2026 NFL Draft Odds: Who Will Follow Fernando Mendoza on a Crowded Board?

The 2026 NFL Draft will take place April 23-25, and as a new crop of players prepare to be ushered into the professional ranks, sportsbooks have released a slew of betting markets for the event.

• Only the first two picks appear to be nailed down, although those still aren’t certain

• The Pittsburgh Steelers have the most picks (12), and the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks have the fewest (four)

• Jeremiyah Love has been rumored to go anywhere from second to outside of the top 10

While Miami QB Cam Ward was the first pick one year ago, eighth pick Tetairoa McMillan ended up winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year trophy in an unexpected playoff year for the Carolina Panthers. Heisman winner and Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is expected to be the first player selected this time around, ahead of a heavy defensive flavor, including several tantalizing prospects.

Below are NFL Draft betting odds for a variety of markets, including the top five picks, the total number of quarterbacks drafted in the first round, the first cornerback drafted, and much more.

2026 NFL Draft Odds: First Overall Pick

All odds listed below are courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook. Use our Caesars Sportsbook promo code WSNDYW and claim your welcome offer: Bet $1, Double Your Winnings 10x.

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Fernando Mendoza (-20000) at Caesars

Mendoza was the leader of an Indiana squad that achieved one of the best seasons in the history of college football, going 16-0 en route to a national championship game victory over Miami. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound junior had 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns, six interceptions, and led the country in QBR in his first year with the program. Once a two-star high school recruit, he appears to be on his way to Las Vegas, where the Raiders went 3-14 a year ago and promptly replaced head coach Pete Carroll with Klint Kubiak.

Arvell Reese (+6000) at Caesars

Reese is the heavy favorite to be selected second overall, although he is still quite a long shot to go first. The 6-foot-4, 243-pound linebacker is converting to playing full-time edge-rusher after he amassed 69 tackles and 6.5 sacks for the Ohio State Buckeyes as a junior and in his second year playing. He has immense innate athleticism and an extremely high floor, although he will need time to adjust to his new position.

Rueben Bain Jr. (+6000) at Caesars

There’s lots of debate over which player is the best edge-rusher in the NFL Draft. Bain Jr. is the most fundamentally sound and prototypical defensive end, having racked up 54 tackles, 9.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and an interception at Miami last season. He’s also a polished run defender, although his 6-foot-2 frame, and historically short arms have brought his NFL ceiling into question.

Ty Simpson (+10000) at Caesars

Simpson only played one year of football as a starter in college, which came at Alabama last year. He threw for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns, and five interceptions, and finished 20th in QBR as Alabama was eliminated in the second round of the College Football Playoff. He played at an extremely high level at the beginning of the year, although he trailed off toward the end.

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2026 NFL Draft Odds: Second Overall Pick

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2026 NFL Draft Odds: Third Overall Pick

2026 NFL Draft Odds: Fourth Overall Pick

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2026 NFL Draft Odds: Fifth Overall Pick

First Wide Receiver Drafted

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First Offensive Lineman Drafted

Total QB Drafted in Round 1

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Total RB Draft in Round 1

Total WR Draft in Round 1

Total OL Draft in Round 1

Total CB Draft in Round 1

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Odds to Be a Top-Five Draft Pick

How to Bet on the NFL Draft

Pick a Market

Consult all of the markets that are available before deciding to plunge on a particular line. Don’t worry about being starved for choice, as the best US sportsbooks have tons of options to pick from.

Once a market has been determined where the bettor believes they have a particular edge, consider all viable picks. These could be viable because of the options, odds value, logical fit, or anything else - just make sure the reasoning is solid.

The NFL Draft is one of the few times the public regularly beats the sportsbooks, which means there are more than enough markets to ensure bettors continue their winning streak. Don’t rush into any decisions and go through the proper steps, including… research! Scroll down.

Research

Knowledge is power in every shape and form.

During the build-up to the NFL Draft, always consult reports from local credible journalists, publications, and sources. These are often where the best information comes from since these people have the closest relationships with team officials.

Do not use mock drafts or opinion pieces as the end-all-be-all for reasoning, but take them into consideration. Experts are well-informed and combine their analysis with rumblings from around the league, though be aware that they also have the power to shift betting odds.

Line Shop

Compare odds across multiple sportsbooks once a bet has been chosen to guarantee the highest potential payout.

This is an evergreen betting tip that is applicable to every style of bet, every time, and in any market.

Certain sportsbooks won’t have the same types of markets available as others, which can make the line shopping process short and sweet. If there are multiple sportsbooks with the same market, check to make sure their odds aren’t different before the bet is placed.

Analyze

Oddsmakers are spread thin, and they might not know your favorite team (or another team) as well as you! Think about personnel tendencies, coaching characteristics, press conference comments, past trends, and any relevant source of information to form an idea of a general manager’s thought process. 

Achieving a basic understanding of a decision maker’s mindset can often supersede understanding prospects and the standard “fit” for a particular roster.

Use these concepts to match a player to a particular draft position or team, find a market, and responsibly submit a wager.

All Number One Draft Picks Since 2000

How to Watch the 2026 NFL Draft

• Where: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Date: April 23-25, 2026

• Time: First round: Thursday, April 23 @ 8:00 p.m. ET; Rounds 2-3: Friday, April 24 @ 7:00 p.m; Rounds 4-7: Saturday, April 25 @ 12:00 p.m.

• TV: ABC, ESPN, NFL Network