Analysts, Handicappers Expect Murray to Go First in Thursday’s NFL Draft

Posted on: April 21, 2019, 02:39h. 

Last updated on: April 21, 2019, 02:51h.

Steve Bittenbender Read More
Expertise: Legislation, Sports Betting, Horse Racing.

The NFL Draft starts on Thursday, and right now it still appears that Kyler Murray will hear his name called when Commissioner Roger Goodell announces the first pick.

Many expect Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray to be the first player picked in this year’s NFL Draft, which starts on Thursday. FanDuel Sportsbook lists the Oklahoma star quarterback at -1000 to be the top selection. (Image: SoonerSports.com)

A check of NFL analyst mock drafts, as well as sportsbook prop bets, show they have consensus about the Arizona Cardinals drafting the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback from Oklahoma, who looks to give up a promising baseball career after being a high first round pick in last year’s Major League Baseball draft.

FanDuel lists Murray as the -1000 favorite to be the first pick, meaning bettors need to wager $1,000 to win $100. PointsBet also lists Murray at -1000, but the New Jersey online book is offering special odds of +100 to the first 1,000 patrons. Offshore bookmaker Betonline.ag features Murray -700.

Other possibilities for the first pick include Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa (+500 FanDuel), Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins (+1400 PointsBet), Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (+1600 PointsBet), and Kentucky defensive end/linebacker Josh Allen (+2000 FanDuel).

Eyes on Murray

While the odds certainly appear in Murray’s favor, a lot can happen over the next five days. Rob Rang, an NFL Draft analyst for NFLDraftScout.com and such publications as USA Today, CBS, and NFL.com, told Casino.com that he would not call it a certainty.

However, he said he’s getting the same kind of information leading up to this year’s draft that he said he got last year when Cleveland made Baker Mayfield the top pick.

Every source I have, that’s what they’re pointing to,” Rang said. “That Kyler Murray is going to be the selection.”

One of the reasons why most analysts and handicappers are high on Murray is that his style of play fits well with the offensive philosophy of Kliff Kingsbury, the Cardinals’ new coach. In 14 games for the Sooners last season, Murray threw for 4,361 yards and 42 touchdowns. He also added 1,001 yards and 12 more scores on the ground to become only the second NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision quarterback to break both 4,000 passing and 1,000 rushing yards in the same season.

It would mark the second year in a row that Arizona picked a quarterback in the first round. That could lead to uncertainty in the later picks, especially if the Cardinals choose to trade Josh Rosen.

The New York Giants appear to be in the market for a quarterback, and it’s possible the Giants will take Haskins with the sixth selection or make a trade with Arizona. FanDuel currently lists the Giants as the +250 favorite to draft the Buckeye. The Washington Redskins, another team in the hunt for Rosen, are +280 for Haskins.

At PointsBet, they’re offering +400 odds that the Giants will end up trading the No. 6 pick.

Other Props

While oddsmakers tab Murray as the likely No. 1 pick, a position they’ve held since last month’s NFL combine, they’re lining up behind Bosa for the second spot. DraftKings put odds of -177 on him going with the pick currently held by San Francisco. The New Jersey book offers +400 odds for Williams and +700 for Allen.

FanDuel is down to -370 for Bosa there.

It’s a tighter race for the No. 3 spot at PointsBet. Allen is currently listed at +150, but Williams and Houston’s Ed Oliver are both available at +200.

Led by the likes Bosa, Williams, Allen, and Oliver, this draft should see a lot of defensive players, especially linemen, go in Thursday’s first round. MyBookie.ag  currently has defensive players drafted in the first round as a 3.5-pick favorite over offensive players.

“This is the best defensive line draft I’ve seen in my 20 years of evaluating,” Rang said.

But the first round is known for teams hoping to find their next franchise quarterback they hope will lead them to the Super Bowl. This year’s over/under on the number of signal callers be taken among the first 32 picks is 3.5. Most analysts expect Missouri’s Drew Lock to go in the latter stages of the round. The wild card seems will be if a team takes a chance on Duke’s Daniel Jones late in the round.

FanDuel offers the QB over at -250, with PointsBet at -251. Betonline has it at -260.