2012 NFL Draft Primer

Here is everything you know to need to get you ready for the 2012 NFL draft, including exact times, television information and breakdown of picks.

2012 NFL DRAFT FACTS & FIGURES

WHAT: 77th Annual National Football League Player Selection Meeting.

WHERE: Radio City Music Hall, 1260 Avenue of the Americas, New York City (Between 50th and 51st Streets).

WHEN: Thursday, April 26, 8:00 PM ET (Round 1); Friday, April 27, 7:00 PM ET (Rounds 2-3); Saturday, April 28, Noon ET (Rounds 4-7).

The first round will conclude on Thursday by approximately 11:30 PM ET. In 2011, the first round consumed 3 hours and 30 minutes. The second and third rounds will conclude on Friday by approximately 11:15 PM ET. The second and third rounds took 4 hours and 15 minutes in 2011. The draft will conclude by approximately 7:30 PM ET on Saturday with the final four rounds. Rounds 4 through 7 took 7 hours and 23 minutes in 2011.

DRAFTING: Representatives of the 32 NFL clubs by telephone communication with their general managers, coaches and scouts.

ROUNDS: Seven Rounds – Round 1 on Thursday, April 26; Rounds 2 and 3 on Friday, April 27; and Rounds 4 through 7 on Saturday, April 28.

There will be 253 selections, including 32 compensatory choices that have been awarded to 15 teams that suffered a net loss of certain quality unrestricted free agents last year.

The following 32 compensatory choices will supplement the 221 regular choices in the seven rounds – Round 3: Oakland, 33. Round 4: Minnesota, 33; Oakland, 34; Baltimore, 35; New York Giants, 36; Green Bay, 37; Green Bay, 38; Minnesota, 39; Dallas, 40. Round 5: Oakland, 33; Baltimore, 34; Indianapolis, 35. Round 6: New York Jets, 33; New York Jets, 34; Cleveland, 35; Cleveland, 36; Indianapolis, 37; Carolina, 38. Round 7: Pittsburgh, 33; Green Bay, 34; New York Jets, 35; Green Bay, 36; New York Jets, 37; Cleveland, 38; Pittsburgh, 39; Cleveland, 40; Pittsburgh, 41; Atlanta, 42; San Diego, 43; Buffalo, 44; St. Louis, 45; Indianapolis, 46.

Cleveland (Nos. 4 and 22), Cincinnati (Nos. 17 and 21) and New England (Nos. 27 and 31) have two selections in the first round. Atlanta, New Orleans and Oakland do not have first-round picks. All other teams have one first-round selection.

TIME LIMITS: Round 1: 10 minutes per selection. Round 2: Seven minutes per selection. Rounds 3 through 7: Five minutes per selection.

TELEVISION: NFL Network and ESPN/ESPN 2 will televise the draft on all three days.