The 2024 NFL Draft is one of the deepest in recent history, particularly at the quarterback and wide receiver positions.
As teams eye up their next cornerstone pieces or look to take big swings they hope will reap huge rewards, we’re targeting a few bets and picks that we believe will come true on Draft Day.
Here are our best picks and bets for the 2024 NFL Draft:
2024 NFL Draft predictions
There are tons of betting markets that are available for the 2024 NFL Draft. Bettors can wager on who will be taken at a particular pick slot, highlighted by the Chicago Bears’ first-overall selection.
There are also Over/Under markets for draft positions. For example, Georgia Bulldogs tight end Brock Bowers has an Over/Under of pick 12.5 at DraftKings Sportsbook, with +120 odds on the over and -150 on the under.
Sportsbooks also offer odds on whether a player will be drafted in the top five, top 10 or first round, in addition to odds on the number of players at a certain position drafted in the first round, who a player will be drafted by and if one player will be drafted before or after a different player.
Each sportsbook has its own odds and markets, and there are even more that we didn’t highlight. Find out what’s available in full at your preferred sportsbook.
2024 NFL Draft predictions: Michael Penix Jr. to be selected by the Las Vegas Raiders (+260 or better)
Penix Jr. comes with baggage. A lengthy injury history and a poor performance in the national championship game against Michigan will be turn-offs for many, but he still comes with tremendous upside.
No player in college football pushed the ball down the field with greater touch or feel than Penix Jr. His performance in the CFP semifinal against Texas was one of the best of any player all year, and his patience and ability to throw receivers open will translate well to the NFL.
The Raiders only have Gardner Minshew, Aidan O’Connell and Anthony Brown on their QB depth chart at the moment. They’re in desperate need of a quarterback to build their team around, especially if they want to keep Davante Adams happy. Penix Jr. could very well be that player in a division that already features Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert.
2024 NFL Draft predictions: OT Joe Alt to be selected fifth overall (+400 or better)
The Los Angeles Chargers hold a tremendous amount of power in this draft. They could trade out of the fifth pick to allow a different team to come up and get involved in the quarterback sweepstakes, or they could stand pat and make a priority pick in coach Jim Harbaugh’s first year back in the NFL.
Harbaugh’s Michigan Wolverines dominated the trenches and ran the ball relentlessly, so it makes sense that he would look to invest his pick into the best offensive lineman in the draft. He also prioritized the line and ground game in his previous stops and has the perfect opportunity to set both of his edges by pairing offensive tackle Joe Alt with All-Pro Rashawn Slater.
It’s possible that Harbaugh looks to get Herbert more weapons on the outside or even at tight end, but it’s likely that Marvin Harrison Jr. will be off the board, and Alt will be the next-best player remaining.
Best Sportsbooks for NFL Draft Betting
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Grant is a Virginia-based writer for Catena Media who graduated from Virginia Tech in 2021 with a degree in sports media & analytics. He has contributed to well-known publications such as Forbes, and appeared on the VSiN TV network. You can keep up with Grant's work here or by checking out his YouTube channel "The Sitch With Grant Mitchell.”
