Some draft picks are no-brainers that end up bringing transformation to franchises. When Cincinnati had the top pick two years ago and took Joe Burrow, fresh off his national championship season with LSU, there were questions, at least at first. When Burrow’s rookie season ended in a blown ACL, the likelihood that disaster had come to Cincinnati was real. However, a season later, things look much different, as the Bengals are the defending AFC champions. Another AFC team that took a potential franchise quarterback last year, though, looks much less promising. Jacksonville took Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence with the first pick, and the season turned into a dumpster fire, as new head coach Urban Meyer didn’t even finish the season after a rash of personal conduct issues, climaxing with the revelation that Meyer had kicked his kicker. The Jaguars could have taken care of their culture by axing their incompetent general manager as well and bringing in Byron Leftwich to coach the team, but instead they brought in Doug Pedersen, who spent 2021 without a single reported job offer. So while Lawrence has all kinds of talent, I am not betting on the Jaguars to do much any time soon. How could this year’s draft impact our NFL betting? Take a look.
NFL News: Draft Picks that Could Change the Odds
Jacksonville Jaguars (Round 1, Pick 1)
The Jaguars could change my mind, a bit, if they take Evan Neal out of Alabama with the first pick. Neal played right tackle and guard at Alabama, and at 6’7” and 337 pounds, he has the size and strength to give Trevor Lawrence some protection. One reason why Lawrence’s numbers were so awful last year was the fact that he was running for his life so much of the time. Ask everyone from Tony Romo to Joe Burrow: if you don’t have time in the pocket, it doesn’t matter how golden your arm is.
Detroit Lions (Round 1, Pick 2)
Detroit’s O-line in front of Jared Goff is actually pretty good. So why not snag an edge rusher like Kayvon Thibodeaux? As we’ve seen the last few seasons, the edge rusher has become one of the most coveted positions in the NFL. You might not associate smashmouth defense with a school like Oregon, but if you look at film, Thibodeaux’s skills look like they would make him an excellent pairing with Romeo Okwara.
Houston Texans (Round 1, Pick 3)
This is another team with a highly dysfunctional front office, and the latest poor decision has been to let Davis Mills have the keys to the offense for a full season. Mills did show signs of life in the second half, but I don’t see him doing more than, say, Taylor Heinicke, another backup quarterback with serviceable skills who will be exposed dramatically with a full season as the starter. So the Texans also need an offensive lineman, and N.C. State’s Ikem Ekwonu is an interesting choice. Even if Mills does not pan out, Ekwonu would still be around for the next quarterback.
N.Y. Jets (Round 1, Pick 4)
The Jets signed cornerback D.J. Reed in the off-season, but the secondary is still an area of major concern, and Cincinnati’s Ahmad Gardner is an elite shutdown corner of the future. He might be the best overall player available in this year’s draft, but the teams ahead of the Jets have more pressing needs in other areas, and if the Jets are going to compete in the AFC East anytime soon, they need to be able to stop the pass.
Carolina Panthers (Round 1, Pick 6)
Sam Darnold represents a still intriguing talent at quarterback, but the team might also look at trading for Baker Mayfield. No matter who is under center, though, the team needs help on the O-line, and Mississippi State’s Charles Cross would be an excellent pick if the other two linemen higher on this list are already gone. The Panthers might go for some flashier picks that might produce some short-term numbers, but an investment in the line will bring the Panthers closer to contention.
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