NFL Draft Odds 2021: 5 props to bet on ahead of 2021 NFL Draft

With the 2021 NFL Draft approaching ever so close, I break down where you might find some projected value with the current NFL betting odds on NFL Draft props.

2021 NFL Draft odds and props

Is there value in the first 10 selections of the 2021 NFL Draft?

No drama at the top

The top of the draft is essentially in stone at this point. While you aren’t going to pay the astronomical price it costs to grab Trevor Lawrence going first (-100000) or Zach Wilson going second to the New York Jets for that matter (-5000), there are a few correlated futures bets you might want to take advantage of.

William Hill currently has the Jacksonville Jaguars at +1200 to win the AFC South. Presently, Ryan Tannehill is the only returning starting quarterback in the division.

Additionally, Offensive Rookie of the Year odds are also available on DraftKings. Lawrence is the betting favorite at +200 with Wilson listed at +600.

What will the San Francisco 49ers do with 3rd overall pick?

Here’s where things get interesting. The betting odds now have Mac Jones as a firm favorite (-250) to be head coach Kyle Shannahan’s pick at No. 3. This one is still volatile, however. Two weeks ago, Justin Fields was the favorite immediately following his impressive pro day.

After a report surfaced on Sunday indicating that this is now a two-player race between Jones and Trey Lance, the market quickly adjusted with the Ohio State standout now as high as +1000 to go third overall on DraftKings.

My advice would be to grab Lance at +250 (still available at some spots). This is under the premise that the 49ers’ hierarchy wouldn’t have given up that much draft capital to take a guy who they likely could have landed outside the top five in Jones. If you’re someone who wants to fade Jones but isn’t sure if Fields or Lance gets picked at No. 3, you can always take the Over 3.5 on Jones’ draft position at +205 on FanDuel.

WR and RB odds and props for the 2021 NFL Draft

Which wide receivers and running backs have the best odds of being selected first at their respective positions?

First Wide Receiver Drafted

Ja’Marr Chase has been the heavy favorite in this category for a couple of months now. He is currently listed at around -900 to be the first wideout off the board. That seems like an incredibly steep price, however. Especially considering just last season the Las Vegas Raiders stunned everyone by taking Henry Ruggs No. 12 overall before Jerry Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb. Now, take into account the rumors that perhaps the Miami Dolphins, who pick sixth in the 2021 NFL Draft, consider the fact that Chase sat out last year as a bit of a red flag.

DeVonta Smith is the most polished route-runner of this wide receiver group, but his odds of being the first player chosen at the position have risen to +900 after his official weight (166 pounds) was released last week.

I think this is a great spot to take a stab at a franchise taking the 2020 Heisman Trophy Award winner as the first wideout. If you want a bit of a cushion for this prop, DraftKings is offering Smith at +133 to get taken ahead of his Alabama teammate Jaylen Waddle.

Round 1 Running Backs

The betting market is fairly bullish on NFL teams selecting at least one running back on Day 1. In fact, you have to lay upwards of -400 to cash out on any RB going off the board in Round 1. The question is, which one will go first between Najee Harris and Clemson’s Travis Etienne?

If you believe that the Crimson Tide star will be the first back selected, DraftKings has the best odds with Harris at -167. Moreover, FanDuel has his projected draft position at Under 28.5 (-110).

Most of the value has been sucked out of the Harris market at this point. If you’re looking for a solid payout, Etienne is your guy. He is +170 to be the first RB selected at William Hill. Although, I think his U32.5 draft position prop at FanDuel might be the way to go at +104. This way, you can still get paid out at plus money if Etienne goes in the first round regardless if he gets selected before or after Harris.

DraftKings adjusted their total RBs in Round 1 from Over 0.5 to Over 1.5 just this week with a +175 payout. With the Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Buffalo Bills all in the mix for an RB, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see both guys go off the board late Thursday night.

Exactas and Others

If you’re looking for a big payout on draft night, a fun wager is predicting the exact order of specific portions of the draft.

FanDuel offers a bunch of these props for the 2021 NFL Draft, including “First Three Running Backs in Order.” I like 1) Etienne 2) Harris 3) Javonte Williams (+650). The wide receiver version of this exacta pays out +11000 if you take a shot on 1) Waddle 2) Chase 3) Smith 4) Rashod Bateman.

DraftKings offers “Exact Player Position” props for every NFL team. This includes whether that team selects an offensive or defensive player with their first pick. One number that jumped out at me was Buffalo +145 to take an offensive player. Running back is the betting favorite position-wise for the Bills at +200. I wouldn’t rule out a wide receiver for them either at pick 30.

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Christopher Smith is the Senior Betting Analyst at Pro Football Network and host of Moneyline & Wine. You can follow him on Twitter @BadChoiceMilk for analysis throughout the offseason.