The 2022 NFL Draft wide receiving corps may be the deepest ever. There’s no true consensus No. 1 pass catcher with heavyweights like Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson, USC’s Drake London, and Alabama’s Jameson Williams leading the way. Which of these three players goes first off the board? Does another player leapfrog them? Below, we”ll look at NFL Draft odds for the wide receiver position.
NFL Draft odds: First WR drafted
There’s a crop of three players (Wilson, London, Williams) that are ahead of the pack in terms of odds to be the first receiver drafted. However, other names have certainly come up like Arkansas’ Treylon Burks. Could combine standout Chris Olave be in the conversation? Perhaps.
Teams near the top of the board likely to draft receivers include the Falcons (eighth), Jets (10th), and Commanders (11th). Later on in the round, popular teams mocked to take a receiver include New Orleans (16, 19), Green Bay (22, 28), and Kansas City (29, 30).
Click on the odds for the first receiver drafted below to wager now.
Garrett Wilson | Bet now -130 | Bet now -160 | Bet now -175 |
Jameson Williams | Bet now +175 | Bet now +250 | Bet now +225 |
Drake London | Bet now +250 | Bet now +250 | Bet now +250 |
Chris Olave | Bet now +1800 | Bet now +2500 | Bet now +2000 |
Treylon Burks | Bet now +2000 | Bet now +2500 | Bet now +2000 |
Jahan Dotson | Bet now +5000 | Bet now +10000 | Bet now +10000 |
Christian Watson | Bet now +5000 | Bet now +10000 | Bet now +5000 |
Skyy Moore | Bet now +7500 | Bet now +10000 | Bet now +10000 |
How to bet on first WR drafted
One of the most common NFL Draft prop wagers are those that involve betting on which player will be the first drafted at each position. To find these wagers in an online sportsbook, click the NFL tab to navigate toward the 2022 Draft section. Once there, click on “First Pick by Position” to view the players in the market and their corresponding odds.
NFL Draft: 2022 WR profiles
Garrett Wilson, Ohio State
While he’s only 6′ 0″, 185 pounds, Garrett Wilson plays like a big-bodied receiver. He’s strong at the catch point and his eye-popping play at Ohio State has landed him near the top of draft boards. Common landing spots for Wilson are the Jets at 10– who hosted him, Williams, and Olave in pre-draft visits– and Washington at 11.
Despite his above-the-rim style of play, NFL teams may opt for a bigger receiver depending on their needs. Players like London and Burks are bigger guys that may draw more attention from teams in need of a bigger target like the Jets or Chiefs. However, oddsmakers are bullish on his draft stock, setting his draft position prop at 10.5 (O -170) and his prop to be drafted top 10 (-160).
Drake London, USC
Throughout the college football season, Drake London was a name that stayed under the radar. The Trojans had an abysmal season, particularly offensively. As soon as the season ended, London shot up draft boards. He led the nation in contested catches, aided by his 6′ 4″, 220 pound frame. Some criticisms point to London not being a great separator, hence the high volume of contested catches, but quarterback play at USC was shoddy and many of those were a result of poor throws.
Two traits that may vault London into being the first receiver off the board are his run blocking ability and threat with the football in his hands. Teams looking to add a vertical threat like the Jets may be interested in London, especially with a rocket-armed young quarterback. Notably, the Jets did not host London at their pre-draft Top 30 visits.
Jameson Williams, Alabama
Jameson Williams is the number one receiver in this class and that’s agreed upon by a vast number of people: media, executives, coaches. The enormous asterisk on Williams’ name is that he’s still recovering from a torn ACL suffered in the National Championship Game. Conversely from his 2020 teammate Jaylen Waddle– who was drafted sixth overall last year– Williams is barely four months out from the injury. A team drafting him would be without Williams likely for the first six or so weeks.
However, teams passing on Williams due to his injury are passing on a massive talent. He’s a threat in nearly every phase of the game and is the next great shifty receiver out of Alabama. His draft position is volatile because we’re not entirely sure on how different executives value injury. In the past, we’ve seen players like Tee Higgins fall due to injury and turn out to be outstanding NFL players.
Chris Olave, Ohio State
Olave was the star at Ohio State despite sharing a room with at least two other first-round receivers. He first broke out against Michigan in 2018, where he began to get first-round NFL Draft buzz. At the combine, Olave posted an unofficial 4.21 40-yard dash (which was later corrected to 4.4), but his separation ability is the best in this draft. Olave’s an extremely fluid route runner and seemingly “disappears” from secondaries only to turn up 40 yards downfield in the end zone.
His size (6′ 1″, 187) isn’t helping his draft stock, though it may in the long run help his career. Teams associated with Olave in mock drafts include the Packers and Buccaneers, both of which would help him thrive. Notably, the Eagles hosted him at a top-30 pre-draft visit this offseason. Philly picks 15th and 18th in the first round.
Treylon Burks, Arkansas
While his size (6′ 2″, 225) and athleticism may suggest Burks is a vertical player, his play suggests otherwise. Arkansas helped Burks thrive by giving him every opportunity to get open, get the ball in his hands, and let him work after the catch. Despite this kind of utilization, he posted 16.73 yards per reception, just outside the top 50 nationally, but much higher than many other receivers in his same volume/yardage range.
The volatility on Burks’ draft stock ranges from eighth overall to the Falcons, to the back of the first round to the Packers or Buccaneers. His current prop for draft position is 23.5 (O -120) at DraftKings Sportsbook, implied to be behind the four aforementioned receivers.
Jahan Dotson, Penn State
In another class, Jahan Dotson may be the cream of the crop. Fans of Big Ten teams who had to deal with Dotson know how difficult he was to cover and he was seemingly always open. Penn State didn’t have great quarterback play during Dotson’s tenure, leading to him showing off his uncanny ability to make himself impossible to miss. Some mocks have suggested that Dotson may be drafted higher than we think– potentially above both Burks and Wilson.
Dotson had a pre-draft visit with the Patriots, who pick 21st in the first round. With receiver-hungry teams sitting right behind them, New England could pull the trigger on Doston should they see him as their guy.
Christian Watson, North Dakota State
Christian Watson was the Senior Bowl sweetheart and went on to post lucrative Combine numbers. He stands 6′ 4″ tall and posted a 4.36 40-yard dash in Indianapolis. The main criticism against Watson is that he played against FCS competition and benefitted from playing at powerhouse North Dakota State. However, the tangibles are oftentimes too good to pass up.
He was a trendy pick to sneak into the back of the first round, potentially to Kansas City with one of their two first round picks. However, as the draft cycle continued, his name began disappearing from those spots in leu of other positions like pass rusher and offensive tackle. DraftKings now names him a toss-up (-110) to be drafted inside the first round.
Skyy Moore, Western Michigan
Another player to be a trendy replacement in mock drafts for Christian Watson is Western Michigan’s Skyy Moore. While much smaller than Watson (he stands 5′ 10″, 195 pounds), Moore posted elite numbers in the 40-yard dash and broad jump. He is a trendy pick for Kansas City at the back of the first round since he emulates play style and the athleticism of recently-traded Tyreek Hill.
“Trendy” is the best way to describe his first round odds, as DraftKings prices him at +140 to go inside the first round.
NFL Draft WR history
Here is a list of the first wide receivers taken in each NFL Draft going back to 2010.
| Year | Team | Player | College | Pick (No. overall) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Cincinnati | Ja'Marr Chase | LSU | 5 |
| 2020 | Las Vegas | Henry Ruggs | Alabama | 12 |
| 2019 | Baltimore | Marquise Brown | Oklahoma | 25 |
| 2018 | Carolina | DJ Moore | Maryland | 24 |
| 2017 | Tennessee | Corey Davis | Western Michigan | 5 |
| 2016 | Cleveland | Corey Coleman | Baylor | 15 |
| 2015 | Oakland | Amari Cooper | Alabama | 4 |
| 2014 | Buffalo | Sammy Watkins | Clemson | 4 |
| 2013 | St. Louis | Tavon Austin | West Virginia | 8 |
| 2012 | Jacksonville | Justin Blackmon | Oklahoma St. | 5 |
| 2011 | Cincinnati | AJ Green | Georgia | 4 |
| 2010 | Denver | Demaryius Thomas | Georgia Tech | 22 |
NFL Draft betting strategy and trends
To assess a draft predictively, you have to assess which teams are in the greatest need of pass catchers. This season the Falcons, Jets, Commanders, Eagles, Saints, Packers, and Chiefs fit the bill. Each team has a need or preference when it comes to receiver playing style. For example, the Jets have a young quarterback with a rocket arm and not very many deep threats. Players like Chris Olave and Drake London fit their team need here. The Packers have field-stretchers, but are in need of a go-to possession receiver, making them more likely to draft Treylon Burks.
Also keep in mind team connections in the front office or on the coaching staff. For another position example, the Panthers are rumored to like quarterback Kenny Pickett because Panthers head coach Matt Rhule recruited Pickett when he was at Temple.
In the past two drafts, at least five receivers have been selected in the first round. Before then, you’d have to look back to 2014 to find a first round that featured more than four receivers selected.