Tag: draft odds

C.J. Stroud growing as a favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft

Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud growing as a favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft

The Carolina Panthers have not yet declared which player they’re targeting after trading up to land the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. However, the sportsbooks have a clear and growing suspicion that the Panthers will select Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud with the first pick.

The latest odds update at Fanduel sportsbook lists Stroud as the most likely pick by the Panthers. Stroud is currently -220 to be the top pick, up from -120 a week ago. Bryce Young remains the No. 2 option in the odds at +250, followed by Anthony Richardson at +350.

It’s a little different at BetMGM, where Richardson is ahead of Young in the odds to be the top pick. Stroud is an even bigger favorite there; the Buckeyes QB is -250, while Richardson checks in at +300 and Young is +350.

2023 NFL draft film room: Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud

2020 NFL Draft: Will Denzel Mims or Tee Higgins be drafted first?

Assessing 2020 NFL Draft odds centered around which of these wide receivers will be picked first in Round 2: Denzel Mims or Tee Higgins.

The 2020 NFL Draft resumes Friday night at 7 p.m. ET for Rounds 2 and 3. Several players who many believed would be first-round picks are still on the board.

Many wide receivers have been selected and many more will be, but for some draft action, BetMGM has some head-to-head lines for some Day 2 action. Who will get drafted first?

Here we analyze the matchup between Baylor WR Denzel Mims and Clemson WR Tee Higgins and what is the best bet between the two.

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Denzel Mims vs. Tee Higgins head-to-head odds and best bets

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Friday, April 24 at 5:15 p.m. ET.

Which receiver will be drafted first? Here are the lines.

Denzel Mims: -170

Tee Higgins: +140

Mims, at 6-3 and 215 pounds, caught 66 passes for 1,020 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Higgins, who is one inch taller and listed at the same weight, caught 59 passes for 1,167 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Mims is the faster player, having run the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine in 4.38 seconds. Higgins ran it in 4.54 seconds at his pro day.

Mock drafts consistently projected Mims to be selected first, but many had both going in the first round.

Friday morning, a report came out saying that the Cincinnati Bengals, who pick first in Round 2 on Friday, are considering Mims for that selection.

With similar size and production, NFL teams often will make speed the deciding factor. For that reason, THE BEST BET IS MIMS (-170).

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NFL Draft: Which position will the Indianapolis Colts draft first?

Assessing 2020 NFL Draft odds centered around which position the Indianapolis Colts will draft first.

The Indianapolis Colts have been movers and shakers this offseason ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft. One of the major moves they made was trading the 13th overall pick to the San Francisco 49ers for DeForest Buckner, which makes their No. 34 overall selection on Day 2 their first pick of the draft. Let’s handicap BetMGM’s odds of which position the Colts will be drafting with their first pick:

2020 NFL Draft: Which position will the Colts draft first? Odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Friday, April 24 at 3:15 p.m. ET.

POSITION ODDS
Wide receiver +140
Defensive lineman +500
Quarterback +500
Safety +700
Running back +900
Offensive lineman +900
Cornerback +1000
Linebacker +1200
Tight End +2500
Kicker/punter/long snapper +15000

2020 NFL Draft: Which position will the Colts draft first? Best bets

Defensive lineman (+500)

Despite the Colts acquiring Buckner this offseason, the value of +500 for Indianapolis to draft a defensive lineman with their first draft pick is too enticing.

The addition of Buckner alone probably won’t lead to a major swing in defensive line performance. In 2019, they were 21st in QB pressure percentage, and, according to Football Outsiders, they were 15th in adjusted line yards and 21st in adjusted sack rate.

Also, defensive linemen didn’t get much love on the first night of the NFL draft, leaving a whole bunch on draft gurus’ best available lists. Only four were drafted in the first round and two of them are technically EDGE rushers that can be used as outside linebackers in 3-4 schemes.

DraftWire editor Luke Easterling’s best available players for Day 2 include defensive line prospects A.J. Epenesa, Yetur Gross-Matos and Ross Blacklock. These guys have first-round talent but are still available and should make it tough for the Colts to pass up on adding depth to a weak spot on their roster.

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Safety (+700)

No safety was drafted in the first round last night (the first time that’s happened since 2016, (even though Ha Ha Clinton-Dix has since been converted to a safety), leaving top-graded prospects Xavier McKinney and Grant Delpit available. But, why do the Colts really need a safety?

First, their pass defense was bad last year. The Colts allowed the 10th-most passing yards and ninth-most passing touchdowns while ranking 26th in opposing quarterbacks’ QB rating. They were second-to-last in opposing quarterbacks’ completion percentage.

Second, they addressed cornerback early in the 2019 NFL Draft by selecting Rock Ya-Sin 34th overall and by signing free agent Xavier Rhodes this offseason. Malik Hooker has been a starting safety for the Colts since they drafted him 15th overall in 2017 and has never lived up to his potential.

Hooker hasn’t played all 16 games in any of his first three seasons and was downright awful last season. Pro Football Focus graded him 37th out of 87 safeties. Furthermore, Hooker gave up the most yards per target in the NFL, 76% of targeted throws were completed against him and quarterbacks had a 123.7 QB rating when targeting Hooker.

Safety is a position the Colts should address, and with the best safety prospects still on the board, gimme +700 Indy will take a safety at No. 37.

Quarterback (+500)

The elephant in the Colts’ quarterback room is that neither Philip Rivers nor Jacoby Brissett is a long-term answer as the franchise quarterback. Rivers was inked to a one-year, $25 million deal this offseason and will turn 39 this season. Brissett signed a two-year deal last offseason after Andrew Luck‘s abrupt retirement and didn’t exactly wow people with his 2019 performance.

I love the value of this prop given the Colts’ circumstances, however, I only LEAN toward +500 Indy takes a quarterback first because there are too many good prospects at positions of need and the remaining quarterbacks—Jalen Hurts, Jacob Eason and Jake Fromm—should be available for the Colts’ next pick at No. 44 or in the following rounds.

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NFL Draft: Which position will the Pittsburgh Steelers draft first?

Assessing 2020 NFL Draft odds centered around which position the Pittsburgh Steelers will draft first.

The second and third rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft take place Friday, April 24, in the basements of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and general managers around the league. The Pittsburgh Steelers did not have a first-round pick as a result of their mid-season trade with the Miami Dolphins for DB Minkah Fitzpatrick. Below, we’ll look at the BetMGM odds for which position the Steelers will target first Friday evening.

2020 NFL Draft: Which position will the Pittsburgh Steelers draft first? Odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Friday, April 24 at 3:30 p.m. ET.

POSITION ODDS
Offense -141
Defense +115

The odds for the Steelers’ first pick, scheduled to be with the No. 49 overall selection, or the 17th pick of the second round, are set up as a two-way line between a defensive player or an offensive player. The Steelers enter Day 2 with two selections at picks No. 49 and 102.

While the Steelers fell short of the postseason last year with a record of 8-8 to finish second in the AFC North, QB Ben Roethlisberger returns from injury and looks to lead another playoff charge. When betting on the Steelers’ first draft selection, it’s important to keep in mind they’re in “win-now” mode and will look to give Roethlisberger the best opportunity for one more Super Bowl run.

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2020 NFL Draft: Which position will the Pittsburgh Steelers draft first? Best Bets

The Steelers are heavily favored to target an OFFENSIVE PLAYER with their first pick of the 2020 draft. A $10 bet at the -141 odds will return a profit of $7.09. This is an adequate profit margin and a solid investment ahead of the start of Friday’s second round.

The Steelers lack a true No. 2 receiver behind bounceback hopeful JuJu Smith-Schuster. James Washington and Diontae Johnson have both flashed at times, but they’re likely better suited to depth roles as No. 3 and 4 targets in the passing game. TE Eric Ebron was signed as a free agent and will be an excellent red-zone asset, but Pittsburgh needs someone to draw double coverage off of JuJu.

Michael Pittman, Tee Higgins, Laviska Shenault Jr. and Denzel Mims all fit that role, but there are plenty of receiver-needy teams ahead of Pittsburgh.

Should those receivers go off the board early, Pittsburgh may pivot to a running back in order to pair James Conner with a quality complement. D’andre Swift is unlikely to fall much further, but one of Cam Akers, J.K. Dobbins or Zack Moss is sure to hang around.

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2020 NFL Draft: When and where will Jalen Hurts be drafted?

Assessing the 2020 NFL Draft odds and looking at when and where QB Jalen Hurts will be selected on Day 2.

Oklahoma QB Jalen Hurts remains on the board after the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He heads into Day 2 as one of the top remaining options at his position with several NFL teams still in need of a quarterback, either for 2020 or beyond. Below, we’ll look at the BetMGM odds for which round Hurts will be selected in and which team will make the pick.

Jalen Hurts’ college stats

Hurts, 21, played his first three college seasons at Alabama as a four-star recruit. After being surpassed by Tua Tagovailoa, he transferred to Oklahoma for his final season, and it was his best. He completed 69.7% of his passes for 3,851 yards and 32 touchdowns against just eight interceptions. He also added 1,298 rushing yards and 20 scores on the ground.

He’s the best dual-threat QB in the 2020 draft class

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NFL Draft: In which round will Jalen Hurts be drafted?

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Friday, April 24 at 1:35 p.m. ET.

ROUND ODDS
2 -239
3 +200
4-7 +1000
Undrafted +10000

Hurts is a heavy favorite to go in the second round Friday night. He’s one of the top remaining options at the position, along with Jacob Eason and Jake Fromm after four quarterbacks were selected in Thursday’s first round.

The risk now is with quarterback-needy teams being content to wait to take the last of these three remaining options. At much better odds, betting Hurts to be selected in ROUND 3 (+200) is the way to go.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Hurts to be selected in the third round of the NFL draft will return a profit of $20. The same bet for Round 2 fetches a profit of just $4.18.

NFL Draft: Which team will draft Jalen Hurts?

All 32 teams are listed with odds to draft Hurts, with those options ranging from the Indianapolis Colts at +300 to the Cincinnati Bengals at +50000. Below, we’ll look at the best bets based on team needs and odds.

New England Patriots (+600)

The Patriots’ need for a quarterback is widely known following the departure of Tom Brady. Veteran Brian Hoyer and 2019 fourth-round pick Jarrett Stidham are currently slated to compete for the Week 1 starting job this offseason.

Hurts would instantly add some excitement to the competition and could also be viewed as a long-term option under center.

Jacksonville Jaguars (+800)

The Jaguars focused on defensive needs in Thursday’s first round. They’re left with several needs on the offensive side of the ball. Sophomore Gardner Minshew is the expected Week 1 starter, but the 2019 sixth-round pick showed plenty of holes as a rookie in 2019.

The Jaguars could still look at free agents Cam Newton or Jameis Winston, or look ahead to the 2021 draft and Trevor Lawrence or Justin Fields. Hurts would give them yet another competitive option at a position they’ve failed to fill far too many times.

New Orleans Saints (+1800)

The Saints lost backup QB Teddy Bridgewater to free agency this offseason and are left with utility man Tayson Hill to back up 41-year-old Drew Brees. Hurts better fits the mold of a true quarterback and getting him on a rookie contract would help prepare New Orleans for Brees’ likely retirement at some point within that timeframe.

San Francisco 49ers (+5000)

If you want a long shot, look to the West Coast. The 49ers stood by Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason while passing on Brady in free agency. Backups Nick Mullens and C.J. Beathard both have starting experience from the 2018 campaign, but Hurts is a considerable upgrade.

Hurts could come in and help push Garoppolo, and he’d still be on his rookie deal when Jimmy G is set to reach free agency following the 2022 season.

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NFL Draft: Which position will the Los Angeles Rams draft first?

Assessing the 2020 NFL Draft odds and looking at which position the Los Angeles Rams will look to draft with their first pick.

The 2020 NFL Draft began Thursday night with the first round. The Los Angeles Rams did not have a pick in the first round and will make their first player selection in the second round Friday, April 24. They currently hold the 52nd overall pick in the draft. Here, we give you the odds and the best bet for the Rams and their first draft pick based on the odds at BetMGM.

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NFL Draft: Position of LA Rams first drafted player

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Friday, April 24 at 1:30 p.m. ET.

Offense: -110

Defense: -110

The Rams have many needs. Some of their biggest needs entering the 2020 NFL Draft are on the offensive line, linebacker, wide receiver and running back.

Based on the best players available for the second round of the draft, the positions that appear to have the best talent are at receiver, running back and the defensive line.

Only one running back has been selected so far in the whole draft and with the Rams cutting ties with Todd Gurley this offseason, it might be their main focus on Day 2 of the draft.

The best bet for the Rams is to pick OFFENSE (-110).

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NFL Draft: Which position will the New England Patriots draft first?

Assessing 2020 NFL Draft odds centered which position the New England Patriots will draft first.

The New England Patriots once again traded out of the first round of the NFL draft when they dealt the 23rd overall pick to the Los Angeles Chargers Thursday in exchange for picks No. 37 and 71. As Bill Belichick gets set to make the fifth overall selection of the second round Friday, April 24, we look at BetMGM‘s odds for which position the Patriots will be looking to draft.

2020 NFL Draft: Which position will the Patriots draft first? Odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Friday, April 24 at 12:30 p.m. ET.

POSITION ODDS
Defensive lineman +400
Tight end +400
Linebacker +500
Quarterback +500
Wide receiver +500
Safety +600
Offensive lineman +700
Cornerback +1000
Running back +5000
Kicker/punter/long snapper +25000

2020 NFL Draft: Which position will the Patriots draft first? Best bets

Tight end (+400)

Future Hall of Fame TE Rob Gronkowski came out of retirement this week only to be traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a reunion with QB Tom Brady. It was blatantly evident how much Gronk’s absence hurt the 2019 Patriots. Veteran TE Ben Watson led the team’s positional group with 173 yards on 17 receptions without a touchdown.

While Brady has moved on, Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels‘ system has hinged on having elite tight end play. Notre Dame TE Cole Kmet had emerged as a first-round hopeful in the days leading up to the first round, but he remains on the board. Florida Atlantic’s Harrison Bryant and Dayton‘s Adam Trautman round out the top remaining options at the position as Day 2 picks.

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Quarterback (+500)

The Patriots’ offseason quarterback competition is set be staged between veteran journeyman and former Patriots QB Brian Hoyer and 2019 fourth-round pick Jarrett Stidham. Stidham attempted just four passes with two completions for 14 yards and an interception.

It still seems odd for the Pats to be caught flat-footed with Brady’s departure after the days of grooming Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett, among others. It’s tough to envision the Patriots ever going into full-on tank mode with Belichick still at the helm, so they’re apt to do what they can to address the most important position as they reset for years to come.

Jacob Eason, Jake Fromm and Jalen Hurts represent three viable options who could be brought in to learn from Hoyer (and to a lesser extent, Stidham) before taking over either late in 2020 or in 2021.

Wide receiver (+500)

Veteran Julian Edelman remains the Patriots’ top option in the passing game. N’Keal Harry, the Patriots’ 2019 first-round pick, was unimpressive as a rookie last season, finishing with just 105 yards and two touchdowns over seven games. Veteran Mohamed Sanu accomplished little following a mid-season trade with the Atlanta Falcons.

Targeting a top remaining rookie such as Michael Pittman, Tee Higgins or Laviska Shenault Jr. could go a long way in luring one of the top remaining free-agent QBs in Cam Newton or Jameis Winston to town on a one-year deal.

If the Pats are serious about riding with Hoyer and Stidham, then a true No. 1 option may be all the more important.

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Lions fans can forget about Miami trading up for Tua Tagovailoa

It doesn’t mean that a trade back for the Lions is dead. Not by any means. But it does mean that fans will need to recalibrate who that potential target might be for a team wanting to move up to Detroit’s pick. 

For months now the talk about “trading for Tua” involving the Detroit Lions moving out of the No. 3 spot in the 2020 NFL Draft has dominated the Lions conversation. Fans desperate to move back have pleaded for other teams to fall in love with Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa in order to foster a trade up to land the dynamic but durability-challenged passer.

It seems those wishes have been dashed on the rocky shoreline of a bitterly cold Lake St. Clair. Many national draft analysts have all but ruled out Tagovailoa as a top-5 pick.

“The big mystery continues to be the fate of Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa. I can’t find anyone who thinks Miami is taking him,” Breer writes for NBC Sports.

He is not alone. The bookmakers at BetMGM and other online wagering sites continue to have Justin Herbert with the best odds to be the second QB off the board. Presumably, that is with the Dolphins at the No. 5 overall pick. Joe Burrow and Chase Young are overwhelming favorites to be the first two picks, and neither the Lions at three nor the Giants at four appear to have any valid interest in selecting any first-round quarterbacks.

If Miami isn’t taking Tua, and no other teams believe Miami is taking him, there is no real point for the Chargers to trade up from No. 6 to No. 3. Any other team looking to make a move to land Tagovailoa is coming from farther back in the draft than Lions GM Bob Quinn has stated he’s comfortable falling.

It doesn’t mean that a trade back for the Lions is dead. Not by any means. But it does mean that fans will need to recalibrate who that potential target might be for a team wanting to move up to Detroit’s pick.

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Jeff Okudah the odds-on favorite to be the No. 3 pick

Jeff Okudah the odds-on favorite to be the No. 3 pick

Still filling out your final mock projections for the 2020 NFL Draft? The smart money says to write down Joe Burrow at No. 1, Chase Young 2nd and then plus in Ohio State CB Jeff Okudah as the No. 3 pick.

It makes sense. The Detroit Lions hold the 3rd pick and sorely need a legit No. 1 cornerback. Okudah is incredibly well-regarded and ready to start right away. He’s the projection in over 90 percent of the over 50 mock drafts we’re tracking for the Lions within the last week.

Based on the odds here from BetMGM sportsbook, Okudah has nearly a 50 percent chance to be the No. 3 pick.

Remember, the odds here are strictly for the No. 3 pick, not the Detroit Lions and who they pick. That’s why QBs Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert are next up in the odds. It’s strictly about the slot, not the team.

Interestingly, Auburn DT Derrick Brown is next up, followed by Clemson LB Isaiah Simmons. Offensive tackles Tristan Wirfs is the only other player with more than a 1 percent chance of being the pick at No. 3.

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