2012 NFL Draft TV Coverage: When and Where to Watch First-Round Action

The 2012 NFL draft is all about decision making, but the only decision us viewers have to make is which channel to watch.

Round 1 begins Thursday night with Rounds 2 and 3 to follow on Friday night and Rounds 4 through 7 closing out the three-day extravaganza on Saturday.

The draft is a unique experience where nearly every fan can be a winner (sorry Raiders fans). Considered by many as the offseason Super Bowl, the draft gives fans hope that this year could be their year. Every team, literally, has a chance to be a winner, and we cannot say that about many events.

Grab some brews and order some food, because the next three days are three of the best in all football.

When: Thursday, April 26, 8 PM ET (Round 1)

Where: ESPN and NFL Network (Live Streaming at NFL.com)

ESPN Coverage (according to Channel Guide Magazine)

Starring: Chris Berman (host), Jon Gruden and Mel Kiper, Jr. (analysts on desk), NFL Insiders Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter (separate set), Suzy Kolber (reporting and interviews) and Bill Polian (analyst from Bristol)

The Worldwide Leader continues to dominate draft coverage and will be the go-to channel come Thursday night.

The desk is chock full of characters in Berman, Gruden and Kiper, but their schticks will certainly turn some fans away. That said, Gruden's excitement can be infectious, Kiper always draws attention with his blunt opinions and legendary hair and Boomer is, well, Boomer.

The best thing ESPN did was involve Polian, the former Colts president. He's been a welcome voice in the studio throughout coverage thus far and offers great counterpoints to most things Kiper and Todd McShay have to say, as well as insight you cannot get anywhere else.

If you don't want to stick with ESPN, at least check out what Polian has to say once in a while.

NFL Network (according to Channel Guide Magazine)

Starring: Rich Eisen (host), Mike Mayock, Marshall Faulk, Steve Mariucci and Michael Irvin (analysts on desk), Insiders Michael Lombardi and Jason La Canfora (news desk), Deion Sanders (on stage) and Melissa Stark (red carpet and green room reporter)

The NFLN desk has some interesting names, but it is Mayock who is their version of Kiper and then some. Faulk and Irvin offer some interesting takes as former players, and Mooch gets visibly excited (although not to the level of Gruden) when talking about a player he'd want to coach.

Their desk has more people, but it does fall short of ESPN's in terms personality. However, to some, it also far less annoying.

Lombardi is a former NFL executive similar to Polian, but he's been out of the game itself since 2007 while La Canfora is an insider like Mort and Schefter.

Draft Invitees

The league invited a record 26 players to the Green Room this year, but Stanford's Andrew Luck and Baylor's Robert Griffin III are the headliners.

They'll be off the board quickly though, while others may be in the room much, much longer. One thing the two dueling networks agreed upon this year is to not show players receiving phone calls before being selected.

In years past the drama of Commissioner Roger Goodell's announcement has been destroyed by the networks' all-seeing cameras in the Green Room and in players' homes.

You'll find instant analysis from both networks on air, but be sure to check in with Bleacher Report for more in-depth looks on everything that has to do with the 2012 NFL draft.

You can catch me talking draft and all things football over on Twitter.