NFL Draft Betting: The 2 Best Bets in the Top-5 Pick Market
There are a ton of ways to bet the NFL Draft at FanDuel Sportsbook this year, including specific players at specific picks, but there is also a top-five pick market.
It excludes Michigan Wolverines edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson (who is -170 to be the first pick of the draft). Here are the odds for everyone else to go inside the top five of the 2022 NFL Draft.
| 2022 NFL Draft Top 5 Pick Odds | FanDuel Sportsbook Odds |
|---|---|
| Travon Walker | -700 |
| Ikem Ekwonu | -250 |
| Kayvon Thibodeaux | -160 |
| Evan Neal | -140 |
| Ahmad Gardner | +100 |
| Charles Cross | +350 |
| Jermaine Johnson | +350 |
| Malik Willis | +400 |
| Kyle Hamilton | +400 |
| Garrett Wilson | +700 |
| Drake London | +700 |
| Kenny Pickett | +700 |
| Jameson Williams | +2000 |
| Derek Stingley Jr. | +2000 |
| Jordan Davis | +3000 |
| Treylon Burks | +3000 |
| Chris Olave | +5000 |
| Devin Lloyd | +5000 |
While there are heavy odds on Georgia Bulldogs edge rusher Travon Walker (-700), he ranks fifth on NFL Mock Draft Database's big board. To be fair, he is oft projected to go second overall to the Detroit Lions. Grinding the Mocks puts Walker fourth overall with an expected draft position of 5.2, so that one's tough to back at such steep odds.
Ikem Ekwonu (-250) is rated fourth via NFL Mock Draft Database and owns an expected draft position of 5.4 via Grinding the Mocks. ESPN's Draft Day Predictor shows roughly a 45% probability the North Carolina State offensive tackle is taken inside the top five. There are better bets here.
Kayvon Thibodeaux (-160) is where we start to see some value. The edge rusher from Oregon is ranked second by NFL Mock Draft Database and boasts an expected draft position of 3.9 (the best mark other than Hutchinson's 1.5) via Grinding the Mocks. ESPN's simulations have Thibodeaux as roughly 67% likely to go before pick six.
Though Ahmad Gardner (+100) is an even-money option to be a top-five pick, ESPN's simulations have the Cincinnati Bearcats' cornerback as under 20% likely to be on the board at pick six. Sixth on the big board at NFL Mock Draft Database, he's often mocked to the New York Jets at pick four. A lot points to value on Gardner to be a top-five option.
Thibodeaux and Gardner, then, are looking like the best values in this market.
