The NFL Draft is back with all eyes on the future of the league when it begins on Thursday April 25th at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza, Detroit, Michigan
The Chicago Bears are the ones with the first pick and a quarterback is all-but-certain to go first, with Caleb Williams the heavy favorite. But there are some reports he has reservations about which team to go to, opening up the door for others to potentially be a high-value bet.
We’ll take a look at those choices across the field and provide you with our best free NFL picks to see if we can earn you some extra cash from the big decisions that need to be made.
| NFL Draft 2024 - #1 Overall Pick |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caleb Williams | -5000 | -10000 | -5000 |
| Jayden Daniels | +2000 | +1400 | +1500 |
| Drake Maye | +3500 | +2800 | +3500 |
| Marvin Harrison Jr | +4000 | +3000 | +3500 |
| J.J. McCarthy | +6600 | +4000 | +4000 |
| Michael Penix Jr | +15000 | +8000 | +12500 |
| Bo Nix | +15000 | +8000 | +10000 |
Learn more about how to bet on the NFL here.
Williams declared for the draft back in January after he finished an incredibly impressive college career with 10,082 passing yards, 93 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions while adding 966 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns to his resume too.
Williams secured the Heisman Trophy during his first year at USC after transferring from Oklahoma. He completed 66.6% of his pass attempts for 4,537 yards while throwing 42 touchdown passes against just five interceptions. Additionally, he contributed 10 scores and 382 yards on the ground.
His numbers in 2023 weren’t as good, but anyone who watched the games he played will know that the Trojans’ 7-5 record didn’t reflect his performances. Williams completed 68.6% of his throws for 3,633 yards with 30 passing touchdowns against five interceptions, helping maintain his perch as the top prospect in the class of 2024.
Williams didn’t take part in the scouting combine this year, he has already met with the people in charge at the Chicago Bears, this year’s number one picks, and it seems highly likely now that he’ll be taking his skills to Soldier Field.
Justin Fields is on his way to Pittsburgh Steelers to make way for Williams, and Chicago even acquired Keenan Allen from the Los Angeles Chargers to give their probable rookie QB another weapon.
Everything points towards him being the first pick and the odds reflect it too.
Check out our review for Bovada sports betting here.
Daniels was catching odds as high as 50/1 to be the first overall pick before the Super Bowl, but we’ve seen his price shorten as the draft nears and that is usually a sign of interest from the team with the first pick.
That comes after Daniels took home the 2023 Heisman Trophy to put a bow on his collegiate career, joining Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow as the second LSU passer to win the award over the last five years.
Daniels completed 72.2% of his pass attempts for 3,812 yards with 40 touchdowns and just four interceptions, all while guiding the Tigers to a 9-3 overall record with a 6-2 mark in SEC play. He had a truly exceptional season and has earned his place among the top options on this list.
But the biggest issue for Daniels is the fact that Caleb Williams still exists, and the chances of anyone going before him are slim to none. However, anything can happen in football and with a few weeks to go between now and the draft taking place things can change.
With Daniels valued at +2000 there is good value on backing him just in case the Bears opt to change direction, as he is the clear next best option.
Check out our review for BetUS sports betting here.
Coming out of the NFL Scouting Combine J.J. McCarthy’s name is generating more hype and buzz than ever before. The Michigan passer checked a major box in Indianapolis when he weighed in at 219 pounds after much concern that he could be as slight as 205, and that caught the eye of a lot of teams.
With his weight up, it would have come as no surprise if the national championship-winning QB opted not to participate at the Combine, however, not only did he throw, but he ran a blazing three-cone drill. His 6.82 time was tied for the sixth-fastest time, and helped him generate even more hype, especially with Williams, Drake Maye, and Daniels all choosing not to participate.
He’s done a great job of increasing his stock across the league by showing up and showing out, but will he be the first pick? It’s highly unlikely.
There’s a strong chance that McCarthy could be selected within the first five picks, with rumors circulating recently that the Washington Commanders may be interested in him with the second overall pick. But despite the +6600 odds, a first-pick for McCarthy is just too farfetched.
About the Author
Daniel is a football writer who has a great thirst for the Premier League and other major European leagues. A lover of the beautiful game and a firm believer that the eye test is better than statistics. Also an avid MMA fan.
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