The offensive side of the ball was represented well in last year’s NFL Draft with 18 players being selected in the first round. Standout performers included Offensive Rookie of the Year Award winner Ja’Marr Chase, Kyle Pitts, Jaylen Waddle, Penei Sewell, DeVonta Smith, Rashawn Slater and Najee Harris. None of the five quarterbacks drafted did much to cement their placement in Canton come the end of their careers. While there are some real nice offensive pieces on the table entering 2022 NFL Draft betting at online sportsbooks, I’m of the belief the excelled defensive options will simply be too good for front offices around the league to pass on over the course of the first 32 picks. Because of it, I’m in agreement with the betting market and believe the current offering of 17 is simply just way too high. If you can find alternate betting lines dealing with the total offensive players drafted in the first round, I’d take shots at under 16 and 15 to reduce the juice and cook up some plus-money returns. I fully expect the offense to take a backseat to the defense with the uber talent made available in the first round. It’s simply just too good for GM’s to pass on!
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Total Offensive Players Drafted in 1st Round
Over 17 +176
Under 17 -225
The Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions, and Houston Texans possess the first three picks in the upcoming draft. The Jags have already gone out and shored up their pathetic offensive line in free agency. While it looked like upper management would snag a premiere tackle to protect Trevor Lawrence early on, that’s no longer the case. Aidan Hutchinson is likely to hear his name called by Roger Goodell first if going by his draft odds to be selected with the No. 1 overall pick (-280). Mock drafts have the top of the draft dominated by edge rushers, cornerbacks, and offensive linemen. As such, it’s highly likely the first offensive player to be taken off the board will situate himself on some team’s offensive line.
The choices are many and the odds for Evan Neal, Ikem Ekwonu, and Charles Cross have jumped all over the board. The Alabama product was initially the odds on favorite to be the first offensive linemen chosen in the draft, but then it was NC State’s freakish run blocker that jumped to the head of the class. Charles Cross is the current heart throb whose draft position odds currently clock in at 7.5 after initially hitting the board in the mid-teens! Those looking to hit the over of this prop will certainly get closer with these three likely off the board early on.
Things will pick back up with the first of three expected quarterbacks to go in the first round once Malik Willis is selected, and then the selections of the wide receiver duo of USC’s Drake London and Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson will get them even closer. From there, it’s going to be real hit or miss the rest of the way. Fully recovered from his injury or not, Jameson Williams will get snagged in the first round. So too will a few more offensive linemen in Bernhard Raimann, Trevor Penning, and Tyler Linderbaum. But will it be enough to surpass this lofty impost?
I’m betting against it! Save for Chris Olave and Treylon Burks, I’m not at all sold on other offensive players going ahead of an incredible amount of excelled defensive talent at the back end of the first round. Just look at the teams selecting in rounds 25-32. You got the Bills, Titans, Buccaneers, Packers, Chiefs (twice), Bengals and Lions. Buffalo, Tampa Bay, Kansas City, Green Bay, and Cincinnati each ranked amongst the top-10 in scoring offense a season ago, and they got plenty returning on that side of the ball. I can’t help but think they go defense with a majority of those picks. This number is way too inflated for my taste, and it stinks that the juice attached to the low side of it is astronomical. As stated up above, buy it down if possible to get a better rate of return. If you got the money to burn, fire away!
NFL Draft Wager: Under 17
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