Giving Away Money: 2022 NFL Draft Odds — Is there even a true No. 1 overall pick in this class?

This Thursday night begins the 2022 NFL Draft, the most wagered-upon non-sporting event on the planet, and an event that has become more of a production than the NFL’s Hall of Fame preseason kickoff game. It’s like National Signing Day for people stuck in the nation’s hellholes without meaningful college football.

As for how we got here? Let’s blame ESPN.

Nevertheless, we are here, and it is a draft that is frankly light on top-end talent, particularly at the skills positions. (For that, you can blame Alabama only sending two underclassmen to the pros this year. HEEEEEYO!) But, if you want a generational corner, some very risky edge players, a decent wideout class, three outstanding offensive tackles that do three different things — or you just want to piss away a lot of money overdrafting players that ordinarily wouldn’t sniff the first round, then 2022 may just have what you’re looking for.

Pissing away money on bad picks? BY GAWD, that’s Trent Baalke’s tune! A man so bad at his job as a GM that when Jacksonville loses, you see the occasional call for coaches heads, but it’s usually to fire Baalke and have Sadiq Khan sell the team. The rot on this fish starts at the top, and no matter what happens, he’s apt to get more criticism again. Because, 1. the Jags refuse to listen to offers for their weaker-than-usual No. 1 overall pick, 2. he has fallen in love with one of the least productive putative No 1’s of the last decade, 3. he and the owner are fighting over who to take, and 4., just 48 hours out, Jacksonville still can’t decided on one of four players.

Yet, Baalke won’t trade the pick.

So, after flirtations with Evan Neal, Ikem Ekwonu, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Aiden Hutchinson, it looks like the Jags are going to way, way overpay for the potential of Travon Walker’s Combine workout. Seriously, Walker has bust written all over him: dude has a win rate of just 10% — 148th in a draft that is deep on quality pass rushers, but absolutely no one who sticks out as a can’t-miss. And, if that is the case, then Evan Neal may have helped himself to avoid Jacksonville by skipping out on Combine activities.

In terms of stupid moves, Walker to JAX via Trent Baalke seems a marriage made in heaven, and thus a decent wager of your money.

If, however, you think the owner wins this power play and takes the one-year splash from 2021’s most over-hyped college defender, then Aiden Hutchinson is your play...Meanwhile, the best corner in a decade will still be sitting there, as will three future pro-bowl offensive linemen.

Then again, you could be the dumb SOB who fell in love with Malik Willis and a tape measure, have never seen him throw a football in a game with your own eyeballs, and want to pay him Top 10 money. Because that is definitely going to happen too.

Which is my cue to remind you once again that bad teams are bad for a reason. In the NFL, that is because everyone is dumb. In 2022, if you want can’t-miss playmaking, you pay a premium for the corner, a position that is never drafted at the top. If you want to protect your franchise quarterback or build for the future, you take one of the three tackles. And if you want a lot of risk, you take any one of these edge players — all three of whom have issues.

And I hate the Shield conventional wisdom that says you don’t draft a corner first overall. In the NFL’s history, there have been just nine corners who have been selected in the Top 5. Want to know some of their names? Denzel Ward, Jalen Ramsey, Deion Sanders, Patrick Peterson, Jeffrey Okudah, Charles Woodson, Shawn Springs. That’s a hit-rate that would get you kicked out of any casino in the country.

In other words, if they’re worth a Top 5 pick, they’re worth a No. 1, and I would stake my job and some mean tweets on it. Yet, I think what we shall see is that Jacksonville’s loss is someone else’s tremendous fortune.

General Draft

Will a team’s draft spot be moved back for missing pick?
Yes +1000
No -4000

How many dogs will be shown during Round 1? (Commercials do not count)
Over/Under 2.5

How many Round 1 draftees will be wearing glasses?
Over/Under 9.5

How many Round 1 draftees will be wearing a tie?
Over/Under 19.5

Draft Trades

Who will be traded first on Draft Day?
Baker Mayfield +200
Jimmy Garoppolo +250
Deebo Samuel +300
AJ Brown +400
DK Metcalf +450

Total trades in Round 1 (on Draft Day)
Over/Under 2.5

Will there be a trade in the Top 10 picks?
Yes +170
No -250

DRAFT MISCELLANY

No. 1 Draft Pick

No. 1 overall selection
Travon Walker -215
Aidan Hutchison +200
Ikem Ekwonu +575
Evan Neal +2500
Kayvon Thibodeaux +2500
Malik Willis +6600

Primary color of tie
Green +175
Yellow +175
Black +300
Red +350
Blue +400

Who will he hug first?
Dad +110
Mom +125
Sibling +400
Friend +750
Girlfriend +1000
Agent +1200

Will he cry?
Yes +1000
No -4000

Team to Select QB

Which team will draft Kenny Pickett?
Panthers +150
Saints +200
Steelers +400
Titans +1000
Seahawks +1200
Commanders +2000
Falcons +2000
Lions +2000

Which team will draft Malik Willis?
Steelers +150
Saints +400
Panthers +450
Seahawks +750
Falcons +900
Lions +900

FIRST ROUND

Draft Picks by Conference/Team

Most Round 1 picks
Big Ten -1
Alabama/Georgia +1

Most Round 1 picks
Georgia -225
Alabama +225
Michigan +225

Total Alabama players drafted in Round 1
Over/Under 2

Total Georgia players drafted in Round 1
Over/Under 3.5

Total SEC players drafted in Round 1
Over/Under 10.5

Total ACC players drafted in Round 1
Over/Under 4.5

Total Big Ten players drafted in Round 1
Over/Under 6.5

Total Pac-12 players drafted in Round 1
Over/Under 4.5

Total Big 12 players drafted in Round 1
Over/Under

Total non-Power 5 conference players drafted in Round 1
Over/Under 4.5

First Player Drafted by Position

First cornerback selected
Ahmad Gardner -260
Derek Stingley Jr +160
Trent McDuffie +2200

First offensive lineman selected
Ikem Ekwonu -155
Evan Neal +210
Charles Cross +350

First quarterback selected
Malik Willis -175
Kenny Pickett +155
Desmond Ridder +1100
Matt Corral +1400
Sam Howell +4000

First running back selected
Breece Hall -325
Kenneth Walker III +235
Isaiah Spiller +1000

First wide receiver selected
Garrett Wilson -140
Jameson Williams +200
Drake London +350
Chris Olave +2500
Treylon Burks +2800

Mr. Irrelevant
Defensive -120
Offensive -120

First Round by Position

Total defensive players drafted in Round 1
Over/Under 15.5

Total offensive players drafted in Round 1
Over/Under 16.5

Total cornerbacks drafted in Round 1
Over/Under 4.5

Total offensive linemen in Round 1
Over/Under 7

Total quarterbacks drafted in Round 1
Over/Under 3.5

Total safeties drafted in Round 1
Over/Under 1.5

Total wide receivers drafted in Round 1
Over/Under 6.5

PLAYERS

Player Head-to-Head Matchups

Who will be drafted first?
Desmond Ridder -120
Matt Corral -120

Who will be drafted first?
Chris Olave -200
Treylon Burks +150

Who will be drafted first?
Drake London -120
Jameson Williams -120

Who will be drafted first?
Kayvon Thibodeaux -130
Ikem Ekwonu -110

Who will be drafted first?
Kayvon Thibodeaux -150
Ahmad Gardner +110

Who will be drafted first?
Charles Cross -190
Garrett Wilson +145

Player Selection Position

Ahmad Gardner
Over/Under 5.5

Breece Hall
Over/Under 39.5

Charles Cross
Over/Under 7.5

Chris Olave
Over/Under 16.5

Daxton Hill
Over/Under 28.5

Derek Stingley Jr.
Over/Under 8.5

Desmond Ridder
Over/Under 29.5

Devin Lloyd
Over/Under 18.5

George Pickens
Over/Under 36.5

Drake London
Over/Under 11.5

Evan Neal
Over/Under 6

Garrett Wilson
Over/Under 9.5

Ikem Ekwonu
Over/Under 4.5

Jameson Williams
Over/Under 11.5

Jermaine Johnson
Over/Under 9.5

John Metchie III
Over/Under 56.5

Jordan Davis
Over/Under 14.5

Kayvon Thibodeaux
Over/Under 4.5

Kenny Pickett
Over/Under 15.5

Malik Willis
Over/Under 12.5

Matt Corral
Over/Under 32.5

Nakobe Dean
Over/Under 31.5

Sam Howell
Over/Under 45.5

Trent McDuffie
Over/Under 16.5

Terry McBride
Over/Under 51.5

Treylon Burks
Over/Under 23.5

Tyler Linderbaum
Over/Under 28.5

Zion Johnson
Over/Under 24.5

Exactas

Top 3

1 T. Walker - 2. A. Hutchinson - 3 I. Ekonwu +500

1 T. Walker- 2 A. Hutchinson - 3 K. Thibodeaux +500

1 T. Walker - 2 A. Hutchinson - 3 D. Stingley +550

1 T. Walker - 2 A. Hutchinson - 3 A. Gardner +600

1 A. Hutchinson - 2 K. Thibodeaux - 3 T. Walker +1000

1 T. Walker - 2 A. Hutchinson - 3 E. Neal +1200

1 A. Hutchinson - 2 K. Thibodeaux - 3 I. Ekonwu +1400

1 A. Hutchinson - 2 K. Thibodeaux - 3 A. Gardner +2000

1 A. Hutchinson - 2 K. Thibodeaux - 3 D. Stingley +2000

1 A. Hutchinson - 2 T. Walker - 3 I. Ekonwu +2000

1 A. Hutchinson - 2 T. Walker - 3 K. Thibodeaux +2000

1 A. Hutchinson - 2 T. Walker - 3 A. Gardner +2500

1 A. Hutchinson - 2 T. Walker - 3 D. Stingley +2500

1 A. Hutchinson - 2 K. Thibodeaux - 3 E. Neal +2800

1 T. Walker - 2 A. Hutchinson - 3 G. Wilson +2800

1 A. Hutchinson - 2 T. Walker - 3 E. Neal +4000

1 A. Hutchinson - 2 K. Thibodeaux - 3 G. Wilson +5000

1 A. Hutchinson - 2 T. Walker - 3 G. Wilson +8000

Quarterbacks

Willis, Pickett, Ridder, Corral +250

Pickett, Willis, Ridder, Corral +275

Willis, Pickett, Corral, Ridder +275

Pickett, Willis, Corral, Ridder +300

Willis, Corral, Pickett, Ridder +2200

Willis, Ridder, Pickett, Corral +2200

Willis, Corral, Ridder, Pickett +2500

Willis, Ridder, Corral, Pickett +2500

Pickett, Corral, Willis, Ridder +2800

Pickett, Ridder, Corral, Willis +2800

Corral, Willis, Pickett, Ridder +3300

Pickett, Corral, Ridder, Willis +3300

Pickett, Ridder, Willis, Corral +3300

Ridder, Willis, Pickett, Corral +3300

Corral, Willis, Ridder, Pickett +6600

Ridder, Willis, Corral, Pickett +6600

Corral, Pickett, Willis, Ridder +7500

Ridder, Pickett, Willis, Corral +7500

Corral, Pickett, Ridder, Willis +10000

Ridder, Pickett, Corral, Willis +10000

Corral, Ridder, Pickett, Willis +25000

Corral, Ridder, Willis, Pickett +25000

Ridder, Corral, Pickett, Willis +25000

Ridder, Corral, Willis, Pickett +25000

Wide Receivers

G Wilson, J. Williams, D. London +110

G. Wilson, D. London, J. Williams +200

J. Williams, G. Wilson, D. London +300

D. London, G. Wilson, J. Williams +500

J. Williams, D. London, G. Wilson +900

D. London, J. Williams, G. Wilson +1200

Offensive Linemen

Ekwonu, Neal, Cross +125

Ekwonu, Cross, Neal +150

Neal, Ekwonu, Cross +375

Cross, Ekwonu, Neal +550

Neal, Cross, Ekwonu +750

Cross, Neal, Ekownu +1200