Tight End NFL Draft Props

We covered a lot in our prop bet articles leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft, touching on the most important position with a strong quarterback class ready to deliver the No. 1 overall pick for the seventh time in the last nine years. For obvious reasons certain positions garner a lot more attention than others, and quarterbacks get the most. One thing a number of the game’s top QBs past and present have in common is a strong pass-catching tight end. Since we haven’t mentioned those guys in any of our articles maybe we should pay them a visit.

Kansas City’s Travis Kelce is widely recognized as the best tight end in the game today with plenty of help from Patrick Mahomes. During his glory days with New England Tom Brady had Rob Gronkowski and the two teamed in Tampa to win another Super Bowl. The Chargers had plenty of success at the position with Kellen Winslow and later Antonio Gates helping Dan Fouts and Philip Rivers throw for a bunch of yards. It doesn’t always work out but you can see there are teams that utilize the position and understand the value of it. So, our NFL betting props in this article will touch on the best tight ends available and how many of them will be drafted in the first round. You can make football bets online at BetRivers sportsbook and hopefully win some coin on draft day.

2023 NFL Draft

The first round of the 2023 NFL Draft is set to take place in Kansas City on Thursday, April 27 at 8 p.m. ET. Rounds two and three are set for Friday, April 28 at 7 p.m. ET with rounds four through seven on Saturday, April 29 starting at Noon ET. The entire draft will be televised on ABC, ESPN and NFL Network.

2023 NFL Draft Props

I guess there’s a reason why tight ends don’t get much attention around draft time. There’s never been a player at the position drafted first overall and the most tight ends ever drafted in the first was three, which happened four times. Not enough teams utilize a tight end to a degree warranting a first round pick and clubs often find talent in later rounds. Kelce was drafted in the third round, 85^th overall, in 2013. George Kittle was selected by the Niners in the fifth round of the 2017 draft at 146^th overall and Mark Andrews was went in the third round of the 2018 draft at 86^th overall. As you can see, tight ends are not a NFL best bet when it comes to being drafted in the first round.

Number of Tight Ends Selected in First Round

Over 2.5 ( +102 )

Under 2.5 ( -138 )

Oddmakers do their due diligence when it comes to setting and pricing props. And considering the class of tight ends this year and the draft history for the position two is probably right with NFL odds favoring the UNDER. The position has evolved over the years with rules aiding the offense. And the players have adapted as well. There are as many as five tight ends in the draft class that scouts and evaluators believe can make an immediate impact. Most outlets have Dalton Kincaid as the top prospect. He was Utah’s top receiving threat last season with 70 receptions for 890 yards and eight touchdowns while being a key blocker in the Utes’ strong ground game. Kincaid made a late surge up the prospect list surpassing previous top prospect Michael Mayer out of Notre Dame.

Mayer doesn’t wow with his speed or athleticism, he’s just a prototypical tight end who runs precise routes and always catches the football. He led the Irish in receptions in each of his three seasons and departed South Bend as the program’s career-leader in catches, yards and touchdowns by a tight end. Most experts have these two coming off the board late in the first round. The x-factor to make this prop pay the OVER is Darnell Washington. An intriguing prospect at 6-foot-7, 260-pounds, Washington has exquisite hands and is a devastating blocker. He wasn’t utilized much in the passing game at Georgia with only 45 receptions and three TDs in three seasons, which is something that could hold him back. There are several teams with late first round picks that incorporate the tight end into their scheme. And with several talented athletes there for the taking the OVER looks like a solid NFL wager.

Check out the latest NFL draft betting odds at BetRivers.