Best bets to be 1st wide receiver drafted
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Teams looking to upgrade at wide receiver must be salivating. This is one of the deepest drafts for the position in recent memory, with the over/under set at 5.5 receivers to be drafted in Round 1.
Here, our betting team gives its best bets for which wide receiver will be picked first on Thursday.
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Jerry Jeudy | -150 |
| CeeDee Lamb | +110 |
| Henry Ruggs | +400 |
| Justin Jefferson | +3000 |
| Denzel Mims | +6000 |
| Laviska Shenault | +7500 |
| Tee Higgins | +10000 |
| Brandon Aiyuk | +15000 |
| Jalen Reagor | +15000 |
| Field - All Others | +25000 |
Lamb will likely go off the board first, but one receiver who's way undervalued is Mims. I grabbed Mims at 100-1 to be the first receiver drafted, and he's still sitting at 60-1 at theScoreBet.
The reason for backing Mims is that I believe NFL teams are much higher on him than mock drafts suggest. He's 6-3, 216 pounds and runs a 4.38 40. Teams covet receivers with that kind of size and speed. The former Baylor standout also put on a show at the NFL combine and was highly productive in college. In fact, Mims led all 2020 receiving prospects in percentage of contested catches by a wide margin last season despite playing with a broken hand.
Mims possesses all the qualities to be a top-15 selection on Thursday, and teams picking in that range, like the Jacksonville Jaguars and Denver Broncos, are said to be high on him. Given the uncertainty of the draft, Mims is arguably the most undervalued player at any position. He's worth a shot at long odds.
-Thomas Casale
CeeDee Lamb, +110You can make a case for Jeudy, Lamb, Ruggs, and even Jefferson as the 2020 WR1, but I'm playing Lamb at plus-money. I've already wagered on the Oklahoma product being picked before 12.5 and have some skin on him being the first off the board, with Jefferson's value at 30-1 a close second.
I'm strictly playing the numbers here. Lamb's primarily been second behind Jeudy on the oddsboard, and he's also been the favorite at certain points. I don't think a team will be scared to trade up for Lamb either, making him the most likely receiver to be drafted first.
-Alex Kolodziej
Henry Ruggs, +400My biggest stance in this market is on Lamb at +175 - a bet I placed earlier this month - but instead of repeating everything Alex Kolodziej just wrote, I'd rather play the role of contrarian.
Let me paint what I think is a very realistic picture: No wide receiver is taken inside the top 11, with the New York Jets opting to address a glaring need on their offensive line. With the No. 12 selection, the Las Vegas Raiders have their pick of the litter at receiver, and while Lamb profiles more like a Mike Mayock type, Henry Ruggs is absolutely a Jon Gruden guy.
So, in typically unpredictable fashion - look no further than Clelin Ferrell last year - the Raiders take a swing at the home run hitter from Alabama. You're really going to give me 4-1 on that? Yes, please.
-Alex Moretto
CeeDee Lamb, +110I don't care about being redundant; I just want to win money. And betting Lamb as the first receiver off the board is a stellar value at plus-money, especially considering he's quietly seized control of the WR1 spot in most mock drafts and scouting ranks.
Jeudy is the quintessential "solid prospect," but Lamb teases upside that merits taking a receiver in the top 12. The Arizona Cardinals are intriguing at No. 8 - Lamb played with quarterback Kyler Murray at Oklahoma - and the Jets need a difference-maker at No. 11. Lamb is that guy. Take the plus-money and run.
-C Jackson Cowart
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