The NFL Draft is less than a week away, and sportsbooks are ramping up the release of intriguing betting markets. Oddsmakers offer everything ranging from how many players from each position will be drafted to who will be drafted first at their respective position to the over/under of individual players’ overall draft number.
There doesn’t seem to be much consensus on the No. 1 pick, first QB drafted, first RB drafted, first WR drafted, first OL drafted or much else.
Among these markets is a listing that combines all defensive players to be potentially drafted in the first round. This proposition wager offers a unique investment opportunity to project the total number of players from only one side of the ball.
Let’s take a deeper look at this listing!
TOTAL DEFENSIVE PLAYERS DRAFTED IN FIRST ROUND
- OVER 15.5 (-125)
- UNDER 15.5 (-105)
Junfu Han/USA TODAY NETWORK
Locks
According to the latest betting odds, NFL fans will see Aidan Hutchinson, Travon Walker, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner and Jermaine Johnson II come off the board in the first 10 overall picks.
With five absolute defensive studs to be drafted in the opening round, bettors need to decide if 10 or more defensive studs will join the NFL ranks on Thursday night.
Bank on it
Upon a deeper dive, it appears safe to conclude that talented Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton will be among the first 32 picks. Not long after, LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. should easily be called to the podium to join NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. In addition, Purdue defensive end George Karlaftis (-1600), Georgia defensive tackle undefined (-1400), Utah linebacker Devin Lloyd (-1200), and Washington defensive back Trent McDuffie (-650) should hear their names called in the middle of the first round.
With the five locks we outlined in the first ten picks, plus the aforementioned players, the overall total stands at 11 defensive players bettors can count on being drafted in the first round.
More: NFL Draft futures bets
Odds in favor of the over
This is where deciding upon the over or the under in this market becomes a bit tricky. Will there be more or less than five more defensive players chosen in the back half of the first round?
Georgia defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt (-300), Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean (-225), Michigan safety Daxton Hill (-190), Clemson cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. (-175), Minnesota linebacker Boye Mafe (-130) and Penn State defensive end Arnold Ebiketie (-125) flesh out the next tier of defensive players that the betting odds indicate will be tabbed in the first round.
If all of these players listed above sneak into the first round, that would leave us at 17 total defensive players. However, if two of those six fringe players - directly listed above drop out of the opening round- bettors who invest in the over will need just one of Georgia safety Lewis Cine (+100), Washington cornerback Kyler Gordon (+110) or Michigan linebacker David Ojabo (+175) to land inside the first round for the over to cash.
BET: OVER 15.5 defensive players drafted in first round (-125)
Frankie Taddeo is a successful high-stakes fantasy football player who created the first-ever DFS program ever offered in a Las Vegas sportsbook. Frankie is SI Betting's Senior Analyst and provides his significant experience and resources in the sports betting scene. You can follow Frankie on Twitter @Frankie_Fantasy for his latest betting and fantasy insights from Las Vegas.
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