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NFL Draft 2020 Prediction and Odds: Betting on the NFL Draft in New Jersey

Written by: Mike Lukas
Updated October 14, 2022
10 min read

The 2020 NFL Draft is almost upon us – it runs from Thursday, April 23 through Saturday, April 25 – but now, as a result of the current pandemic, it is no longer going to be held in front of a live audience in Las Vegas, though it is still unclear how the event will be broadcasted on television.

Regardless of how the draft unfolds (keep checking back here for updates!), if you’re a football gambler who lives in New Jersey, it is time to make some serious NFL Draft prop bets, and thanks to online betting and looser gambling laws in the United States, betting on professional football games is at an all-time high these days.

If you live in New Jersey, you have plenty of legal choices depending on your personal preferences, and betting on the upcoming draft can be as easy or as complicated as you like depending on the type of bets you prefer to make.

Here we present the hottest 2020 NFL Draft betting lines, odds and predictions with links to several places you can place bets in New Jersey – you will definitely want to take advantage of some of these fun wagers.

Always check back for the most current odds.

First Overall Pick – Odds and Predictions

Joe Burrow

The most popular NFL Draft prediction is who will be selected first overall, and this year there is an overwhelming favorite, LSU star quarterback Joe Burrow, who led his team to a college national championship after throwing for 60 touchdowns during the regular season.

To win $100 betting on being the first overall bet would cost you $10,000 – probably not a good use of your gambling kitty.

The Cincinnati Bengals have the first overall pick and are in desperate need of a quarterback, and unless they shock the world and trade back with another team, they are predicted to select Burrow and make him their franchise man under center for the foreseeable future.

Tua Tagovailoa

Second in line is Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, the Hawaiian born left-handed thrower who led his Crimson Tide to back to back college football championships, winning the one in 2018 and becoming the game’s MVP.

Tagovailoa’s 2019 season ended prematurely after he suffered a dislocated hip, and though he was not medically cleared in time to participate in the 2020 NFL combine, he had planned on taking part in Alabama’s pro day until it was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Here are the predictions and odds of the top players who could be selected first overall:
The odds for the first overall pick at the 2020 NFL Draft are provided by DraftKings Sportsbook.

1st Overall Pick DraftKings
Joe Burrow -10000
Tua Tagovailoa +1600
Chase Young +2000
Justin Herbert +2500
Jordan Love +10000
Jeffrey Okudah +10000
Isaiah Simmons +10000
Jedrick Wills +15000
Derrick Brown +25000
Andrew Thomas +25000
Tristan Wirfs +25000
Mekhi Becton +25000
Jacob Eason +50000
Jake Fromm +50000
Jerry Jeudy +50000
CeeDee Lamb +50000
Jalen Hurts +50000

First Quarterback Drafted – Odds and Predictions

This wager might have been different had Tagovailoa been able to stay healthy during the 2019 season, but with his year shortened due to injury, Burrow easily stepped into the first slot after one of the most impressive seasons in college history.

Justin Herbert, the talented Oregon Duck, is a distant third, though in many mock drafts he is predicted to be taken in the first round by the Los Angeles Chargers, who have a huge quarterback need now without Philip Rivers and who have the 6th pick overall.

There is a good chance that the top half dozen players on this list will be selected by the end of the first round given how valuable a talented young quarterback is in the NFL coupled with how dire certain teams have found themselves under center (Bengals, Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars and the Chargers in particular).

1st QB Drafted DraftKings
Joe Burrow -10000
Tua Tagovailoa +800
Justin Herbert +1600
Jordan Love +3300
Jacob Eason +15000
Jake Fromm +15000
Jalen Hurts +15000
Anthony Gordon +50000
James Morgan +50000
Nate Stanley +50000

First Running Back Drafted – Odds and Predictions

The overwhelming favorite here is Georgia’s D’Andre Swift, the Georgia back who carried the ball 196 times during the 2019 season for 1,218 yards and 7 touchdowns, plus he had 24 catches for 216 yards and another touchdown.

Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor is next in line after having an incredible 2019 carrying the ball a whopping 320 times for 2,003 yards and 21 touchdowns, plus he had 26 catches for 252 yards and 5 more touchdowns.

Dobbins of THE Ohio State University is also a tremendous powerhouse, with 301 carries in 2019 for 2,003 yards and 21 touchdowns in addition to 23 receptions for 247 yards and 2 more touchdowns.

1st RB Drafted DraftKings
D’Andre Swift -150
Jonathan Taylor +150
J.K Dobbins +625
Clyde Edwards-Helaire +2500
Cam Akers +3500
Zack Moss +6000
Eno Benjamin +15000
Anthony McFarland +15000
Ke’Shawn Vaughn +15000
A.J. Dillon +25000
Darrynton Evans +25000
Lamical Perine +25000

First Wide Receiver – Odds and Predictions

Alabama’s star wide receiver, Jerry Jeudy, had two incredible seasons in a row where he caught 68 balls for 1,315 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2018 and had 77 receptions in 2019 for 1,163 yards and 10 touchdowns.

His Alabama cohort, Henry Ruggs, has the third-best chance to be the first receiver picked overall.

CeeDee Lamb put on an incredible show in Oklahoma, with 62 catches in 2019 for 1,327 yards and 14 touchdowns, a Consensus All-American and First-team All-Big 12 that season.

1st WR Drafted DraftKings
Jerry Jeudy -110
CeeDee Lamb +160
Henry Rugs III +275
Justin Jefferson +6600
Tee Higgins +10000
Denzel Mims +10000
Jalen Reagor +10000
Laviska Shenault Jr. +10000
Brandon Aiyuk +20000
K.J. Hamler +20000
Donovan Peoples-Jones +25000

First Offensive Lineman Selected – Odds and Predictions

There is a tremendous need for talented offensive linemen in the NFL right now (and forever) since they are the anchor of an effective offense, creating blocks and opening holes for the run game and protecting the quarterback and giving him time to throw in the passing game.

Mekhi Becton of Louisville and Tristan Wirfs of Iowa are the two top athletes at this position, both with equal chances to be the first offensive lineman selected in this draft, and both with excellent showings at the NFL Combine.

Right now, the teams with the biggest offensive line needs and the highest draft selections are the New York Giants with the 4th pick, the Arizona Cardinals with the 8th pick and the Cleveland Browns with the 10th pick.

1st OL Drafted DraftKings
Mekhi Becton +175
Tristan Wirfs +175
Jedrick Wills +250
Andrew Thomas +500
Josh Jones +10000
Tyler Biadasz +15000
Lloyd Cushenberry III +10000
Matt Hennessy +15000
Austin Jackson +15000
Cesar Ruiz +15000
Ezra Cleveland +15000
Ben Bartch +50000
Saahdiq Charles +50000
Robert Hunt +50000
Jonah Jackson +50000
Lucas Niang +50000

First Cornerback – Odds and Predictions

To be an effective cornerback, you have to have speed, agility, and a high football IQ, and Ohio State’s Jeffrey Okudah has all of those and more, easily predicted to be the first overall cornerback selected after a 2019 season that included 3 interceptions, 9 passes defended, 2 forced fumbles and 35 total tackles.

Next in line is longshot C.J. Henderson, who had himself a dandy three-year career with the Florida Gators, posting 6 total interceptions, 20 passes defended, 2 forced fumbles and 93 total tackles.

Kristian Fulton automatically gets a nod here after helping his LSU Tigers win a national championship last season with an interception, 14 passes defended and 38 total tackles.

1st CB Drafted DraftKings
Jeffrey Okudah -10000
C.J Henderson +1000
Kristian Fulton +2500
Trevon Diggs +3300
Jeff Gladney +5000
A.J. Terrell +5000
Damon Arnette +10000
Cameron Dantzler +10000
Jaylon Johnson +10000
Bryce Hall +15000
Noah Igbinoghene +15000
Troy Jr. Pride +25000
Amik Robertson +50000
Stanford III Samuels +25000

Position of Mr. Irrelevant – Odds and Predictions

The title of ‘Mr. Irrelevant’ is given to whichever player is selected last in the NFL Draft.

The first person to have ever received that title was wide receiver Kelvin Kirk, who in 1976 was pick number 487.

Kirk never made it in the NFL, but he went on to have a career in the Canadian Football League from 1977-83.

Position of Mr. Irrelevant

NFL Draft DraftKings
Offense -121
Defense +100
Kicker/Punter/Long Snapper +1400

First Tight End – Odds and Predictions

Ever since Gronk (retired New England Patriots Rob Gronkowski) re-invented the way the tight end position was played by getting involved in the passing game as a hard-to-tackle receiver as well as serving as an additional blocker on the offensive line.

Notre Dame’s Cole Kmet is the perfect example of that, with a 2019 season that included 43 receptions for 515 yards and 6 touchdowns, averaging 12 yards per catch in the ten games he played.

Adam Trautman played tight end for the University of Dayton Flyers and caught the attention of NFL scouts by catching 70 balls last year for 916 yards and 14 touchdowns after 2018 season that included 40 receptions for 596 yards and 9 touchdowns.

1st TE Drafted DraftKings
Cole Kmet -143
Adam Trautman +500
Brycen Hopkins +700
Thaddeus Moss +1000
Hunter Bryant +1100
Albert Okwuegbunam +1200
Harrison Bryant +2000
Devin Asiasi +6600
Cheyenne O’Grady +6600
Jared Pinkney +6600
Josiah Deguara +6600
Colby Parkinson +6600
Dalton Keene +10000

First Linebacker Drafted – Odds and Predictions

Isaiah Simmons had himself an attention-grabbing 2019 season for Clemson and positioned himself as the easy favorite for the first linebacker drafted after posting 3 interceptions, 8 passes defended, 7 sacks, 104 total tackles and a forced fumble last year.

K’Lavon Chaisson of LSU also has a decent chance to be selected in the first round, having a 2019 season that included a National College Championship also had him with 60 total tackles, 6.5 sacks, and a forced fumble.

The rest of the listed players are all longshots, though chances are they are talented enough to find themselves on an NFL roster in 2020.

1st LB Drafted DraftKings
Isaiah Simmons -5000
K’Lavon Chaisson +700
Kenneth Murray +5000
Patrick Queen +5000
Zack Baun +10000
Willie Jr. Gay +15000
Terrel Lewis +15000
Joshua Uche +15000
Jordyn Brooks +25000
Akeem Davis-Gaither +25000
Curtis Weaver +25000
Troy Dye +50000
Afernee Jennings +50000
Darrell Taylor +50000
Evan Weaver +50000

First Defensive Player Drafted – Odds and Predictions

Many draft experts are saying that Chase Young, the defensive end from Ohio State, is the best overall athlete in the draft and would be selected first overall if the Cincinnati Bengals didn’t so desperately need a quarterback.

Young “The Disruptor” is predicted to be the first defensive player selected and the second pick overall, the Buckeye with 16.5 sacks last season (many of them strip-sacks), along with 6 forced fumbles, 3 passes defended and 32 total tackles.

Young’s teammate, cornerback Jeffrey Okuday, is on the shortlist of first-round worthy defensive players, but even his 3 interceptions, 9 passes defended, 2 forced fumbles and 35 total tackles won’t be enough to edge out Young in this category.

1st DP Drafted DraftKings
Chase Young -10000
Derrick Brown +1000
Javon Kinlaw +1600
Yetur Gross-Matos +6600
A.J. Epenesa +10000
Ross Blacklock +25000
Marlon Davidson +25000
Raekwon Davis +25000
Neville Gallimore +25000
Jonathan Greenard +25000
Julian Okwara +25000
Bradlee Anae +50000
Justin Madubuike +50000

Where Can I Bet on the 2020 NFL Draft in New Jersey?

Here are three sportsbooks that are highly respected in the business, easy to use and offer a large variety of NFL Draft Prop Bets.

We have also included links to the sites and a brief description of some of the promotions currently available.

Click on the links for further information and the most current NFL Draft betting lines and NFL Draft betting odds.

888Sport NJ

888Sport is fully licensed and regulated by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) to offer real-money online sports betting to legal age players.

They are a responsible player in online sports betting, but unfortunately, their services are only available to bettors in the state.

They currently offer two signup promotions:

GET $10 FREE WHEN YOU CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT

This unbeatable sign-up offer is exclusively available to newly registered players at 888Sport NJ.

GET UP TO $500 WELCOME BONUS*

Make a minimum deposit of $10 or more, place your bets at the amount of your first deposit (choose bets that have odds of -200 or higher) and once the bets are settled, 888Sport will double your deposit up to $500.

*Some restrictions apply

DraftKings Sportsbook

Draftkings Sportsbook is an established, American-born company with over 9 million players worldwide.

Their advanced security makes it a safe, online sports betting platform, a proven, industry-leading technology you can count on.

DraftKings will advertise promotions or offers where Free Bets will be rewarded based on a specific activity or behavior that is undertaken. You can find these promotions by visiting the DraftKings Sportsbook promotions page.

bet365 NJ

If you’re from New Jersey and you like betting on football, bet365 has got you covered.

You can place wagers with their easy-to-use sports betting service.

Head to our bet365 NJ sportsbook guide to find out more about getting started.

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AUTHOR

Mike Lukas

1204 Articles

Mike Lukas is a retired standup comedian turned freelance writer now living in Dallas, Texas, originally from Cleveland, Ohio. His love for the game of football and all things Cleveland Browns turned Mike into a pro blogger years ago. Now Mike enjoys writing about all thirty-two NFL teams, hoping to help football gamblers gain a slight edge in their pursuit of the perfect wager. Email: [email protected]

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