First Round Draft Picks NFL Predictions and Odds

• The 2022 NFL Draft is scheduled for April 28-30 in Paradise, Nevada
• For the second draft in a row now, the Jacksonville Jaguars have the first overall pick
• First Pick Favorite: Evan Neal, the Alabama Offensive Tackle 

First Round Draft Picks NFL Odds

Here are the top-5 selections for this year’s NFL Draft first-pick honor taken from DraftKings.

For all the best NFL Draft odds and more, check out our favorite sportsbooks where it’s easy for you to place your own wagers.

The NFL offseason is underway with the 2022 NFL Draft scheduled for the last weekend of April from the 28th through the 30th at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada where there will be plenty of winter heat both in terms of desert weather and young football talent, the best the NCAA has to offer.

For the second draft in a row now, the hapless Jacksonville Jaguars have earned the first overall pick, and chances are they are going to use this year’s selection to better protect last year’s number one selection, with QB Trevor Lawrence is dire need of a more effective front line.

Also turning heads in this draft class are the edge rusher, the quarterback hunters like Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson and Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux, both instant upgrades for most defensive lines who should be able to contribute starting on day one.

Time to bust open that betting kitty and place a wager on the NFL Draft – good luck, win big!

Who Are the Top NFL Draft Picks for 2022?

This season, there is a talented crop of potential NFL rookies, from offensive lineman and EDGE rushers to quarterbacks and receivers, plenty of first-round worthy playmakers to choose from, all of who are predicted to be early contributors to whichever football franchise chooses them.

It is important to remember that the first overall draft pick might not be the most talented player in this draft class since that young man might not suit the needs of the team with the first overall pick, the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are looking to improve their offensive line.

Which Player Will Be Selected First in the 2022 NFL Draft?

Given that the Jacksonville Jaguars have the first pick, and they will be looking to protect him with an improved offensive line, expect them to select a tackle, with the best two at that position being Alabama’s Evan Neal and NC State’s Ikem Ekwonu.

Our Pick:

Ikem Ekwonu (+450) We like this underdog since his size (6’ 4”, 320 pounds) and his successful college career make him an instant starter.

What NFL Team Has the Most 1st Round Draft Picks in 2022?

The Philadelphia Eagles have three first-round picks in 2022, the most of any other team, though that first pick doesn’t come until selection number fifteen, as well as pick sixteen and nineteen, a good number of key players but none in the critical top five or top ten.

Next on this list are the New York Giants, the New York Jets, and the Detroit Lions who have two first-round picks apiece, a key score for each of these NFL franchises who could use a large talent upgrade to help them out of their respective divisional basements.

Don’t forget, there could also be plenty of mid-draft trades taking place right up until the draft is actually happening, and those shifts in order can affect which players are selected and when, so keep an eye on how those trade-ups unfold.

Who Will Get the First-Round Pick in the NFL Draft?

After finishing their 2021 NFL season with an overall record of 3-14 and in last place of the AFC South, the Jacksonville Jaguars have earned the first overall selection for the second draft in a row.

The Jaguars had an underwhelming 2021 campaign that featured a rookie sensation, QB Trevor Lawrence, underdelivering and a first-time head coach, Urban Meyer, getting fired in the middle of the season, and now veteran HC Doug Pederson will fill that critical role.

Expect the Jaguars to do what they can to protect Lawrence during his second NFL season after the front line allowed him to be sacked 32 times in 2021, too often for a young player to build confidence in the pocket, something that could make or break his future career as a pro.

What Is a First Overall Pick?

Whichever NFL team has the worst overall record at the end of the season is given the first overall pick in the next draft, and with the first overall pick, that ‘lucky’ team has a shot at getting the best player available on their team.

Remember though, that pick must fill a critical need, so that will affect which player at which position goes first overall.

Who Had the First Pick in the 2021 NFL Draft?

In early 2021, the Jacksonville Jaguars had the first overall pick in the NFL Draft and used it to select Clemson superstar quarterback Trevor Lawrence, a young playmaking winner with a rocket arm, excellent size, and a sophisticated football IQ who was projected to fundamentally change a team’s future.

He did not do that, unfortunately, and the Jaguars only won three times during his rookie season, but despite that the Jacksonville front office is counting on him to be the franchise answer under center.

Thankfully for Lawrence and Jaguar fans, the new head coach Doug Pederson is known for being able to develop young talent, so that could change the direction and fortunes of this young football franchise if they are able to successfully build up the roster around Trevor.

Best Sites to Bet on the NFL Draft

Placing bets online used to be risky back when the only option for sports gamblers was to use one of the many unregulated offshore sportsbooks available, but that was a dodgy way to place bets that took a lot of trust that winners would get paid.

Now with over thirty states (and counting) offering some form of legal sports betting for residents, there are plenty of trustable online sportsbooks to work with, including some of our favorites like Caesars, BetMGM, FanDuel, and DraftKings.

Betting online is easy to do now – just set up an account, safely link a bank account, deposit some money, and start making bets – and as more and more states launch their own legal sports betting market, access to exciting wagers is only a few clicks away.

How to Watch the 2022 NFL Draft