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2024 NFL draft predictions
- JJ McCarthy top five pick – 5/7 with bet365
- Under 4.5 quarterbacks drafted in round one – 23/10 with QuinnBet
- Rome Odunze under 8.5 draft position – 5/8 with bet365
- LA Rams to select an offensive lineman in round one – 5/4 with Unibet
All 32 NFL teams are hoping to change their futures for the better and out themselves on the road to Super Bowl glory via this weekend's NFL Draft (1am Friday, Sky Sports Main Event).
It's been proven you can change the course of a franchise in just one night, the Houston Texans being last year’s success story, going from no-hopers to play-off competitors after selecting quarterback CJ Stroud and defensive end Will Anderson in the first round.
This year’s draft in Detroit looks to be stacked with more difference-making talent than usual, with a crop of high-quality quarterbacks and wide receivers having come out of college together.
The Chicago Bears have the first pick this year and NFL betting sites give a 98.77 per cent probability they’ll make Caleb Williams out of USC the 36th quarterback in draft history to be taken at number one overall.
There’s less clarity about what will happen after Williams is off the board, and NFL bettors will need to be switched on when reading the litany of mock drafts and assessing the markets on betting sites.
NFL Draft predictions: McCarthy to move up
The first three picks in this year’s draft are expected to be used on quarterbacks with Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels projected to go after Williams to one of the Washington Commanders or New England Patriots, who are picking second and third and have a big need at the position.
From the fourth pick onwards is where things might get interesting with the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Chargers sitting at four and five but open to trading back with some QB-needy teams behind them in the pecking order.
The Minnesota Vikings are one team looking to draft a quarterback and have the capital to trade up, but the New York Giants are also reportedly considering a play for a quarterback.
Both the Chargers and Cardinals have plenty of holes to fill on their roster so could do with the extra picks, and if a team does trade up with one of the duo, they are likely to take JJ McCarthy.
He’s a first round talent who led Michigan to a national championship last season. He was linked with Washington and New England earlier in the draft process so there’s a chance that even if a team does move for McCarthy, he could be gone already.
Of those players priced up to go in the top five, McCarthy’s odds perhaps don’t reflect how highly he’s rated.
NFL Draft Tip 1: JJ McCarthy a top five pick – 5/7 with bet365
NFL Draft betting tip: Don’t buy all the QB hype
There’s a chance that McCarthy is the fourth and last quarterback off the board in the first round, although gambling sites are confident we might see an unusually large number of quarterbacks taken on Thursday.
You won’t get bigger than 2/5 on over 4.5 quarterbacks being selected in round one, with one or both Bo Nix and Michael Penix expected to go.
However, if the Vikings do move into the top five, there’s not many teams in the latter half of the draft that are likely to take a quarterback.
Those who might want a signal caller have other needs too and are unlikely to value Nix and Penix, who carry several red flags, as first round picks.
Every year, the press overhypes quarterbacks, who then fall down the board, such as Will Levis, who went in round two last year, and third-round pick Malik Willis the year before.
Since the first draft in 1936, there have only been four occasions when five or more QBs have gone in round one, so history suggests there’s value in playing the under on the quarterback line, even with so many quarterbacks going early.
NFL Draft Tip 2: Under 4.5 quarterbacks drafted in round one – 23/10 with QuinnBet
Don’t sleep on Odunze
There are four quarterbacks expected to go in the top 10 and nearly as many wide receivers.
In the first round overall, you can get 3/1 on some betting apps on over 6.5 wideouts being taken and it's not too much of a stretch to see that many going given the quality of this class.
Marvin Harrison Jr and Malik Nabers are predicted to be the first two pass catchers to get drafted, but Rome Odunze is reported to be above one, if not both, of that duo on some teams' draft boards.
We’ve seen how quickly a top-quality receiver can change a team’s offence, and if the Cardinals and Chargers don’t receive a trade offer they like, then they are expected to go receiver if they stay put.
If the Giants can't get a quarterback, they could go wide receiver, opening up another potential landing spot in the top six for Odunze, who put on a great show at the scouting combine.
In a scenario where a team doesn’t trade up for a quarterback, the likelihood of the ex-Husky going early increases but even if there is some movement, he may still get selected before pick nine.
NFL Draft tip 3: Rome Odunze under 8.5 draft position – 5/8 with bet365
Rams eye offensive reinforcements
For the first time since 2016, the LA Rams have a pick in the first round of the NFL Draft and given their philosophy, it seems likely they’ll target an offensive talent with that pick.
The Rams have used their top pick to restock the offence in six of the last seven drafts and they need help along the offensive line to protect Matthew Stafford.
Having initially been projected to take a defensive lineman to replace the retired Aaron Donald, the momentum has swung towards the offensively-minded McVay drafting an offensive lineman.
Both are positions of need, but with fewer starting-calibre offensive linemen in this draft, don’t be surprised if that’s where the Rams go at number 19.
NFL Draft tip 4: LA Rams to select an offensive lineman in round one – 5/4 with Unibet
Free bet offers for the NFL Draft
There are a huge array of markets available for betting on the NFL Draft and for those interested in wagering on the event, they may be able to grab a free bet.
William Hill have a great selection of draft markets and are offering £30 in free bets that can be wagered on any sport to new customers. To qualify, sign up using the link below and make an initial deposit via one of the accepted payment methods.
Users will then need to place a qualifying wager of £10 or more on a selection with odds of 1/2 (1.5) or greater. Once the qualifying wager is settled, William Hill will credit users with the £30 in free bets.
As well as an established sportsbook, William Hill also have plenty to offer for fans of online casinos, including William Hill Vegas, featuring all the best online slots, and a live casino.
Before signing up with William Hill or any new betting sites, check the terms and conditions of the welcome offer first. For those having a bet on the NFL Draft or any other sport, please gamble responsibly.
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Last Updated: 25th April 2024, 03:41 PM
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