NFL Draft Order 2013: Everything You Need to Know About All 7 Rounds

Seven rounds just don’t seem like enough. For NFL and draft fans alike, this weekend’s festivities are like national holidays all rolled into three spectacular days of football coverage.

All focus is fixed on the first round of the NFL draft (set to begin Thursday at 8 p.m. ET), but there’s so much more to enjoy about the entire event. When the first 32 picks come off the board and the day comes to a close, we’ll have plenty more to look forward to.

Rounds 2 and 3 will take place on Friday beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET, followed by the final four rounds on Saturday at 12 p.m. ET. With increasingly inclusive coverage of every pick, team and player, there’s no reason miss a single selection.

Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about all seven rounds of the draft, including where and when to watch, players to keep an eye on and much more.

Where: Radio City Music Hall, New York City

When: Thursday, April 25, at 8 p.m. ET

Television: NFL Network, ESPN

Streaming: NFL.com

Day 2 Coverage: Friday, April 26, at 6:30 p.m. ET (Rounds 2 and 3)

Day 3 Coverage: Saturday, April 27, at 12 p.m. ET (Rounds 4-7)

Total Picks: 254

Day 1 Storylines to Watch

When most people think of the NFL draft, the first round is what comes to mind. Thirty-two picks. Big names and big surprises. The future of their favorite franchises.

The first round is that and much more. While subsequent rounds are extremely important for NFL teams, the first round is where money is made and job are both earned and lost. Simply put, Round 1 is worth the hype.

This year’s draft will be especially exciting for several reasons. In a year without a marquee quarterback and a general lack of elite talent (but a ton of depth at every position), teams will be particularly interested in moving up and down the board in the first round to get their guy.

Mock drafts are excellent tools for understanding team needs and prospect value, but they all go out the window when the first round begins Thursday evening. As much as we would like to predict the draft, the unpredictability is what makes it worth watching.

Prediction:

The first round of the 2012 draft featured eight trades. Given the unpredictability of this draft class, expect to see even more this year. Ten or more trades isn’t out of the realm of possibility.

A big reason for the mobility we may see this year is the lack of elite prospects in this class, which substantially limits the value placed on other players. But even without a surefire franchise quarterback stealing headlines right now, there’s no reason to believe as many as four quarterbacks can’t be selected in the first 32 picks. The NFL is a pass-driven league, after all.

What to Expect from Day 2

Thursday’s intrigue is just a warm-up act for Day 2 and the second and third rounds. When the Jacksonville Jaguars go on the clock at 6:30, all bets are off. Projecting Day 2 selections is nearly impossible.

Every first-round decision affects what happens in subsequent picks. Should coveted players fall past pick No. 32 and into the second round, the early dealings of Day 2 could be full of surprising trades and shocking picks.

While Round 1 will certainly hold its share of trades, the lull between the completion of Day 1 and the start of Day 2 gives general managers plenty of time to reevaluate their draft boards, identify second-round targets and look for trade partners.

Day 2 also moves much faster than the initial round as time allotted for each pick is adjusted from round to round. Each team will have 10 minutes to make their first-round selection, while the limit is decreased to seven minutes in Round 2 and five minutes in each round to follow.

Big money is made in the first round, but big names are born on Day 2. Players emerging from the second and third rounds don’t have the immense pressure of lofty expectations, but the talent that comes out of each round can’t be overstated. And in this draft, Day 2 may also be the most enthralling of the weekend.

Expect some big names to slide into the second round in this draft. With as many as 60 players appearing in various first-round mock drafts throughout the offseason, there will be a lot of recognizable names finding homes in Rounds 2 and 3.

Most Notable Players Who May Slide Past Round 1: Damontre Moore (DE, Texas A&M), Matt Barkley (QB, USC), Keenan Allen (WR, California), Eddie Lacy (RB, Alabama), Matt Elam (S, Florida), Sylvester Williams (DT, North Carolina)

The Appeal of Day 3

Tom Brady, Marques Colston, Jared Allen and Brett Keisel have all made a substantial impact in the NFL, but none were even considered for a first-round selection in their respective draft. In fact, all four players were selected beyond the third round, and there are plenty more to add to the list.

Pro Bowl-caliber players aren’t as abundant on Day 3, but the possibility of finding a diamond in the rough makes the final four rounds worth watching from start to finish. There are several intriguing candidates that fit the bill in this draft class.

Day 3 is a quickly moving process. Each team has just five minutes to make their selection, and the amount of trades we’re likely to see in Rounds 4-7 is enough to make your head spin. If you’re a fan of the logistical aspects of the draft, this is the day to watch.

Most Notable Day 3 Picks in the 2012 Draft: Alfred Morris (sixth round), Vick Ballard (fifth round), Kirk Cousins (fourth round)

First-Round Draft Order

1. Kansas City Chiefs	9. New York Jets	17. Pittsburgh Steelers	25. Minnesota Vikings
2. Jacksonville Jaguars	10. Tennessee Titans	18. Dallas Cowboys	26. Green Bay Packers
3. Oakland Raiders	11. San Diego Chargers	19. New York Giants	27. Houston Texans
4. Philadelphia Eagles	12. Miami Dolphins	20. Chicago Bears	28. Denver Broncos
5. Detroit Lions	13. New York Jets	21. Cincinnati Bengals	29. New England Patriots
6. Cleveland Browns	14. Carolina Panthers	22. St. Louis Rams	30. Atlanta Falcons
7. Arizona Cardinals	15. New Orleans Saints	23. Minnesota Vikings	31. San Francisco 49ers
8. Buffalo Bills	16. St. Louis Rams	24. Indianapolis Colts	32. Baltimore Ravens

*Full draft order can be found at ESPN.com.