The NFL Draft is something teams, players and fans of football look forward to each and every year.
For NFL hopefuls, the chance to hear their name called in New York City is a moment that will change their lives forever. Fans in attendance at the famed Radio City Music Hall get to cheer and even jeer when their team selects the newest member of the franchise.
Following the success of the first two selections from 2012, Andrew Luck of the Indianapolis Colts and Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III, there is plenty to look forward to heading into the 2013 edition of the NFL Draft.
Date and TV Coverage
This year's Draft will begin on Thursday night with the First Round. Fans can watch the selections on both ESPN television and the NFL Network beginning at 8pm, EDT.
Rounds 2 and 3 will take place on Friday with coverage continuing on the same networks starting at 6:30pm, EDT. Rounds 4 through 7 will be completed on Saturday at 12pm, EDT.
The hype leading up to the draft each year literally begins the day after the Super Bowl. Fans and NFL prognosticators always like to determine who they think will be the top pick in the draft.
Who Will Go No. 1 in 2013?
This year's draft seems to have come down to a two-horse race for the top spot between two offensive tackles, Texas A&M's Luke Joeckel and Central Michigan's Eric Fisher.
It was long assumed by many that Joeckel would be the first pick but as Mike Mayock of the NFL Network predicts in his recent Mock Draft, Joeckel will slip to the No. 2 spot and get taken by the Jacksonville Jaguars while Fisher goes No. 1 overall to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Mock Draft's are always a matter of opinion but they are a great way to determine the needs of every team in the NFL heading into the draft each year and both the Chiefs and Jaguars have serious needs up front.
Potential Trades
Coming off a loss in last year's Super Bowl to the Baltimore Ravens, the San Francisco 49ers enter the 2013 Draft with 13 total picks. Their first round pick will come at the 31st position and there are multiple areas of need San Fran can address with this pick.
Although Vernon Davis has been one of the most consistent tight ends in the league over the last few seasons, Jim Harbaugh and company may not be against adding another big receiver or tight end into the fold. Stanford tight end Zach Ertz is the first that comes to mind since many believe Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert will already be off the board. Ertz would give quarterback Colin Kaepernick an added weapon and the former Cardinal standout is an exceptional blocker as well.
Trading up in the first round is also a major possibility for the 49ers. With a need at safety following the departure of All-Pro Dashon Goldson, it is highly possibly a move up the board to select safeties such as Kenny Vaccaro of Texas or Eric Reid of LSU could happen.
San Francisco will certainly be one of the teams to keep an eye on during the draft.
The Minnesota Vikings made the playoffs last season and they too enter the draft with a high number of picks. Of their 11 available selections, the Vikings hold two picks in the first round with No's. 23 and 25.
With the recent trade of wide receiver Percy Harvin to the Seattle Seahawks, it is certainly possible Minnesota selects a wide out with one of these two picks.
Tennessee receiver Cordarelle Patterson and his former teammate Justin Hunter are certainly on the Vikings' radar so it would not come as a shock if one of the two is selected.
There is also a significant need along the defensive front for Minnesota so taking one of the available defensive tackles such as Georgia lineman Jonathan Jenkins is a definite possibility.
Predictions
While I'm certainly not going out on a limb with this prediction, expect Texas A&M star Luke Joeckel to go No. 1 to Kansas City.
On a gut feeling, former Notre Dame inside linebacker Manti Te'o will be selected by the New York Giants since the Giants have a need at the inside LB position. Don't be surprised however if the Giants hold off on Te'o and he falls one spot to the Chicago Bears. The Notre Dame - Chicago pipeline is very strong and Te'o seems like he'd be a solid fit in Chi-Town.
With two picks in the first round, the New York Jets will select former LSU defensive end Barkevious Mingo at No. 9 and Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert with the 13th selection.
It's certainly not a deep quarterback class but expect former West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith to go in the top 15, possibly to the Cleveland Browns at No. 6.
Feel free to share your thoughts about the upcoming draft. The three-day event is something that will have football fans glued to their televisions, computers and smart phones as they track the decisions made by their favorite teams.
Happy Draft day everyone!
RELATED:
NFL Mock Draft 2013: Who Will Be The First Pick In This Year's Draft?
NFL Draft 2013: Mock NFL Draft Picks 16 Through 32
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