Caleb Wilfinger
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We’re just a few days away from the NFL Draft, as the 2022 festivities get underway on Thursday in Las Vegas. There are plenty of wagering opportunities, from the position battles to who will be selected 1st overall.
Before the first round gets underway, we will have a ton of draft content coming to get you primed. Here, we’ll be focusing on the total number of offensive and defensive players selected in the first round. As the odds currently sit, more defensive players are favored to be taken in the opening round. However, that may change by Thursday night.
We’ll start by looking at the odds, before diving into our best bets for each side of the ball:
Odds for total defensive players drafted in First Round
Odds available with DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing.
Over 15.5 (-125)
Under 15.5 (-105)
The top of the draft should be dominated by defensive players. According to most mock drafts, at least half of the first 10 picks are expected to be defensive players. With 5 virtual locks in the opening 10 picks, we’ll need to decide if 11 or more defensive players will be selected in the remaining 22 picks.
The middle of the first round should be populated by popular defensive prospects, including the likes of Kyle Hamilton, Derek Stingley Jr, George Karlaftis and Trent McDuffie. And based on the projected mock drafts, the needs of last year’s contending teams mostly revolve around defense. Teams like the Bills, Bucs, Chiefs, etc. either need a shutdown corner, run stopper or edge rusher.
Most major outlets project around 17 defensive players to be selected on Thursday, so at -125, there is value in backing the over 15.5 position.
Odds for total offensive players drafted in First Round
Over 16.5 (+110)
Under 16.5 (-150)
Another way to look into these odds is by looking at the odds for certain positions and their totals on being drafted in the first round. This year, we have odds on the total quarterbacks, offensive lineman and wide receivers to be taken. The number for total quarterbacks to be drafted is 3, with odds at -110 on either side. Additionally, there are expected to be less than 7 offensive lineman to be selected on Thursday at -190 odds. Conversely, the wide receiver slot is considered a deep one in this draft, with 6 expected to be drafted in round 1.
This prop bet comes down to mock draft projections and doing the math. Based on my breakdown above, I project 16 or more defensive players being drafted in the first round. Therefore, I have to recommended backing the under 16.5 position at -150 or better.
Pickswise 2022 NFL Draft content
Check out some of the great articles our news team has put together on the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft:
- Who will be the first quarterback drafted?
- Who will be the first running back drafted?
- When will Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett be drafted?
- Who will be the first cornerback drafted?
- Who will be the first offensive lineman drafted?
Pickswise is the home of NFL Picks. Be sure to check out all of our post-Super Bowl offseason coverage as we gear up for the 2022 campaign.
