NEW YORK — The draft is the only game in town. In every NFL town.

In the midst of the lockout, the one piece of business that has not ground to a halt is the draft. None of the 32 teams are allowed to be in contact with their players, but they’ve been free to handle all the scouting and testing and interviewing that goes into making their draft picks.

Those picks begin Thursday night at Radio City Music Hall. Here’s how the first round might go.

• 1. CAROLINA (2-14): On the theory the quarterback really is the most important position, give the Panthers a Heisman Trophy winner.,

CAM NEWTON, QB, AUBURN.n 2. DENVER BRONCOS (4-12): No questions, here: Broncos must address an awful defensive front,

MARCELL DAREUS, DT, ALABAMA.n 3. BUFFALO BILLS (4-12): Bills might be tempted to go for a quarterback, but their needs in their defensive front seven are hug,

VON MILLER, LB, TEXAS A&M.n 4. CINCINNATI BENGALS (4-12): Owner Mike Brown’s stubborn streak gets the best of him, he ignores QB needs and takes the most ready player in the entire draft,

PATRICK PETERSON, CB, LSU.n 5. ARIZONA CARDINALS (5-11): Cardinals have to blink twice when they see the quarterback they wanted fall to them,

BLAINE GABBERT, QB, MISSOURI.n 6. CLEVELAND BROWNS (5-11): They use as much time as it takes him to run a 40 to announce ...

A.J. GREEN, WR, GEORGIA.• 7. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (6-10):

ROBERT QUINN, LB, NORTH CAROLINA.n 8. TENNESSEE TITANS (6-10):

DA’QUAN BOWERS, DE, CLEMSON.n 9. DALLAS COWBOYS (6-10): Jerry Jones thinks long and hard about adding another game-breaking receiver in Julio Jones, but instead pulls the trigger on a protector for returning quarterback Tony Romo,

TYRON SMITH, OT, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.n 10. WASHINGTON REDSKINS (6-10):

JULIO JONES, WR, ALABAMA.• 11. HOUSTON TEXANS (6-10):

PRINCE AMUKAMARA, CB, NEBRASKA.n 12. MINNESOTA VIKINGS (6-10): gambling a bit for their quarterback,

JAKE LOCKER, QB, WASHINGTON.n 13. DETROIT LIONS (6-10):

ANTHONY CASTONZO, OT, BOSTON COLLEGE.n 14. ST. LOUIS RAMS (7-9):

COREY LIUGET, DT, ILLINOIS.n 15. MIAMI DOLPHINS (7-9): Despite louder and louder rumblings that Dolphins have soured on Chad Henne and want to upgrade at quarterback, they fill the spot directly in front of him,

MIKE POUNCEY, C, FLORIDA.n 16. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (8-8):

RYAN KERRIGAN, DE, PURDUE.• 17. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (14-2): As if Bill Belichick actually will make this pick and not trade down,

ALDON SMITH, DE, MISSOURI.n 18. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (9-7:

J.J. WATT, DE, WISCONSIN.n 19. NEW YORK GIANTS (10-6): Both lines could use improvemen,

GABE CARIMI, G, WISCONSIN.n 20. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (10-6):

ADRIAN CLAYBORN, DE, IOWA.n 21. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (10-6):

AKEEM AYERS, LB, UCLA.n 22. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (10-6):

NATE SOLDER, OT, COLORADO.n 23. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (10-6):

DANNY WATKINS, G, BAYLOR.• 24. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (11-5): Somehow, one of the top defensive ends slips to a team in desperate need of DEs. No reason for New Orleans to think twice,

CAMERON JORDAN, DE, CALIFORNIA.n 25. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (7-9)Coach Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider give lots of thought to taking a quarterback here with uncertainty surrounding Matt Hasselbeck. They find better value, even this deep in the first round, at defensive end,

CAMERON HEYWARD, DE, OHIO STATE.n 26. BALTIMORE RAVENS (12-4): Baltimore needs help at cornerback and has enough strong leadership on its defense in Ray Lewis and Ed Reed to keep in line a player who has had trouble in college. Few other teams can make that claim,

JIMMY SMITH, CB, COLORADO.n 27. ATLANTA FALCONS (13-3):

JUSTIN HOUSTON, LB, GEORGIA.n 28. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (14-2): The only club with two picks in the opening round — provided Belichick uses both, or either — the Patriots upgrade their backfield with the first running back selected,

MIKEL LESHOURE, RB, ILLINOIS.n 29. CHICAGO BEARS (11-5):

DERK SHERROD, OT, MISSISSIPPI STATE.n 30. NEW YORK JETS (11-5): Rex Ryan says you can never have enough pass rushers,

NICK FAIRLEY, DT, AUBURNn 31. PITTSBURGH STEELERS (12-4)Cornerback is problematic if Ike Taylor leaves. Even if he stays, the Steelers could use another guy in pass coverage.AARON WILLIAMS, CB, TEXAS.• 32. GREEN BAY PACKERS (12-4): With so many veterans returning from the injured list, the Super Bowl champions have the luxury of truly taking the best available player,

MARTEZ WILSON, LB, ILLINOIS.