For the better part of the last six weeks, the betting market had Aidan Hutchinson as the first overall choice in the NFL draft. That started to alter last week. Hutchinson is no longer the betting favorite to be the first overall pick with the draft just a few days away. Travon Walker is suddenly a -175 favorite to be the first overall pick at BetMGM as of Monday morning.
Evan Neal, an offensive tackle from Alabama, was established as a slight betting favorite to be the first overall choice shortly after the NFL combine. Jacksonville, on the other hand, elected to franchise tag tackle Cam Robinson and then sign free-agent guard Brandon Scherff. With the Jaguars’ early investment in the offensive line, popular wisdom was that the team would target the defensive side of the ball with the first top choice.
Aidan Hutchinson was widely regarded as one of the best draft prospects. He had a fantastic senior season at Michigan, where he was a key member of a squad that stunned many by reaching the NCAA football playoffs. Hutchinson was a -350 favorite to be the first overall choice in mid-March. However, as is customary during draft season, there has been a riser that few expected. Travon Walker was the first overall pick with a 30-to-1 odds. Walker was still 10-to-1 to go first in mid-March. Walker was down to +140 at BetMGM last week. Walker is currently a -175 favorite to be the first overall pick with the draft this week.
Hutchinson has become +135 to be the first overall pick, with Walker shifting to the favored role. Hutchinson’s prospects of being the first overall choice have dropped from 78 percent to 42.5 percent in the last six weeks when converted to indicated certainty. Over the last three weeks, bettors at BetMGM have been stocking up on Walker draft propositions. Walker has earned 35% of the money in the first overall pick market, while Hutchinson has received 25%. Walker is the sportsbook’s biggest liability of all the players.
These two guys appear to be in a two-horse fight for the first overall choice. Ikem Ekwonu has the third-best odds, at 10-to-1, behind Walker and Hutchinson. Kayvon Thibodeaux is 25-to-1 and Evan Neal is 16-to-1.
