2012 NFL Draft: 5 Best Draft Experts on the TV and Web

NFL draft experts come a dime a dozen these days. With all the self-prescribed experts on the Internet, it becomes difficult to decipher who actually knows what they're talking about when it comes to the draft.

This year more than any other year in recent memory has focused on one draft prospect and everyone else has gone by the wayside. After Andrew Luck, the average fan couldn't tell you who were three other top 10 prospects projected to go off the board early in 2012.

Watching one of the experts on television or reading a draft website can provide prudent information on the following year's draft. Now, which ones provide the most reliable information?

NFLdraftscout.com

NFLDraftScout.com, otherwise commonly known as cbssports.com, has a well designed site dedicated to the NFL draft. Their player rankings and mock drafts set them apart from the ordinary Joe stating his claims of draft expertise on the Internet.

The player rankings go position by position and project rankings for the next four draft classes. Chad Reuter and Rob Rang are the two columnists on the website that make all of the rankings.

Reuter and Rang also project a mock first round draft with excerpts of reasoning and knowledge about the projected player fulfilling the specific team's need.

Matt Miller

Alright, so maybe the picture above is not Bleacher Report's own Matt Miller. However, do not discount the validity of his draft expertise.

Miller is the resident draft expert here at Bleacher Report and his work is as thorough as anyone else in the business. He projects by position, by team or by round.

Not only does he project where players will end up when they walk across the stage in New York City, but he also writes about how to scout certain positions. How can you beat that?

Oh, he also runs his own scouting website as well.

Todd McShay

ESPN hires a myriad of so called "experts" for nearly every scenario and event in sports. Todd McShay actually is an expert at his craft.

The ESPN man goes head to head with a big-haired man to be named later as they continually update and change their draft boards. McShay has been one of my personal favorite draft experts for years due to his ability to interpret where talent can prosper and which teams would want them.

McShay unequivocally remains one of the best in the business.

NFL.com and NFL Network

NFL.com and the NFL Network are basically one in the same when it comes to draft coverage. Both the website and the television network operate under the league office's supervision.

Both the website and the television network have the same experts drawing up their big draft boards on television before or after they write their column for NFL.com detailing their projections. The NFL.com coverage may not come off to some as the most extensive website for draft info, but they do have a fair amount of other features.

Like many sites, NFL.com and their draft site have first round projections and position rankings. What makes them different is their draft history pieces, personal bios and several other behind the scenes type stories.

Mel Kiper Jr.

Ah, Mel Kiper Jr. has finally arrived. The man who has covered the draft longer than I have been on this earth is still going at it daily.

His politician-like hair and confidence with his picks should separate him alone. Kiper has extensive experience projecting guys and provides some of the best insider knowledge in the business.

He understands what NFL scouts look for and desire at each position. Through his catalog of sources, Kiper finds out what each team truly wants with their specific draft pick. He's truly the best their is in the media.