2022 NFL Draft Betting Odds Preview

NFL betting returns Thursday night at the 2022 NFL Draft. This year’s draft could deliver some profitable bets if a few teams decide to go off the board and shake things up.

For the first time in several years, the first overall pick isn’t considered to be a lock. It also looks like the four-year streak of a quarterback being taken with the first pick will be broken.

Over the last week, the favorite to go No. 1 overall has changed at Bovada Sportsbook. Georgia Bulldogs defensive end Travon Walker is now the favorite to be taken No. 1 at -250. Following him is Michigan Wolverines defensive end Aiden Hutchinson at +275.

Walker overtakes Hutchinson as favorite to go No. 1

A week ago, Hutchinson was ahead of Walker on the odds and on many experts’ mock draft lists, so there could be some value in betting on Hutchinson if the Jacksonville Jaguars decide he’s their guy at No. 1.

The question over who the No. 1 pick will be carries over into the odds on who will be taken second overall. At Bovada, the current favorite to go to the Detroit Lions with the No. 2 pick is Hutchinson at -275. He’s followed by Oregon Ducks defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux at +275 and Walker at +575. The most interesting pick here may be Liberty Flames quarterback Malik Willis. If the Lions were to go after a QB and draft Willis, he would pay +2500 at Bovada.

Not surprisingly, Willis is the favorite to be the first quarterback drafted at -190. The only other QB that the oddsmakers are really giving a shot at being taken ahead of Willis is Pittsburgh Panthers signal-caller Kenny Pickett at +170.

Destinations for top QBs offer value in draft odds

The real value bets could be in betting on which teams end up drafting Willis and Pickett, especially if they fall down the draft board.

For Willis, the favorite to draft him right now is the Pittsburgh Steelers at +150. The Steelers have the 20th pick in the first round and may need to trade up to get him. Odds on other teams drafting Willis include the Carolina Panthers at +350, the Atlanta Falcons, Seattle Seahawks and Detroit, all at +450, and the New Orleans Saints at +650.

For Pickett, the favorite to draft him is Carolina at +150. Carolina has the sixth pick right now. Odds on other teams drafting Pickett include New Orleans at +200, Pittsburgh at +350, Atlanta and Seattle, both at +500, and Tennessee at +1500.