Tag: Draft Predictions

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.

Want action on NFL draft betting? Sign up and place your legal sports wagers online at BetMGM. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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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.

Want action on NFL draft betting? Sign up and place your legal sports wagers online at BetMGM. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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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).

Want action on NFL draft betting? Sign up and place your legal sports wagers online at BetMGM. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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