The NFL Draft takes place April 29–May 1, 2021 and will return to some form of familiarity. Last year’s draft happened two months into the COVID-19 pandemic and was relegated to Zoom– removing all in-person aspects like fans, hugs, and the like. Thankfully, the 2021 draft will return fans and in-person drafting when it takes place in Cleveland, Ohio. The Greater Cleveland Sports Console is taking protocols from Super Bowl LV in Tampa and the NBA Playoff Bubble in Orlando to hold a safe draft that’s as close to normal as they can get.

1. How To Bet On The Nfl Draft
2. How To Bet On Nfl

With the central focus shifted off the virus, it’s time to take a look at this year’s draft pool. We’re here to give you positional rundowns, including who the favorites are to be drafted where and what players are generating league buzz.

NFL draft odds: First WR drafted

NFL draft prop betting involves wagers on just about anything to do with the NFL draft and ranges from who will be the first running back drafted, to whether the No. 1 overall pick hugs his mom or dad first, to how many players from the Big 12 will be drafted in the first round. In terms of NFL Draft Betting Odds, it goes without saying, but bettors around the world can't wait for them to pop up. Betting on the NFL Draft is incredibly fun and something you can enjoy with fellow pigskin enthusiasts, especially if there's a loaded class and things are kind of up in the air at the top. Normally, fans have a good idea of.

There’s a trio of immensely talented receivers at the top of draft boards and– similar to last year’s draft– any one of them could be the first receiver off the board. The odds-on favorite is LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase (-167), who sat out the 2020 season in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Behind him is Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith (+140) and Alabama’s Jaylen Waddle (+700). Chase has been hailed as the most “pro ready” of the three and was the winner of the Fred Biletnikoff Award (nation’s best receiver) in 2019.

Other first-round-potential receivers include Minnesota’s Rashod Bateman and Florida’s Kadarious Toney. It would be a major shakeup for either of those players to be the first of the position off the board.

How to bet on first WR drafted

One of the most common NFL Draft prop wagers are those that involve betting on which player will be the first drafted at each position. To find these wagers in an online sportsbook, click the NFL tab to navigate toward the 2021 Draft section. Once there, click on “First Pick by Position” to view the players in the market and their corresponding odds.

NFL Draft: 2021 WR profiles

Ja’Marr Chase, LSU: Chase was one of the best receivers in 2019 but did not play in 2020 (opt out). He pulled in a staggering 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns (both SEC-season records) on just 84 receptions in LSU’s prolific system, averaging over 21 yards per reception. He has the ideal combination of speed, route-running, and hands that makes him an excellent pro prospect and the favorite to be picked first. The one knock on Chase that keeps him from being the runaway favorite is that his numbers came in a record-breaking system under Joe Brady and he had the benefit of catching passes thrown by Joe Burrow (both a Heisman winner and multi-record setter); there’s no film on Chase without those two factors in place.

Regardless, the player that Chase is makes him a top-10 overall prospect and he’s expected to go in the top 10. He’s been mocked as early as third overall to the Dolphins (though Miami is a likely candidate to trade down), fourth to the Falcons, and almost no later than sixth to the Eagles. While not at the top of their needs list, Chase could go fifth to the Bengals and be reunited with his college quarterback. He could also be targeted by teams via a trade-up, though not many teams at the top aren’t in need of a receiver. Bottom line: don’t expect him to be on the draft board past the sixth or seventh picks.

DeVonta Smith, Alabama: It may come as a surprise to some that the Heisman Trophy winner is not only not the favorite to be selected first overall, but isn’t even the favorite to be the first picked in his position group. Smith had a terrific season in the wake of the injury to counterpart Jaylen Waddle, lighting the college football world on fire along the way. The main worry with Smith is his frame– he sits at about 175 pounds– but his ability to make tacklers miss and his grittiness in traffic make up for any insecurities there.

Whether he was a product of an Alabama system and volume (due to Waddle being out) remains to be seen, but is a point often found in scouting reports. Smith will be an early-first round pick for certain, it’s just a matter of where? He’s in the conversation at the number three pick to Miami (though they are a strong trade-down candidate) and also to teams like Philadelphia (6), Detroit (7), and the New York Giants (10). If there’s one player that could see a first round slide, Smith is a likely candidate; teams seem to be higher on both Chase and Jaylen Waddle.

Jaylen Waddle, Alabama: Before suffering a season-ending ankle injury, Jaylen Waddle was on pace to put up DeVonta Smith numbers and potentially win the Heisman Trophy himself. In six games, Waddle hauled in almost 600 yards and four touchdowns at over 21 yards per reception. As the Alabama passing offense continued to evolve, eventually turning Smith into a production machine, it’s worth wondering what statline Waddle could have finished with.

He’s a bit bulkier than Smith (weighing 182 pounds at 5′ 10″) and is comparably fast to him, often flat out winning foot races en route to a touchdown. Waddle was capable of putting up numbers while sharing the pie with dynamic receivers like Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III, and DeVonta Smith (not to mention dynamic running backs Josh Jacobs and Najee Harris). Though his Vegas odds to be the first receiver drafted are the lowest between him, Smith, and Chase; Waddle sits atop many draft boards as the best receiver available and he could be great value when betting who will be taken first.

Rashod Bateman, Minnesota: Rashod Bateman almost didn’t play in 2020, initially opting out of the season before changing his mind. He did eventually pass on the Gophers’ last few games, announcing his re-opting out in late November. Bateman shared the field with now-Bucs receiver Tyler Johnson in 2019, still putting up over 1,200 yards and 13 touchdowns. He thrived at Minnesota with pristine route running and excellent technique. Bateman would work best in the NFL in a system like Johnson landed in– a vertical offense with a competent quarterback.

Mock drafts don’t necessarily have Bateman landing in that ideal system, with the receiver landing somewhere near the back of the first round. Teams that could take interest in him include the Colts (21), Jets (23), or Ravens (27). While projected as a first-round talent, Bateman could fall into the early second, which many analysts do project; however, he could also be taken as high as the late teens by teams like Washington or Chicago. It’d be a surprise to see him drafted ahead of any of the aforementioned receivers, though.

Kadarius Toney, Florida: Another year, another Florida speedster to enter the NFL. Kadarius Toney is a 4.4-second 40-yard dash kind of guy who is featured prominently in the slot. He was utilized in the run game and was a multi-sport athlete in high school, making Toney especially dangerous with the football in his hands. He’ll likely find a niche in the NFL as a WR3 and slot guy in an up-tempo offense that airs the ball out. However, his role as a speedy slot guy doesn’t mean he’s undersized; Toney sits taller than Waddle and weighs just 10 pounds short of Chase.

Toney’s best landing spots include Kansas City (31), New Orleans (28), and Green Bay (29) at the end of the first round, though it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him slip into the second round. The Chiefs are an especially-dangerous landing spot for Toney, though Kansas City might be looking more into offensive linemen at that spot. Teams in the early second round that could grab Toney include Jacksonville (33), the New York Jets (34), or Detroit (41).

Rondale Moore, Purdue: Moore has been one of the most exciting players in the country for years and, potentially, Purdue’s most explosive players ever. He routinely terrorized good teams like Ohio State while showing he can single-handedly take over a football game (2018). The biggest question mark surrounding Moore is his durability; the receiver missed most of 2019 due to a recurring hamstring issue and another three games in 2020 due to a “lower body” injury. The second injury sent Moore’s draft stock into free fall, pushing him from initially a high first-round pick to a solidly Day 2 guy.

Whoever pulls the trigger on Moore is getting a major question mark with lots of risk. He’s extremely versatile, playing significant snaps from every receiving position to special teams to running back and Wildcat. Should Moore hold up physically, he could turn into one of the most explosive players in the NFL among guys like Tyreek Hill and Saquon Barkley.

Terrace Marshall, Jr., LSU: In the absence of Ja’Marr Chase, Terrace Marshall Jr. quickly became the favorite target of the LSU Tigers’ offense. He led the team in both receptions (48) and touchdowns (10) in just seven games. Marshall was excellent out of the slot but also saw plenty of time split out wide; he’s also one of the tallest receivers in the class at 6′ 3″. While he wasn’t burning defensive backs with blazing speed, Marshall is a big, physical target who’s excellent at the catch point. He has a good feel for soft spots on the field and has great vision after the catch.

For the majority of his career, Marshall was buried under Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson, but mightily improved his draft stock in 2020. Currently, Marshall is a fringe first-rounder, landing with teams like Kansas City or New Orleans. He won’t go ahead of most guys on this list, but could surprise some should a team fall in love with his size and physicality.

NFL Draft WR history

Here is a list of the first wide receivers taken in each NFL Draft going back to 2010.

NFL Draft betting strategy and trends

Last year’s draft class looks a lot like this year’s draft class, and it can be used to project what 2021 will look like. A class ago, Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III, and CeeDee Lamb were a trio well above the rest of the group that were all projected to be picked in the top half of the first round. Jeudy and Ruggs were, but Lamb slipped to the Dallas Cowboys at 17 despite many scouts ranking him as the top receiver in the class. Could 2021 see a similar fall with Jaylen Waddle?

After those three went, Jalen Reagor went 21st to the Eagles and Justin Jefferson was picked 22nd to the Vikings. Brandon Aiyuk was a surprise, going 25th to the 49ers, rounding out the first round group of 2020. A utility player like Kadarius Toney or Rondale Moore could be a late-first round surprise to a team like New Orleans who loves gadget players. While DraftKings Sportsbook doesn’t currently offer an over/under prop on receivers drafted on Day 1, it wouldn’t be surprising to see as low as four and as high as seven receivers taken this year.

More NFL Draft betting guides

The 2020 NFL Draft is just around the corner. It won’t be done in typical fashion thanks to literally nothing being done in typical fashion these days, but it’s still happening.

That alone has sports fans breathing a collective sigh of relief. In a time when there is a serious void of entertainment in the sports realm, the NFL Draft has come to save us all.

More than just entertainment, though, the 2020 NFL Draft can also be bet on. You can wager on when players are drafted and who will take them — bets that are available in a sea of engaging props.

Betting on the draft is fun and potentially financially rewarding, but you shouldn’t just do it anywhere. For assistance in finding the very best sites to bet on the draft, check out this post on how and where to bet on the 2020 NFL Draft.

When I talk about the best 2020 NFL Draft betting sites, I understand it’s totally subjective. What is not opinion-based, however, is that every site above is reputable, cutting-edge, and safe.

These sites offer some of the best wagers, the most competitive odds, impeccable customer service, and rare reliability you simply won’t find everywhere.

You should never bet at a site you don’t completely trust. Our site reviews show you precisely where every single sportsbook excels and falls short, and the aforementioned options don’t fail much — or in any key areas.

It’s up to you which 2020 NFL Draft betting sites you use. Just be sure when you make a decision, you choose options that you can trust to give you both an elite betting experience as well as your money once you win.

Once you find a site to bet on the 2020 NFL Draft at, the next step will be choosing which prop bets to target.

To be honest, those two tasks can often go hand in hand, too. Ideally, you’re not just choosing one site to use, but a handful so you can always maximize your betting potential in terms of wagers offered and odds.

Regardless, all roads still lead back to those NFL Draft prop bets. Here are the most popular NFL Draft props you should be interested in betting on.

• Who Will Be the #1 Overall Pick?
• 2^nd and 3^rd Overall Pick
• 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd Player Drafted at a Position
• Will Prospects Be 1^st-Round Picks?
• Which Round Prospects Will Be Drafted In
• Player Draft Range (Over/Under)

These are the most common NFL Draft wagers to look out for. Some will be all too obvious, and the pricing may deem them useless when it comes to betting. Others may feel next to impossible to predict correctly.

Still, they’re very popular and should be available at all of the best NFL Draft sportsbooks.

Before you get too locked into where to bet on the 2020 NFL Draft, spend a little time on how to bet on the draft.

The actual process is very simple; choose a site, deposit cash, find the wager you like, and place a bet. But doing so successfully isn’t always so cut and dry.

To do that, be sure to take the necessary steps to understand certain aspects of the draft season. Here are some things to put on your NFL Draft betting “to do” list.

• Research top college football prospects
• Note player performance at Combine and Pro Days
• Track NFL team needs and draft tendencies
• Know the 2020 NFL Draft order
• Read highly regarded 2020 NFL mock drafts
• Refer to expert NFL Draft rankings
• Pay attention to 2020 NFL Draft odds
• Consider draft day trades
• Keep an eye on player news, rumors, and injuries

The deeper you go, there is always going to be more to consider. It will also depend on what the specific wager is and how much research you feel is needed to be on the right side of it.

This is all fun and useful information to pile up just as a fan of football, but the more you know, the easier betting on the NFL Draft can be.

• A Draftee Will Experience Technical Difficulties (-350)
• A.J. Epenesa Won’t Be a 1^st-Round Pick (+170)
• Over 5.5 Offensive Lineman Taken in Round One (-260)
• Justin Herbert to Be 3^rd QB Drafted (-300)
• Brandon Aiyuk Won’t Be a 1^st-Round Pick (-180)

There is a lot to consider for every single prop going into this year’s draft, but above, you can see some of the best 2020 NFL Draft bets.

Starting at the top, I don’t see much of a way around some type of technical issue in this year’s live feed.

Thanks to our current global situation, this entire thing is done in a fashion we’ve never seen, and there is no way every single connection is as strong as it needs to be to hold up.

I’m also down on both Epenesa and Aiyuk as far as them cracking the first round. They’re very different bets in terms of price, but they both feel like solid bets to slide into day two.

Justin Herbert is almost certainly going to be the third passer taken this year, too. Joe Burrow is a lock at the first spot, and Tua Tagovailoa is a good bet to be second. Herbert feels like a great bet at -300.

Lastly, this year’s offensive lineman class is loaded, and betting on the Over (-5.5) may be among the best 2020 NFL Draft bets.

Once sure-fire first-round picks like Tristan Wirfs, Jedrick Wills, Mekhi Becton, and Andrew Thomas are off the board, teams could panic and make two more o-line prospects first-round picks.

Don’t just take some of my best bets for the 2020 NFL Draft, though. Part of the process is the actual betting and using some exterior advice, but more research is needed to formulate a lot of wagers.

We’ve got you covered in that regard, as we’ve been pushing out all kinds of 2020 NFL Draft predictions, and more will come as the draft draws closer.

How To Bet On The Nfl Draft

From team NFL mock drafts to the best 2020 NFL Draft value bets, there is a long line of draft content worth perusing that can help you win money.

The first step, of course, is to find a few sites to bet on the 2020 NFL Draft that you feel comfortable with.

How To Bet On Nfl

From there, feel free to bookmark our NFL betting blog for constant updates on NFL Draft odds, wager types, and insight as to how to bet and win during this year’s draft.