Free Agency First, but Draft is the Focus

While the 2012 free agency period is just two months away and is sure to bring excitement for organizations, players and their families as well as the fans, because of the unknown on where unrestricted free agents may land.

For me, the yearly NFL draft and the complete process from January until the third week in April (26-28) makes for great anticipation, pure projection and a lot of hard work evaluating talent. The Indianapolis Colts are on the clock with the No. 1 pick of the 2012 NFL Draft.

The NFL changed the overall draft format three years ago, moving the complete draft bonanza to prime time. The first round will be held Thursday, April 26 starting at 7 pm local time. Both the second and third rounds will be held Friday, April 27 starting at 6 pm, and rounds four through seven will be held on Saturday, April 28 beginning at 11 am.

Below is the2012 draft order for the first round only, prior to positions changing because of the playoffs.

The winner of the Super Bowl moves to the bottom and selects in the 32nd slot, or last in the draft order in all rounds, while the Super Bowl loser will select 31st. Those teams that lose in the NFC and AFC championship games will pick in the 29th and 30thslots in reverse order of their standing. The Divisional Playoff participants that fall short of making the conference champions games will pick in the 25th through 28th slots in the reverse order of their standings. Teams that played in wild-card round that don’t advance will select in slots 21st through 24, again in reverse order of their standing.

All clubs that did not earn a spot in the post-season, will select first through 20th, according to the reverse order of their standing. If there are any ties throughout the draft order, they will be broken by strength of schedule. If there are ties in strength of schedule, the divisional or conference tiebreakers are applied, if applicable. If not applicable, tie will be broken by a coin flip, which will take place next month at the combine in Indianapiolis.

Clubs involved in two-club ties will alternate from round-to-round. For ties that involve three or more clubs, the club at the top will rotate and move to the bottom of the next round and this process continues throughout the draft.

2012 FIRST ROUND DRAFT ORDER

(Above chart doesn’t include trades)

*Subject to Playoffs

#Subject to Coin Flip