NFL Draft: Numerous Offensive Linemen Projected to Go in First Round

FanDuel Sportsbook expects a decent number of offensive linemen to be drafted in the first round on April 27. 

The Over-Under for offensive linemen to be taken in the opening round is at 5.5 with the over at -230 and the under at +168. 

Here’s a rundown of who could get taken early on and their betting props.

Peter Skoronski, Northwestern, OT

CBS, NFL.com, Pro Football Focus and ESPN all have Skoronski as the first offensive lineman selected in this year’s draft. Both CBS and NFL.com have the Las Vegas Raiders taking Skoronski at No. 7. The 6-foot-4, 313-pound tackle could end up playing inside at guard due to his sub-33-inch arms, but managed to be successful at Northwestern on the outside. Skoronski allowed just six pressures on 474 pass-blocking snaps in his third season starting at left tackle.

ESPN and PFF both have the Chicago Bears taking Skoronski at No. 9. Chicago could use reinforcements along its offensive line after the team had the fifth-highest pressure percentage in the league (25.4%), and the franchise will be eager to protect QB Justin Fields, who the Bears took 11th in the 2021 NFL Draft. 

If the mock drafts are to be believed, there is some betting value on Skoronski. FanDuel lists his Over-Under draft position at 10.5 with the under at -140 and over at +104. If Skoronski is taken inside the top 10 and you took the over, your bet would be graded as a winner. Given how four separate mock drafts all have him going inside the top 10, Skoronski is worth a look in the draft betting market.

Paris Johnson, OT, Ohio State

The 2022 season was Johnson’s first at left tackle after having played the previous season exclusively at right guard. He allowed only 14 pressures on 449 pass-blocking snaps, and at 6-6, 310 pounds, he has the ideal frame for an offensive tackle in the NFL. 

Mock drafts have Johnson going from anywhere from No. 14 to the New England Patriots (ESPN) to No. 19 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (CBS). Both teams could use offensive line assistance with the Patriots and Buccaneers tied for the lowest amount of pocket time in the league last season at 2.2. 

Pocket time is the average length a QB has in the pocket between the snap and throwing the ball, or pressure collapses in the pocket. The low pocket time is even more alarming, considering the teams were tied with the fourth-lowest blitz rate in the league, meaning default defensive pressure typically threw the teams’ passing games out of sync.

DraftKings Sportsbook has Johnson’s individual draft over-under draft prop at 9.5 with the over the favorite at -150, while the under is at 9.5. 

Check out Gambling.com's NFL Mock Draft

Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia

Jones is the lone other offensive linemen with an NFL draft prop on either DraftKings or FanDuel. He started every game for the national title-winning Georgia Bulldogs and did not allow a sack in any of the 15 games. The 6-5, 311-pound tackle earned an 84.1 pass-blocking grade from PFF in his first full season starting at left tackle. 

Jones’ draft prop on DraftKings is at 13.5, with the over at -170 and the under at +140. Similar to Johnson, mock drafts have Jones going somewhere in the teens. ESPN and NFL.com have the New York Jets taking Jones at No. 13, while PFF and CBS both have the Pittsburgh Steelers selecting Jones at No. 17.