NFL Draft Top Five Prop Bets - Chris Kubala

The sports betting market has been decimated like most other facets of normalcy in the world during the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve been reduced to trying to wager on staged competitions like the H-O-R-S-E Tournament on ESPN, on video game tournaments or on lesser sports that most people don’t normally consider when it comes to putting some money down. It’s safe to say that interest in betting on ping pong and darts, for example, has never been higher than it is right now. Fortunately, there is something going on in the near future that can bring the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat back with a sport that is extremely popular here in the United States. Of course, we’re talking about the NFL Draft, which kicks off Thursday night.

Now, there are no shortage of options that you can wager on prop wise for the NFL Draft. Rather than scour through them all in search of the potential top options, I’ll give you an idea of what I think the best five potential options to tackle are. Read on for that information. All odds for these props are courtesy of BetOnline.ag and are current as of the time of this writing.

When is Tua Tagovailoa Drafted?: 5th overall (+265)

Let’s be honest, Miami was less than impressed with Josh Rosen last season, which is why Ryan Fitzpatrick got yet another starting job in the league. Miami was going to have a meeting with Tagovailoa before the league banned meetings between college players and teams on March 13. Of course, it also came out that he was the lowest-scoring QB on the Wonderlic test at the combine, posting a 13. Oddly enough, the highest-scoring QB in the history of the Wonderlic? That would be Fitzpatrick, who scored a 48 back in 2005. With the Chargers looking for a QB at #6, you have to think the Dolphins are going to make a move here.

First WR Drafted: Jerry Jeudy (+120)

This could easily be a tossup between Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb from Oklahoma. In the end, Jeudy has a little more speed and the ability to make plays in traffic that Lamb still has to work on in order to be the best version of himself he can be at the NFL level. Both have the potential to be top-tier receivers but Jeudy gets a slight advantage in my opinion thanks to his performances even after Tagovailoa went down, putting backup Mac Jones under center.

Where Will Jeff Okudah Be Selected?: Over 4.5 (-115)

This one is tricky as it could go either way. The Lions have the third overall pick and he clearly would be a fit for the Detroit defense, which needs to bolster their secondary. They traded Darius Slay and currently have Desmond Trufant and Justin Coleman starting at the two corner spots. Okudah would be an excellent fit but there are rumors that the Lions may deal out of the third spot and a QB hungry team moves up. That could drop Okudah outside the top five, which is what I’m banking on here.

Who is the Giants’ first-round pick: Tristan Wirfs (+200)

The Giants have major issues on both sides of the ball. While Isaiah Simmons from Clemson could be a solid fit on the defensive front seven, the fact remains that until the Giants fix their offensive line issues, they are going to have problems. Daniel Jones was smacked around repeatedly last season and brought back memories of Dave Krieg with his penchant for fumbling. Wirfs is arguably the best offensive lineman option coming out in the draft and he could help stabilize the leaky Giants’ O-line, which can only bolster their offensive skill players by default.

Will Jaylon Johnson Be a First-Round Pick?: No (-130)

Johnson has been a fairly solid player in his time at Utah, earning First Team All Pac-12 Honors in 2018 but wasn’t as solid last season. He finished with 36 tackles and two picks, with one returned for a score, but spent most of the year playing with a torn labrum. He had surgery on it and while recent reports say that he is ahead of schedule in his recovery, the fact remains that he isn’t expected to be ready for a full workload until early August. Given the relative uncertainty of how things are going to go with this offseason, that might make teams a little skittish. I see him going early in the second round, though the encouraging news about his recovery could bump him back into the first.

Bonus Pick: Will Trevon Diggs Be a First-Round Pick?: No (-165)

Diggs has plenty of upside and his brother, Stefon, has been a force in the league with the Vikings. He was dealt to Buffalo last month and there are reports that the Bills would be interested in picking him up in the second round should be get there. Diggs had 37 tackles (20 solo), three interceptions, including a pick-six, and recovered a pair of fumbles, plus a scoop-six, as a senior. There is a chance that a team with no glaring weaknesses could try to grab him in the tail end of the opening round, but it seems like Diggs is likely a second-round pick at this stage of the game.