Kyle and I have taken on the NFL Draft over the last handful of years from a wagering perspective and spent several DFS Podcasts last offseason talking about the Draft from a prop betting perspective. Overall, this was a great learning experience and a ton of fun! We’re taking the plunge early this year and will be sure to update this article with each bet we personally make. Of course, we’ll also be talking about the NFL Draft on multiple DFS shows when the podcast returns in April, so make sure you’re subscribed on your favorite podcast platform.
The 2026 NFL Draft kicks off in late April. As the days and weeks go by, more and more NFL Draft props will become available across a variety of books. We recommend shopping around for the best lines and prices whenever possible. You can also get alerted in our Discord if you’re a FootClan or UDK+ subscriber whenever we add to our betting card.
General Strategy and Thoughts
- Betting NFL Draft props will not make you rich – This is a relatively soft market and honestly, a bit of a niche market. Books are very willing to take on thousands and thousands of dollars (even millions at times) on NFL lines and totals because they’re extremely efficient lines and Vegas knows they’re going to win in the long term. Most books will set a limit on the amount of money you can place on a prop bet and that includes the NFL Draft.
- This market is fluid and is sure to change – Unlike NFL spreads and totals, where we may only see things shift by a point or two, the odds and values of these props will change drastically over a couple of months. We recommend viewing this process as a market and being willing to adjust as necessary. At times, it might even make sense to bet the same prop but with a different player, if you think the market has moved enough in the wrong direction.
- Build a portfolio – It’s certainly possible to win a few wagers if you’re only betting a handful, but because this market is so fluid, there’s going to be inefficiencies all over the place. For example, there might be value in a bet right now in February that no longer has value in April. Similarly, new information might become available in March that wasn’t available in February, and now the bet you just placed a month ago looks off. Don’t get take lock – adjust!
- Be sure to shop around at multiple books if you’re able – If you live in a state with legalized wagering that offers multiple books, be sure to try to find the best odds, prices, and even types of wagers that are available. Because this is a niche market, it’s difficult for books to wrap their heads around a market that might adjust day to day and week to week by the time mid-April gets here.
**Lines accurate at time of publishing**
1. First WR Drafted: Carnell Tate (-115)
Sportsbook:Â BetRivers
Date:Â 3/2/25
Analysis: There’s a consensus ‘big three’ in this class at the wide receiver position with Tate, Makai Lemon and Jordyn Tyson all having their supporters across the league. It’s not out of the question that Lemon or Tyson hear their name called before Tate, but given Tate’s Ohio State pedigree and ability to play as a true X receiver and stretch the field vertically, we think he’s the most likely candidate to go inside the top-10. Lemon was primarily a slot WR at USC, and as Kyle noted on Twitter, the vast majority of slot-heavy players are not drafted inside the top-15. As for Tyson, a few NFL scouts have noted that Tyson’s injury history could push him down the board for some teams. PFF’s Trevor Sikkema and Yahoo!’s Nate Tice both had Tate inside their top-10 in their most recent post-combine mock while Daniel Jeremiah had Tate as his seventh overall player in his top-50 rankings.
1st Round WRs over Last Decade with 67+% of their routes in final year occurring in the slot pic.twitter.com/QTJtR5qNcJ
— Kyle Borgognoni (@kyle_borg) February 23, 2026