriott: On Thursday, April 26 at 7:30 PM ET and Friday, April 27 at 6:30 PM ET, NFL.com LIVE Presented by Courtyard by Marriott provides comprehensive coverage of the 2012 NFL Draft. Host Matt “Money” Smith and analyst Bucky Brooks analyze each team’s selections, while Michael Fabiano, Jason Smith and Adam Rank offer the fantasy implications of each pick from NFL Network’s Los Angeles studios. On Saturday, NFL.com LIVE will stream NFL Network’s coverage of Rounds 4-7 beginning at 12 Noon ET.
- Fan War Rooms Return: The popular Fan War Rooms Presented by Verizon are back for the fourth year, offering an innovative way for fans to follow the draft, allowing them the opportunity to discuss a team’s strategy and immediately react once a player is selected.
- NFL.com’s Mock Draft: On Wednesday, April 25, NFL.com hosts its annual Mock Draft, hosted by “Commissioner” Mike Mayock. NFL Network’s Rich Eisen, Marshall Faulk, Michael Irvin, Steve Mariucci, Charles Davis, Brian Billick, Michael Lombardi and Melissa Stark are put on the spot as each makes their best selections for all 32 teams, with Mayock offering critiques and analysis throughout.
- Keep up with Matt Kalil & Justin Blackmon with ‘The Right Stuff Presented by New Era’: Follow two of the top prospects in this year’s draft – USC offensive tackle Matt Kalil and Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon – throughout their pre-draft journey on NFL.com’s blog, The Right Stuff Presented by New Era. NFL.com is with each prospect throughout their entire pre-draft journey, providing a behind-the-scenes look at one of the biggest moments in their life.
Interact with Fans, Analysts & Players Throughout the Draft: NFL.com’s Draft Chat Presented by Lexus offers fans a unique forum to interact with fellow fans, NFL Network analysts and players, as well as voice their opinions regarding each selection. NFL.com’s Elliot Harrison is on the scene at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, talking all-things draft with fans via Twitter and other social media forums.