2022 NFL Draft: Who will be the first overall pick?

The NFL Draft starts on Thursday night and the three-day affair is always full of surprises. It may be boring to some, but to others, this is their entire lives. The future of the sport is partially determined on the opening night, and while this draft doesn’t have a ton of buzz, there are still a bunch of great players who will be picked. If you decide to watch, here are some prop bets to make the viewing experience that much better.

First overall pick

Aidan Hutchinson is a beastly defensive linemen from Michigan. He is a proven star and also has a great attitude. Simply put, he is the type of foundational piece that can catalyze a culture shift for a bad team. He was the presumed number one pick all offseason until the Travon Walker buzz came out of nowhere. While that buzz could be correct, it could also be a trick. Either way, it leaves Hutchinson with great odds to go first overall. Take Hutchinson to go first as Jacksonville are dying for a guy like him to bolster their defense.

First offensive lineman selected

This is a draft with a lot of top-end offensive linemen, and although there are three elite options, there isn’t a consensus. According to draft experts, there are teams high in the draft with Evan Neal at the top of their board. If so, he will jump presumptive favorite Ikem Ekwonu and get selected first. It’s not super likely, but worth a shot at this price.

Ahmad Gardner over/under (5.5)

Ahmad ‘Sauce’ Gardner was a dominant cornerback in college, and when you look at the NFL right now, pass defense is a paramount need for most teams. Gardner has ridiculous athleticism and didn’t allow a touchdown catch his entire college career. A team is destined to fall in love with him and take him early. If he gets past pick three, it’s likely a team will trade up for him. He is highly coveted, and while this is a heavy line, it’s worth it at this price to back Gardner to go in the top five.

Drake London over/under (10.5)

This offseason has been all about the wide receivers. Star receivers have been moved around and there has been a lot of money invested into pass catchers. Quickly, cheap wide receivers have become a hot commodity, and rookie contracts are a good way to get one. Drake London is assumed to be the first wide receiver off the board, and there are many teams who would love to grab him. If he’s available at pick 10, the Jets will almost certainly pounce on him, making the unders a great value play here.

Jahan Dotson over/under (31.5)

This is kind of an extension of the London bet. While there are a bunch of teams at the top of draft who want receiving help, there are even more at the bottom of the first round. Jahan Dotson is only the fifth or sixth best receiving option this year, but there is destined to be a receiver run in the first round. It’s very likely Dotson is included in that run, and if he’s available at 29 for the Chiefs, they will snatch him up. This is a heavier line than London’s, but it is great value for the Penn State graduate.

Team to draft Malik Willis

Malik Willis is widely considered to be the second best quarterback in this draft. While he is from a small school, he dominated at Liberty and wowed many NFL teams’ front offices. One of those teams that fell in love with him was the Pittsburgh Steelers. They are in need of a QB and have not been silent about how much they like Willis. At this point, it’s not likely they are bluffing, and they could even trade up from pick 20 to take him. The Steelers will almost certainly take a quarterback and Willis is their number one guy. Unless he goes in the top six, Willis will most likely end up a Steeler, so this bet is great value.

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