It’s Jeffrey Okudah then everybody else in odds for first cornerback taken in draft

Depending on the and a half away from the NFL Draft getting started in Las Vegas, and we’ll be going position by position from a gambling perspective of the picks. Today, we start with the cornerbacks. With the rise of the passing game, having a shutdown corner is as important as ever.

Former Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Jeffrey Okudah is far and away the favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook to be the first corner taken off the board at -3335. He is projected by some draft experts to be the third pick overall behind LSU Tigers quarterback Joe Burrow and Ohio State edge rusher Chase Young.

Okudah had an outstanding season at Ohio State and had a viral moment at the NFL Draft Combine in which a reporter asked him about his “sloppy play” with penalties. Okudah responded by saying he had zero pass interferences and zero holding penalties.

Okudah is widely expected to be the first cornerback selected, but you never know with the NFL Draft. Some teams may fall in love with a player and select somebody else at that position. According to oddsmakers that’s unlikely to happen, but the second-place odds are given to Florida Gators cornerback CJ Henderson at +1000.

If you are looking for a longshot and a surprise at the top of the NFL Draft, Alabama Crimson Tide corner Trevon Diggs is worth a look. He has the fourth best odds, but at +3300 this qualifies as a longshot especially since he played wide receiver early in his Alabama career. NFL coaches love a Nick Saban-coached player and at 6-foot-2, Diggs is among the taller cornerbacks in this year’s draft.

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