First of all, Happy NFL Draft Day. You’re reading this, so you must be one of the millions who celebrate.
You’re also here to gain any last-minute insights to make draft wagers. Hopefully, the following nuggets will be enlightening and profitable, if you choose to invest.
[ More NFL Draft: QB props | Team props | J.J. McCarthy prop ]
From what the mock drafting community has forecasted with its final projections, there’s a clear consensus of how the top eight picks will go:
1. QB Caleb Williams, Bears
2. QB Jayden Daniels, Commanders
3. QB Drake Maye, Patriots
4. WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Cardinals
5. OT JC Latham, Chargers
6. WR Malik Nabers, Giants
7. OT Joe Alt, Titans
8. EDGE Dallas Turner, Falcons
A few mocks shook things up to include trades into the top five — namely the QB-needy Vikings moving up to No. 5 to take J.J. McCarthy — but the great majority don’t expect a draft-day splash of that magnitude. Many project McCarthy to fall to Minnesota at No. 11.
Based on the final mock drafters’ forecasts, here are the player prop bets worth considering.
JC Latham, fifth overall pick (+200, BetMGM)
For the right price, the Chargers will do a deal. However, the majority of mock drafters see the Bolts NOT trading the fifth pick (+112, FanDuel) and happily selecting Latham, the Alabama tackle who’d provide the toughness Jim Harbaugh demands, especially in the run game. The scenario also makes Latham the first offensive lineman to be drafted (+175, DraftKings) over Notre Dame tackle Joe Alt, who has his own popular destination (see below).
Malik Nabers, sixth overall pick (+160, BetMGM)
The Giants need a No. 1 receiver. With the draft’s best wideout (Harrison) going to Arizona at No. 4, they’ll get to decide between Nabers and Rome Odunze with the sixth pick. Mock drafters strongly believe Nabers will be bound for New York/New Jersey.
Joe Alt, seventh overall pick (-165, BetMGM)
Outside of the now seemingly solidified top-four selections, Alt to Tennessee at No. 7 is THE biggest consensus to bolster the Titans offensive line.
Dallas Turner, eighth overall pick (+160, BetMGM)
Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II remains an option for the Falcons, who also could trade down to acquire more draft assets and address their defensive front later. Over the past day, though, mock drafts point to Atlanta standing pat and taking the Alabama edge rusher.
Cooper DeJean to be drafted by the Packers (+600, FanDuel)
Either Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell and Alabama’s Terrion Arnold will be the first cornerback to have his name called. After those two, Clemson’s Nate Wiggins and DeJean are both being tabbed as the third corner to be selected. However, of the very few mock draft consensuses late in the first round, the Iowa star is overwhelmingly projected to go to Green Bay as the No. 25 overall pick.