2024 NFL Draft Prop Bets: Nate Wiggins, Kool-Aid McKinstry, Junior Colson
The NFL Draft is fun, and this year I'll finally be getting in on ALL the action with mobile sports betting legalized in my area of residence. Below is my regularly updated sheet of prop bets for the 2024 NFL Draft.
Here are my mock drafts thus far, along with my other relevant articles related to this year's Draft and other futures-related NFL content:
- Andrew Erickson's Mock Drafts (1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0| 4.0 | 5.0)
- Historical NFL Draft Picks of All 32 NFL Teams (2024 Fantasy Football)
- NFL Draft Needs for Every Team Post-Free Agency (2024 Fantasy Football)
- Erickson's Top 2024 NFL Futures: Odds, Picks & Predictions
- Best Ball Strategy: How to Approach the Middle Rounds (2024 Fantasy Football)
My approach to betting on the NFL Draft is to build a portfolio of bets where I focus more on long shots the further we are out from the end of April. We are so limited with information currently that shorter bets are probably being overvalued. Focus on the long shots and build off these bets the closer we get to April 25th.
Here are a few of my favorite 2024 NFL Draft Prop Bets.
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2024 NFL Draft Prop Bet Picks
LB Junior Colson to be a 1st-round pick – (+1300 via FanDuel Sportsbook)
Date: April 22
The 49ers easily could go LB in Round 1 given the current state of their linebacker room. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw will be coming off a torn Achilles that he suffered in the Super Bowl, entering the last year of his contract.
Michigan linebacker Junior Colson has met with some LB-needy teams such as the Buccaneers, Cowboys, Seahawks and Steelers during the pre-draft process. Note that Dallas has the second-shortest odds to select a linebacker with their first pick (+340).
Daniel Jeremiah said on a recent conference call that he wouldn't be surprised if Colson gets drafted in Round 1. Recall that in 2023 no linebacker was projected to go in the first round. Jack Campbell was the first LB selected by the Lions at 18th overall well ahead of his pre-draft position in mock drafts (44th overall). In 2022, two linebackers were drafted in the first round: Quay Walker (22nd by Green Bay) and Devin Lloyd (27th by Jacksonville). Walker beat his pre-draft rank by 11 spots (31 EDP). It's been back-to-back seasons where a traditional LB has drastically beaten their EDP. And both times it was not even the consensus LB1 in the class.
Colson is not the consensus LB1 in the class. Love his longshot odds to sneak into the backend of Round 1 with the current odds. Colson also has plus odds to be the first LB drafted at +230 on FanDuel.
Also want to point out that the 49ers are polarizing at +5000 to draft a linebacker first on FanDuel. Again, they pick 31st and could even trade back further when LB is more of an appropriate selection.
Nate Wiggins To Be Second Cornerback Drafted (+750 via DraftKings Sportsbook)
Date: April 22
As I examined in my latest mock draft 5.0, the CB position can become the Wild West in the NFL Draft. Scheme disparities across the board mean teams value/rank cornerbacks much differently than the public, who are ranking them without as much intel specific to the team fit. I feel confident that it will be either Quinyon Mitchell or Terrion Arnold who goes No. 1 (likely Mitchell). But as the CB2, I think Arnold might have some competition. Again, he ran a 4.51 (43rd percentile) at the NFL Combine. Although Cooper DeJean is viewed as the CB3 in the betting markets, NFL teams view him more as a safety. DeJean’s fall could be another CB’s gain such as Nate Wiggins.
Wiggins has his "backers" in the drafting industrial complex, given his speed of 4.28. He's underweight at 173 pounds, which could keep him off certain team boards, but it just takes one to have him picked highly. Note that Emmanuel Forbes-166 pounds soaking wet-was the second CB drafted last season ahead of Christian Gonzalez.
Kool-Aid McKinstry To Be Second Cornerback Drafted (+900 via DraftKings Sportsbook)
Date: April 22
At the time of this writing, we have five teams in the first round “favored” to take a CB first: Colts (+110), Raiders (+150), Jaguars (-185), Eagles (+125), Lions (+135). And if I had to project any team to draft a CB well ahead of consensus, it would be the Jaguars. Trent Baalke needs his long-armed CBs. The Eagles are also rumored to be in the discussion to trade up for a CB in this year’s draft. Kool-Aid McKinstry’s draft stock has risen since reports that he will be ready for training camp after suffering a Jones fracture per Tony Pauline.
Kool-Aid has met with the Falcons, Eagles, Jaguars, Lions and Steelers. The former Crimson Tide CB has 32-inch arms (70th percentile). Music to the ears of the Jaguars GM.