2012 NFL Draft: 5 Draft Analysts We Love and 5 We Love to Hate

The NFL draft represents the beginning of a new season for fans who have weathered the month between the Super Bowl hangover and a taste of football. More than anything, it has become a spectacle in and of itself.

No draft is complete without a collection of analysts putting their two cents into the conversation, whether it is welcomed or not.

As with anything, everyone has their favorite analysts and their list of analysts that seem to do nothing but annoy and annoy. Here are some of the NFL draft analysts that fans love and love to hate.

Love: Chris Mortensen, ESPN

Like John Clayton, Chris Mortensen tends to focus more on the NFL side of the draft rather than resting too much on the college side of things. Mortensen brings his own brand of insider information that gives fans an idea of what goes on in the draft war room.

Mortensen doesn't mince words and gives much of what he says a conversational quality.

Rather than simply spouting information, Mortenson presents it for discussion, where the draft standard Mel Kiper likes to throw names at you and make claims based on personal preference more than grounded knowledge.

Love: Merril Hoge, ESPN

Merril Hoge is an example of a player who studied the game as a player and immersed himself after his career ended. He can be a bit abrasive with some of his claims when opposed by others, but it doesn't change how right he can be with the unpopular opinion.

Hoge's biggest statement to date may be that Tim Tebow does not possess the skill set of a starting NFL quarterback.

Prior to the 2006 draft, Hoge said that he wouldn't draft any of the quarterbacks of the class in the first round, save for Jay Cutler on potential alone. Fast forward, and Vince Young is a backup with the Eagles after flaming out in Tennessee and Matt Leinart is sitting behind Matt Schaub in Houston.

It is just one claim made before one draft, but Hoge isn't afraid to say what he thinks regardless of how it makes him look at the time.

Love: John Clayton, ESPN

When you ask John Clayton a question, he gives you the answer and the facts behind that answer. He is meticulous in his analysis of the NFL and its endless ins and outs. He's always professional, but remains candid through it all.

Clayton goes above and beyond to break down draft scenarios, providing detailed reasons for a pick and the potential hazards that come with a pick.

He is a fountain of information that you can't help but want to hear more from. He packs so much information into his ESPN segments that you almost have to record it to follow along. Where analysts like Mel Kiper tend to focus too much on the college careers of prospects, Clayton gives an insight into team motivations and the inner workings of the draft.

Love: Todd McShay, ESPN

Todd McShay is the antithesis of what made the NFL draft what it is today. His thoughtful assessments of college talent and relation to NFL team needs provides a stark contrast to the hit-or-miss nature of the drafts most famous analysts.

In other words, McShay is everything Mel Kiper, Jr. is not.

Whenever McShay and Kiper have a segment with one another, you can practically feel the tension. Kiper goes on rants and tangents about why X player is better than Y player for Z team, and McShay can only wait for his turn to speak.

When he does speak, he is calm and articulate in presenting his picks, rather than simply yelling them at the camera or his co-host.

Love: Mike Mayock, NFL Network

Mike Mayock is another analyst who comes across as very reserved who lets his analysis speak for itself. He isn't afraid to be wrong and doesn't have the "I told you so" mentality that other analysts like to carry around.

The NFL Network isn't as visible as ESPN on draft day, but Mayock is more palatable than Mel Kiper, Jr. and does more than just throw out names as frame of comparison.

Mayock doesn't have the flair that seems inherent in the draft analyst position, but isn't boring. He's interested in what he's saying and gives more than just his opinion on things. He delves into the speculation around draft day and sifts out what really matters for fans.

Love to Hate: Pete Prisco, CBS Sports

Pete Prisco is a good writer who has seen a lot of football in his time as a journalist. He has worked hard to earn his position in the world of sports, but like many analysts, he can be a bit hit and miss with his predictions.

Prisco's track record with the NFL draft has been spotty at best and horrendous at worst.

The draft is a collection of best guesses by talking heads in the sports world, but it takes a legitimate disregard for facts to be as bad as Prisco.

About Matt Leinart, Prisco said "I just don't buy all the talk that they aren't sold on Leinart. They need a franchise quarterback, and he will be a star in New York, owning the town like Joe Namath once did."

Of CJ Spiller, he said, "The kid will be the next Chris Johnson. He can fly"

Bold claims make headlines, but silly assumptions will get you nowhere.

Love to Hate: Trent Dilfer, ESPN

There are a number of players who turn to television work after their careers have ended. Trent Dilfer is among that number of players, but lacks the necessary credibility to be taken seriously.

His career highlight was being the quarterback the Baltimore Ravens defense led to a Super Bowl victory.

The issue with Dilfer's draft analysis is that he often tries to relate it to his playing career. He uses the tried and true "When I played..." line that every former player ever has used when on television, making him instantly unlikable. What makes it worse is that when he played, he didn't really matter.

Dilfer played two solid seasons and was either a backup or an afterthought for most of his career.

Not that players who have had average careers make bad analysts, but Dilfer is a bit full of himself at times. Among his many draft statements, Dilfer echoed Mel Kiper, Jr.'s claim that Sam Bradford was not worthy of being the first overall pick in the 2010 draft.

Love to Hate: Adam Schein, Fox Sports

What do you expect from an analyst who co-hosts a PTI knockoff program called Loud Mouths? Adam Schein seems to enjoy his interpretation of what a sports personality should look like, but doesn't back it up with the depth of quality of analysis you'd expect.

Schein's post-draft analysis carries on like a statement of the obvious spread out across team-centric videos providing little more than a draft recap.

He throws out names and parrots what more qualified analysts make their living on. Whether it is his persona or he is a glorified color commentator is irrelevant. He doesn't say anything that hasn't been said before.

Love to Hate: Charlie Casserly, The NFL Today on CBS

Charlie Casserly has been around the NFL for a while, seeing his biggest success come as an assistant to Bobby Beathard, general manager of the Washington Redskins. He is famous for finding players late in drafts and having them fit into the Redskins scheme.

Though he works primarily as an insider for CBS, he puts out his mock drafts and shows how far out of touch he has fallen with the NFL today.

Casserly made his name in another era and continues to use the game he was once so involved in as his measuring stick for the players coming into the draft. He uses a lot of cliches and hokey sayings that cut into the content of what he is saying.

It's like listening to your grandfather talk about the internet and using words like "newfangled" and "nifty."

Love to Hate: Mel Kiper, Jr., ESPN

Of all the analysts across all the network, Mel Kiper, Jr. is by far the most visible and most notable. He made the draft into the relevant spectacle we know and love today.

What would the NFL draft be without Mel Kiper, Jr.? Quieter.

If you can get beyond what Kiper did for the draft in terms of its relevance, you will notice how emphatic he is about everything he says. He famously predicted Ryan Leaf would be a franchise quarterback and had the maturity beyond a 21 year old.

He said JaMarcus Russell would revitalize the Oakland Raiders and Mike Williams was the best player in the 2005 draft.

If you can get past the fact that he's cashing in on a job he created out of little more than a guessing game, you'll find that his attitude and his hair are just as annoying as his loudmouth draft prognosticating.