NFL Futures Best Bets
What a wild first round of the NFL Draft! We saw a historic six quarterbacks come off the board and no defensive player come off the board until the fifteenth pick! The fact that we saw multiple players go much earlier than expected allowed teams drafting later in the first round to address needs with top talents at the position that they never thought would be available. The Eagles, Lions and Chiefs are all waking up very happy this morning after being able to target top prospects that should never have been available at the positions they drafted based on pure talent. Let’s look at some actionable NFL future bets after Day 1!
Detroit Lions to Win the NFC North +150
What a night for the hometown Lions! We talked about how their major need on The Handle this weekend was in the defensive backfield and that, late in the first round, they could target someone like Cooper DeJean out of Iowa. Well, they were able to walk out of the first round with an even better fit in Terrion Arnold. He was my top-ranked CB on the board and will fit this defense perfectly. He was the most physical cornerback available in this draft with the ability to set the edge against the run and play press man coverage.
Last year, Detroit’s secondary woes were well documented, and they addressed that in spades last night. I liked everything the NFC North did in the first round, but the advantage the Lions had heading into the draft widened. The love for both the Bears and Packers, who are sub 3-1 to win the division, makes this NFL future bet a very playable price on easily the most complete team in the division.
Jacksonville Jaguars to Win the AFC South +240
Another team that took advantage of the chaos up top was the Jags. After a disappointing season from Calvin Ridley, they were able to move back and still get the fourth-best WR in the draft in Brian Thomas Jr. He’s got great ball skills and addresses the number one need, a real redzone threat.
Thomas was a basketball star in high school who has great hands and a phenomenal catch radius. There was a medical concern around his shoulder, but it was not a major concern for multiple teams. He can run every route and was the second-fastest WR in the combine.
Add all that to the fact that this price was already inflated due to the high expectations the Texans are entering the season with and this is one NFL future bet that I want to add to my portfolio.
Super Bowl Matchup – Chiefs vs. Eagles +3000
Let’s close it out with a bomb of a price. The Chiefs are still the class of the AFC and adding Worthy late will help open up the field for both Rice and Kelce. He can stretch defenses with his speed and adds another legitimate weapon to Patrick Mahomes.
The Eagles addressed their number one need at cornerback and will have a significantly easier schedule than last year. People seem to dismiss this team that had an 11-1 record before their end-of-season swoon and has one of the best front offices in football. They will continue to address needs until the trade deadline and have talent all over the offensive side of the ball. I’ve got them power-rated as the clear third-best team in the NFC with some upside, so let’s take a swing before the season gets started with this NFL future bet and the odds shorten up.
