NHL Best Bets for Tuesday (11/19)
Kenneth Le
The 2022 NFL Combine has come and gone, and now NFL fans must patiently wait for the 2022 NFL Draft. While we now know what to expect from players in terms of 40-yard dash times, bench press reps and three-cone drills, teams and fans alike can now speculate where players will be drafted and which team is seeking which player.
In preparation for the 2022 NFL Draft, which starts April 28, sportsbooks have been posting odds for the draft. These bets range from bets such as the first player taken, the first player taken at a position, over/under draft position, and more. Let’s take a look at five NFL Draft props that I recommend playing now before we learn more information and the odds move in our favor.
Top 5 NFL Draft Prop Bets
Here are my five favorite current NFL Draft props based on the early lines. All lines come from DraftKings Sportsbook.
Evan Neal Draft Position OVER 1.5
(-120)
Evan Neal is a very intriguing draft prospect. He was a standout at the University of Alabama at left tackle, tested fantastically at the combine, and by all accounts has the character to warrant a top-two selection. However, this bet has little to do with the prospect himself and more to do with the team’s needs. The Jaguars hold the No. 1 pick and can certainly take Neal as their long-term answer to protect Trevor Lawrence. However, the Jaguars could opt for LT Ikem Ekwonu instead or draft a defensive player. The Lions have pick 2, and I do not see them going for a left tackle since they are solid on the O-line already.
1st Wide Receiver Selected: Chris Olave
(+700)
Chris Olave was a four-year player at Ohio State and was a top college receiver each of the last three years. While his now-former teammate Garrett Wilson is the favorite to be the first wide receiver taken, Olave showed more in his four years than Wilson did in his abbreviated stint in Columbus. Olave has speed, ball skills, size and hands, and while he is a bit of a long shot, I can certainly see a team like Washington, Cleveland or the Jets opting for him over any of the other receivers in this class.
No. 1 Overall Pick: Ikem Ekwonu
(+200)
The Jaguars are almost certain to draft a player for the trenches with the No. 1 overall pick, but there are two major questions: Which side of the ball, and who do they choose? I am opting to go with LT Ikem Ekwonu due to his athleticism and his physical makeup. If this is the way the Jags go, we will have hit two of these bets.
1st Running Back Selected: Kenneth Walker
(+150)
Breece Hall is the favorite to take home this mark, but I see the Michigan State Spartan getting the nod. The right time to draft a running back is a heavily debated topic among NFL fans and analysts, and I do not expect this selection to come in the first round. However, this reminds me of the 2020 NFL Draft when the Chiefs selected Clyde Edwards-Helaire over a better player in Jonathan Taylor. I think Hall is the better player, but Walker gets his name called first.
1st Quarterback Selected: Kenny Pickett
(+175)
Unless a team trades into the top five for a quarterback, it is expected that QBs will start to be considered around the eighth pick with the Falcons on the clock. While I do not love any QB in the 2022 NFL Draft, I know teams are enamored with Pickett since he improved every season in college and should be ready to play at the NFL level immediately. While I think Malik Willis has more upside as a player and I can see Washington snagging him at 11, I think it’s quite possible Pickett goes before then.
