The first round of the 2011 NFL Draft gets underway on Thursday evening, the beginning of a three-day draft extravaganza. It's an exciting, but draining, event for those who plan to follow the action all weekend long, with plenty of analysis to go along with the picks themselves. Before it gets started, we have the schedule and TV information for Thursday's first round, which comes to you live and in prime-time.
Here's a quick guide to Thursday's first round coverage.
Start time: The broadcast gets underway at 5 p.m. PDT on ESPN. NFL Network will also have coverage of the event. But there is a bit of a lag between the start of the broadcast and the first pick. The Carolina Panthers will be put on the clock at 5:04 p.m. and the first pick should come in just moments before 5:15 p.m.
Schedule: Each team will have 10 minutes to make their pick during the first round. Why 10 minutes? It's simple, and has little to do with a team making up its mind. On one hand, teams can use those 10 minutes to shop their picks and try to work a trade. But, in reality, the time is set aside for analysts to breakdown the picks and spend time scrutinizing every pick in the draft.
TV information: ESPN and NFL Network will have the broadcast again. NFL Network typically has the edge on ESPN, both in on-air talent and quality. But it's up to you to decide which to watch. Or flip back and forth between the two!
We'll be covering the latest news and rumors ahead of Thursday's first round in our 2011 NFL Draft StoryStream. Stay with us throughout the day for more on the draft as it becomes available. Check out our 2011 NFL mock draft StoryStream and our Jake Locker StoryStream for even more predictions and projections.