The NFL Draft this year takes place near the not-so-frozen tundra just outside of Lambeau Field in Green Bay, starting on Thursday, April 24th through the 26th. As per usual there will be amazing good and bad picks the average NFL football fan could make at the top-rated sportsbooks.
However, fans and sports talk radio people live and die for this, and across the country on every platform, opinions will be shared.
The Tennessee Titans have the first pick in this year’s draft and quarterback Cam Ward moved from +850 back in early January to -500 at the time this article was posted at Bet365 (check our Bet365 Review). Maybe this will be the guy the Titans need to turn the franchise around, but they sure look dumb for taking Will Levis as a first-round choice two years ago.
First Non-Quarterback Selected
The consensus second pick is Penn State running back Abdul Carter and Bet365 has him at -350 for this category. With this, you either take a shot at another player on the board or pass.
Because we don’t know about any late trades that could happen, the next best player is versatile Heisman Winner Travis Hunter (Colorado) at +275. Though Hunter has expressed an interest in playing full-time on both sides of the ball, that makes zero sense in the NFL because if Hunter gets hurt even during one game in the first half, that means two backups have to play to replace them.
Stopping the passing game is important. Cleveland right now has the #2 pick and doesn’t have a massive need for a runner, so Hunter would seem in the mix. Plus, if you look at the odds after Hunter, they jump to +1600 or higher, suggesting we know who the Top 3 picks are.
Be Choosy and Smart for the Rest of the NFL Draft
From this point, it pays to be smart and understand your betting options. As the draft draws closer, there will be more items to wager on and the overall draft picture will take shape as teams sort of give the media an inclination of what they might do. Or, some organizations are notorious for head fakes and one should be leery of them. Be prepared with a strategy to make money.
Position Props
One of the safer wagers to make is players by position in the first round. Oddsmakers will set an Over/Under total of expected players selected in the opening round.
Type in “wide receivers drafted in the First Round” and at least 10 websites will pop up. In relatively short order you can arrive at a strong consensus and have an informed opinion to make such a wager.
This year doesn’t look like an especially stellar class for defensive linemen. A couple stand out like Mason Graham (Michigan) and Mykel Williams (Georgia), but most current projections have others listed from 25 to 32. Find the latest info close to the draft and dial into the right bet based on position.
In the week before the draft, teams sometimes say they are drafting for a need or the best available player. This can be quite valuable for wagering.
Draft Position Props
Another relatively safe wager is when sharp sportsbooks take two players from the same position and make this prop bet.
Offensive linemen Will Campbell (LSU) and Kelvin Banks Jr (Texas) are presumed to go in the 16 to 20 range of Round 1. A wager could look like this:
- Who’s Drafted 1st: Campbell (-110) or Banks Jr. (-120)
This is also about the research and uncovering not only what the draftniks think, but also checking out the team websites and learning what team reporters are saying. Still, the most important aspect is to have fun with the NFL Draft, set a budget to wager and don’t get sucked into the hype.
