NFL Draft bets: AFC East betting odds for each team's first pick
We dove into the most likely first draft picks throughout the NFC last week, and we turn now to the AFC as we inch closer and closer to the NFL Draft on April 25.
The AFC East is one of the more intriguing divisions in football when you consider the return of Aaron Rodgers, Josh Allen moving forward without Stefon Diggs and New England sure to add a new QB at the top of the draft.
Note: not every team is offered in this market. For example, a team like the Patriots is widely expected to grab a passer at No. 3, and as such, their market is not offered. We proceed then with the three AFC East teams available to bet.
Odds are courtesy of DraftKings.
Position of 1st Drafted Player: AFC East
New York Jets
The favorites:
- Tight End (+125)
- Offensive Lineman (+135)
- Wide Receiver (+250)
You can read the favored position simply as "Brock Bowers is +125 to be drafted by the New York Jets."
Most mock drafts have Bowers as a very popular pick for the Jets at No. 10, as getting Aaron Rodgers another pass-catcher is always going to be a good idea, especially when you consider the cupboard is relatively bare after Garrett Wilson in this offense.
Bowers enters the draft as a generational tight end prospect and an immediate impact player at the next level.
We'll go against the grain and instead opt to load up OL as the pick here for the Jets. There are a handful of tackles, like Joe Alt and Taliese Fuaga who would make a ton of sense for this New York offense, as one of their primary goals has to be protecting their 40-year old quarterback in what could be his last shot at a Super Bowl.
Our choice: Offensive Lineman (+135)
Miami Dolphins
The favorites:
- Offensive Lineman (-150)
- Defensive Line/EDGE (+200)
- Wide Receiver (+500)
Offensive lineman is an understandable favorite here for Miami, who had their interior OL gutted in free agency. While they did patch some holes, it seems inevitable that one of the first Dolphins selections in this draft will be spent on an offensive linemen.
Alas, a -150 price on an NFL draft future does not tickle our fancy, so we turn instead to the other side of the trenches with the defensive line.
Pick No. 21 could be an intriguing spot for a few DT and EDGE prospects, and the interior of their defensive line in particular seems to be a problem area. The Dolphins are pretty spoken for on the offensive side of the ball, and their secondary has some strong pieces as well. If they are to compete in the loaded AFC, they have to get to the quarterback.
A DT such as Byron Murphy could make a lot of sense here. It's for that reason we'll opt for the plus-money in DL being the first pick for Miami.
Our choice: Defensive Line/EDGE (+200)
Buffalo Bills
The favorites:
- Wide Receiver (-300)
- Defensive Line/EDGE (+400)
- Cornerback (+650)
Once Buffalo traded Stefon Diggs, it became a near certainty that the Bills would be taking a wide receiver with their first pick in this month's draft. Currently, the top WR on the roster is Khalil Shakir, and that just won't work.
What also won't work is this -300 price to jump on board with the Bills nabbing a pass-catcher to get their draft started. Regretfully, we have to phone in the rest of this analysis. It's extremely hard for us to see a world where the Bills don't go WR, someone like Brian Robinson perhaps. When options open for Robinson's landing spot, that's when we could find plus-money. For now, we have to pass on any positional bet on the Buffalo end.
Our choice: N/A (Wide Receiver -300)
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