The NFL season ended with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers upsetting the Kansas City Chiefs 31-9 in Super Bowl LV. Free agency was the next step on the league calendar on March 17, and now that the dust has settled there – it’s on to the NFL Draft.
Even though NFL free agency is technically the start of the new league year, the NFL Draft feels like the proper kickoff to the upcoming season. It is now just a few weeks away. It’s one of the most significant events for NFL fans and teams alike. Its popularity has made it over to betting markets, as there are many options for betting the NFL Draft at online betting sites.
How To Bet On the NFL Draft
There are many options to bet on the NFL Draft. As we get closer to draft day, more and more betting markets and opportunities will appear. Bettors can wager on who the number one pick will be, the second overall pick, how many wide receivers are drafted, who will be the first QB drafted, and so on. The list of NFL props and bets for the Draft is massive.
BetNow and Bovada are two of my favorite sites for betting on the NFL Draft.
BetNow offers players some excellent cash bonuses and quick payouts, and some of the best support online. They have a lot of different betting options for the 2021 Draft.
Bovada is one of the most trusted sportsbooks in the history of online probably has more NFL Draft betting options than any other site. They have several deposit bonuses, including a crypto-specific bonus.
Who Will Be The No. 1 Overall Pick?
The No. 1 overall pick isn’t much of a mystery in this year’s NFL Draft. It will be QB Trevor Lawrence, out of Clemson. A few sites have betting odds on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ pick, but unless the oddsmakers are drastically incorrect, they’re picking Lawrence with near 100 percent certainty.
According to the top NFL sportsbooks, these are the odds for the first overall pick in the NFL Draft.
NFL 2021 1st Pick Overall
Trevor Lawrence -10000
Zach Wilson +1200
Justin Fields +2000
Penei Sewell +2500
As you can see, Lawrence is a massive favorite at -10000 to be the first overall pick in the NFL Draft. Willson, Fields, and Sewell are all long shot plays for a reason. There is almost no hope of them getting drafted in this spot.
2021 NFL Draft Predictions
I do not see many variations in NFL Draft predictions when it comes to the first overall pick. The Jaguars are going to pick Trevor Lawrence.
However, I do see some value in other NFL Draft odds at Bovada and other betting sites. These are some of my best draft bets for the 2021 NFL Draft.
Ja’Maar Chase Selected At What Number
Under 6 Selection Number (-130)
Over 6 Selection Number (-110)
One of my favorite bets I made a few weeks ago was LSU receiver, Ja’Maar Chase, to be taken off the board as the first receiver overall. At the time, his odds were around -200 to do so. Since then, they have moved to -500. Still, there is some value with where he’s going to be taken in the draft.
There are a ton of WR-needy teams at the top of the Draft. It looks like the Jets will take QB Justin Wilson, but it gets a little murkier from there. If the 49ers don’t take Trey Lance or Justin Fields at No. 3, they certainly need WR.
Then, we have the Bengals at No. 5. We have already heard Cincinnati’s rumors looking to reunite Burrow with one of his former WRs at LSU. The Dolphins also have a significant need at WR at No. 6.
I like the under No. 6 selection because many teams see him as the Draft’s top wide receiver. He may fall to No. 7 for Detroit, but I see that more as a worst-case scenario.
Pick: Ja’Maar Chase Under 6
NFL Draft 2021 – Third Overall Pick
Mac Jones -150
Justin Fields +110
Trey Lance +500
Zach Wilson +1600
Another bet I am high on is Justin Fields to go as the No. 3 overall pick. Many sportsbooks have Mac Jones as the favorite to land with SF, but I am not buying it. There are many reasons they go quarterback here, and Fields fits the Kyle Shanahan mold more than any other top QB in this class.
Shanny loves a duel-threat quarterback (run, pass), and Fields fits that bill to a T. He’s the perfect complement to their dominant passing game and short passing game. Shanahan already had success with QB’s of similar make-up, such as Robert Griffin III in Washington.
Shanahan and 49ers’ general manager, John Lynch, will be at Fields’ upcoming pro day on April 14th. He already impressed in an earlier workout this year, and I expect him to do the same here. These odds may move after that event, so that I would jump on this now.
Final Thoughts On The 2021 Draft
This year’s NFL Draft will be one of the more wide-open ones in quite a while. Other than the first pick, there is a lot of speculation of where players will land. Draft betting goes through the entire Day 1 and into the NFL Draft Round 2. There will be a lot of value to be had for bettors who put in the work analyzing team needs and shopping odds for draft betting. Good luck!
