NFL Draft Predictions and Odds
Jacksonville is back in rebuilding mode. The Jaguars ended last season 3-14, yet at the beginning of the season, they had hope that they had found their new head coach and their new QB. Alas, the Urban Meyer experiment was short lived. Sportsmemo handicapper JM Sports takes a look at the Jaguars’ draft options and odds.
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Jaguars’ Offseason Report
The coaching staff has a multitude of new faces. Doug Peterson took over as head coach (previously Philadelphia HC), Press Taylor will be the new offensive coordinator (offensive assistant last year with Indianapolis) and Mike Caldwell takes over as defensive coordinator (linebackers coach last year for Tampa Bay).
The Jaguars’ offense parted ways with Carlos Hyde and Dare Ogunbowale, the 3rd and 4th leading rushers on the team behind Robinson and Lawrence. They also lost DJ Chark, who was a big part of their team, even with the injury concerns this previous season. All the while, their receiving core also lost James O’Shaughnessy and Jacob Hollister, two of their threats at the TE position. Not to mention, they lost some of their protection for their young QB, parting ways with AJ Cann, Andrew Norwell and Brandon Linder who combined for 30 starts on the offensive line, with Norwell starting all 17 games.
While the list is extensive for the offensive side of the ball, the defensive losses may have an even bigger impact. They lost their top two leading tacklers, with both Myles Jack and Damien Wilson leaving the team from the linebacker position. Wilson was also top-5 on the roster in tackles for loss, with Adam Gotsis sitting ahead of him on the list as the teams third-leading player in tackles for a loss on the season.
Odds to be Taken as the No. 1 Pick | Courtesy of Caesars as of April 25 |
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Travon Walker | -220 |
Aidan Hutchinson | +200 |
Ikem Ekwonu | +500 |
Evan Neal | +1800 |
Kayvon Thibodeaux | +2000 |
Jaguars’ Draft Options
While the Jags did fill some of their holes in free agency, there is still work to be done in the draft. They signed Christian Kirk to money worthy of a No. 1 receiver, but has Kirk proven he can be that? They also picked up Zay Jones and Evan Engram to help solidify the passing game.
They added Brandon Scherzo to the roster to attempt to fill a void in the offensive line, but there are opportunities still there as well. Their defense added Arden Key, who seems to be the lone edge rusher that they added, which very well be their biggest need this off-season. The only other additions that were made to this Jacksonville defense were Foley Fatukasi, Foye Oluokun, and Darious Williams, which may not be enough to fill the voids that the off-season has created.
Their biggest needs look to be OT and an EDGE rusher, although WR, LB and S could all be thrown in the mix. Aidan Hutchinson from Michigan has been the one people have had their eyes on. While Walker shot up draft boards based on his combine, Hutchinson has proven all season why he is looked at as the No. 1 overall pick. The 6-6, 260 pound rusher from Michigan is exceptionally strong for his size and is one of the most technically sound players in the draft.
Interested in placing a bet on the 2022 NFL Draft? Caesars Sports is offering up to a $1,500 match bet for first-time deposits in New Jersey, West Virginia, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Virginia, Tennessee, Arizona, New York and Louisiana.
The Opening Line Report | 2022 NFL Draft Preview
The NFL Draft heads to Las Vegas this week, and the betting markets have been on the move this morning. In this week’s edition of The Opening Line Report, Teddy Covers and Drew Martin discuss a handful of topics from the betting sphere, followed by some live Q&A with viewers about their handicapping process and life in Las Vegas.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgFyFUO9rTg[/embedyt]
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Meet the Author
Jeff’s hunger for handicapping began at a young age being surrounded by parents that made sports betting a daily routine. Hoping to follow in the footsteps of other Cleveland handicappers like Marc Lawrence, Phil Steele, Ralph Michaels, Ed Meyer and Bryan Leonard, Jeff started his sports betting career working for both Northcoast Sports and Phil Steele Publications learning the intricacies of sports betting and becoming a profitable handicapper. Through out his college years, Jeff’s mathematical and analytical prowess helped him develop a betting strategy that turned sports betting into a profitable venture, where he focuses on the NFL, college football, NBA, college basketball and MLB while showing strong results in the WNBA.
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