NFL Draft 2020: How many Big Ten players will end up being drafted in the first round? What are the over/under odds?
CFN Podcast: How Many QBs Will Go In 1st Round?
Pete Fiutak and Nick Shepkowski dive deep on whether or not five might be picked on Day One.
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NFL Draft 2020: Big Ten
The Big Ten is always able to carry its share of the load in the first rounds of NFL Drafts, but the bulk usually depends on what Ohio State is bringing.
Six Big Ten players went in the first round last year, but just four were taken in 2018. Seven were selected on Day One in 2017, but the first Big Tener wasn’t picked until the 11.
Six were picked in 2016, but five of them were Buckeyes. Ohio State brought back a ton of talent the year before and didn’t send anyone to the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft, and it showed with just three Big Ten players being selected.
Two Ohio State players might go in the first three picks this year.
CFN in 60: 2020 Top Five Overall Prospects
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The BetMGM line for the total Big Ten players drafted in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft is 5.5 – a solid number that keeps in line with what the conference normally does.
Unless something crazy happens. Ohio State DE Chase Young and CB Jeff Okudah will go at the 2-3 to Washington and Detroit, respectively.
Expect something crazy to happen – someone is going to trade up into the top three to grab a quarterback – but it doesn’t matter. Of course Young and Okudah are first rounders
Iowa OT Tristan Wirfs is a possible top ten overall pick, and then it might be a while before the Big Ten gets back on the board.
And then it gets really, really dicey.
If the line is 5.5, and you’re looking for six players to get drafted, you need the Big Ten to bring whole lot of funk – and surprises – to the back-half of the first round.
Iowa DE AJ Epenesa is a top ten talent who’ll drop, but he’s almost certain to go in the first round. The same goes for Penn State pass rushing star Yetur Gross-Matos to get it to five. After that, how much do you believe in the Badgers?
Wisconsin LB Zach Baun seemed like a sure-thing to go in the 20s, but a wonky urine test at the combine might have pushed him down a bit. He’s still a strong option, though, as is RB Jonathan Taylor to just about anyone over the last seven first round picks.
Could Michigan edge rusher Josh Uche or center/guard Cesar Ruiz slip into the top 32? Is there an outside shot that Ohio State RB JK Dobbins can be a late first-rounder?
There are options, but …
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How Many Big Ten Players Will Be Drafted In the First Round?
There isn’t enough value on the under to go wild, but it might just be the right call.
Again, Young, Okudah, Wirfs, Epenesa and Gross-Matos are almost-certain locks to go in the first round. Dobbins, Uche and Ruiz are second rounders, and Baun is going to drop a bit. If he doesn’t, then there you go – you’ve got the over.
It’s going to come down to Taylor.
There’s a big question about whether or not any running backs will go at all in the first round, but Georgia’s D’Andre Swift will likely go somewhere in the late 20s.
Taylor is a top 15 overall talent, but value-wise he might fall to around the 40s.
You’ll have to be holding your breath for the last 90 minutes of the first round, but go with the slightly better value with the under.
Prediction: Under
BetMGM line: 5.5, Over -136, Under +115
Bet on this and the rest of the draft at BetMGM
CFN 2020 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings
from the college perspective …
QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | OG & C
DE | DT | LB | CB | Safeties
Greatest NFL Draft Picks From Each School
ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC
32 Greatest Draft Picks of All-Time
Full 2020 NFL Draft Order
CFN Top 106 Player Rankings (1st 3 rounds)
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