Steelers Draft Watch: NFL 2013 Draft Attendees Announced
Photo Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports
The NFL 2013 draft is just around the corner (two weeks away to be exact), and Steeler fans will be anxiously awaiting the Steelers 1st pick. In fact, I think Steeler Nation will be anxious about ever pick this time around – seems like never before has the draft as a collective been so important for the Black & Gold.
The NFL announced on Wednesday the players who have been confirmed as attendees for the event at Radio City Music Hall. Twenty-three draft prospects will attend this years draft. They are considered the top prospects of this year’s draft, however, their attendance does not guarantee a first round pick. Not everyone who received an invite is going to attend either. Former Notre Dame star linebacker, Manti Te’o, has said he will not attend even though he was invited. That might be for the best considering he may be waiting a day or two before he gets selected.
Here is the full list of attendees of this years draft as communicated by NFL.com:
| 1) | Ezekiel Ansah | DE | Brigham Young |
| 2) | Tavon Austin | WR | West Virginia |
| 3) | Jonathan Cooper | G | North Carolina |
| 4) | Eric Fisher | T | Central Michigan |
| 5) | Sharrif Floyd | DT | Florida |
| 6) | D.J. Fluker | T | Alabama |
| 7) | Luke Joeckel | T | Texas A&M |
| 8) | Lane Johnson | T | Oklahoma |
| 9) | Dion Jordan | DE | Oregon |
| 10) | Eddie Lacy | RB | Alabama |
| 11) | E.J. Manuel | QB | Florida State |
| 12) | Dee Milliner | CB | Alabama |
| 13) | Barkevious Mingo | DE | Louisiana State |
| 14) | Cordarrelle Patterson | WR | Tennessee |
| 15) | Eric Reid | S | Louisiana State |
| 16) | Xavier Rhodes | CB | Florida State |
| 17) | Sheldon Richardson | DT | Missouri |
| 18) | Geno Smith | QB | West Virginia |
| 19) | Desmond Trufant | CB | Washington |
| 20) | Kenny Vaccaro | S | Texas |
| 21) | Chance Warmack | G | Alabama |
| 22) | Menelik Watson | T | Florida State |
| 23) | Bjoern Werner | DE | Florida State |
Lots of linemen, who are expected to rack up many of the top 20 picks of the draft. Not surprisingly, only two quarterbacks are attending, Geno Smith of WVU and E.J. Manuel of FSU.
Here are some other facts to take note of for this year’s draft:
WHEN: 8:00 PM ET, Thursday, April 25 (Round 1). 6:30 PM ET, Friday, April 26 (Rounds 2-3). Noon ET, Saturday, April 27 (Rounds 4-7).
The first round will conclude on Thursday by approximately 11:15 PM ET. In 2012, the first round consumed exactly three hours. The second and third rounds will conclude on Friday by approximately 10:30 PM ET. The draft will conclude by approximately 7:30 PM ET on Saturday with the final four rounds.
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.
INTERNET & MOBILE: Live streaming on Thursday, April 25 at 8:00 PM ET and Friday, April 26 at 6:30 PM ET, NFL.com Live Presented by Courtyard provides comprehensive coverage of the 2013 NFL Draft from Radio City Music Hall. On Saturday, NFL.com Live will stream NFL Network’s coverage of Rounds 4-7 beginning at 12 Noon ET. Throughout the live stream broadcasts, NFL.com’s “Cover it Live” blogging tool offers fans a unique forum to voice their opinions, and interact with fellow fans and NFL Network analysts.