The 2025 NFL Draft is upon us. The first round kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 24, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. 

One thing to know about this draft: It will certainly be less predictable than 2024. We’ll also see fewer quarterbacks drafted in the first round. In 2024, there were six. This year? There could potentially be just one. 

Below, I’ll explain how you can bet on the 2025 NFL Draft. Believe it or not, many betting options are available from the top online sportsbooks. 

Additionally, I’ll explain how the draft works, provide some tips, and give you my three best bets to help you add some cash to your wallet. 

Let’s dive in.

2025 NFL Draft best picks

• Denver Broncos to draft Ashton Jeanty: (+1600) at FanDuel
• Tetairoa McMillan to be a Top 5 pick: (+500) at BetMGM
• Cleveland Browns to draft Shedeur Sanders: (+550) at FanDuel

How to bet on the 2025 NFL Draft

Betting on the 2025 NFL Draft consists of prop bets related to the exact draft slot, where a specific player will be drafted, the over/under on the spot a player is drafted, and more. 

For the 2025 NFL Draft, the top online sportsbooks are upping the ante on their welcome bonuses to provide you with the best promos to make the entire draft experience enjoyable. 

For example, at FanDuel Sportsbook, you’ll receive $250 in bonus bets when you place a $5 wager on the draft and your bet wins. 

Now, as for how to approach draft betting, it gets a bit interesting. 

Teams around the NFL are vying to add more value to their squads. That can come in the form of trading down in the NFL Draft to acquire more picks or taking more chances on players.

However, this draft isn’t one that I’d consider a hotbed of trades. That said, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles has said that he expects “a lot more” trades than in the past.

Here’s where betting gets interesting, though: Do you believe him, or is he trying to make the team believe that to trade up to either acquire more assets or make sure he has all of his ducks in a row to best prepare the Bears’ draft board? 

The TLDR: There’s a lot of lying this time of year. Nothing malicious, but again, teams are trying to improve their team by any means necessary. 

For example, there’s talk that Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders will go top 3, top 10, 21st overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers or fall out of the first round altogether. 

Speculation and discussion like that are what make the draft so intriguing from a betting perspective.

How does the NFL Draft work?

The 2025 NFL Draft typically takes place in late April. It consists of seven rounds. 

This year, there are 257 total selections. This can change from year to year as the NFL provides teams with compensatory selections for various things, such as a player signing with another team in free agency or a minority coach or executive being hired as a head coach or general manager.

The draft occurs over three days: 

• Round 1: Thursday, April 24 at 8 p.m. ET.
• Rounds 2 and 3: Friday, April 25 at 7 p.m. ET. 
• Rounds 4-7: Saturday, April 26 at noon ET. 

The Tennessee Titans hold the No. 1 overall pick. The draft order is determined based on the records of teams in the previous season. 

Teams can trade picks before and during the draft. 

Teams are given a time limit to make selections, which changes from round to round. 

• Round 1: 10 minutes
• Round 2: 7 minutes
• Round 3-6: 5 minutes
• Round 7: 4 minutes 

For a prospect to be considered for the NFL Draft, they must be out of high school for at least three years and declare. Almost all prospects come from college football.

Tips for betting on the 2025 NFL Draft

As mentioned, betting on the NFL Draft in general can be quite challenging, but the 2025 iteration is shaping up to be the most mysterious. 

Despite that, here are some tips: 

Understanding the betting markets

I touched on this as well, but the betting markets are something you want to get acquainted with quickly. 

Here’s a rundown of each: 

• Exact pick number: With this bet, you’re picking the exact pick a player will go. For example, picking Penn State Nittany Lions edge rusher Abdul Carter to go No. 3 overall. The team doesn’t matter as much; it’s just the pick selection. 
• Over/under draft slot: This one can be a bit confusing. For example, let’s say Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe has an over/under of 38.5. If you bet over, that means you think he’ll go 39th or later. Conversely, if you pick under, that means you’re predicting he’ll go 38th or sooner. 
• First player by position: Picking which player you think will be drafted first at their respective position. 
• Team to draft a player: This option removes the draft slot, and instead, you simply select a player. For example, the Denver Broncos selected Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty. 
• Total players drafted by position: This will appear as an over/under, too. For example, 2.5 quarterbacks to go in the first round. If you believe three or more will go, take the over. If you think two or fewer come off the board, take under. 

Monitor what insiders are saying

This can come back to the “smoke or fire” chatter I mentioned above, but two guys I trust especially are NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah and ESPN’s Peter Schrager. These two guys seem to get excellent scoops leading up to the draft. I also monitor local beat reporters. 

Examine team needs

Ideally, teams head into the draft with minimal needs and take the best possible player available, but sometimes that isn’t the case. For example, the New England Patriots are picking No. 4 overall and desperately need offensive line help.

Sometimes, they can go against their needs, but there are some cases where it’s egregious enough that it would be shocking if they did. 

Consider positions that could go early and start a run

One position to watch for in this draft is the offensive line. There’s no completely elite talent like Joe Alt in 2024, but there’s plenty of competent talent. 

There are also plenty of teams that need offensive linemen. 

Some guys I expect to come off the board in Round 1 are Will Campbell, Armand Membou, Josh Simmons, Kelvin Banks Jr., Grey Zabel, Josh Conerly Jr., and Tyler Booker. 

Something to also consider, which can be learned from insiders and analysts: Just because an offensive lineman was an offensive tackle in college doesn’t mean he’ll translate to one in the NFL. This could impact their draft stock. 

Shop the odds

Our top online sports betting sites include FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, and bet365. Explore these sites to compare odds to get the best value. 

2025 NFL Draft picks

Below are some 2025 NFL Draft best bets that I’m targeting during the draft. These aren’t necessarily moves I’d make, but with the draft, we’re trying to get inside the minds of teams and their front offices. 

Let’s check them out. 

Denver Broncos to draft Ashton Jeanty: (+1600) at FanDuel Sportsbook

I’m rolling the dice a bit on this one. At +1600, that’s excellent value for a Broncos team that needs a running back.

There is a glaring issue, though: They’re drafting 20th overall. 

That said, Broncos head coach Sean Payton is known to trade up to get a player he wants—just think of edge rusher Marcus Davenport, whom he traded a future first-round pick for. 

If Jeanty falls, the Saints, Payton’s former team, stand out as a potential trade candidate. They need a bunch of talent to replenish their team, and this would also put them ahead of another potential Jeanty spot, the Bears. 

Place a bet on Denver Broncos to draft Ashton Jeanty at Fanduel

Tetairoa McMillan to be a Top 5 pick: (+500) at BetMGM Sportsbook

McMillan has been a controversial topic in the 2025 NFL Draft. At one point, some mocks had him going No. 4 overall to the Patriots. Lately, I’ve seen him falling to No. 17 to the Seattle Seahawks or No. 20 if the Broncos stand pat. 

However, at No. 5 overall, there’s the Jacksonville Jaguars. Their new head coach is Liam Coen, an offensive-minded individual who was associated with a player named Mike Evans during his time in Tampa Bay in 2024. 

McMillan isn’t exactly Evans, but he has that body type and gives quarterback Trevor Lawrence another receiving threat. 

Place Tetairoa McMillan to be a Top 5 pick at BetMGM

Cleveland Browns to draft Shedeur Sanders: (+550) at FanDuel Sportsbook

I view Sanders as a borderline first-round guy. I don’t think he’s a dynamic runner. I think he makes good plays and reads, but he has limited arm strength. 

Thus, I think he could fall in the first round. 

With that, I’m looking at No. 24 with the Minnesota Vikings as a potential trade-up spot with the Browns holding No. 33 overall. 

I think the Browns will take Hunter at No. 2 (-1200 at FanDuel Sportsbook), and this would pair Sanders and Hunter together once again, just like their college days.

Pick Cleveland Browns to draft Shedeur Sanders at Fanduel

Where to watch the 2025 NFL Draft

• Dates: April 24-26
• Times:
  • April 24 at 8 p.m. ET,
  • Friday, April 25 at 7 p.m. ET.
  • Saturday, April 26 at noon ET
• Venue: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
• Where to watch: NFL+, ESPN+, CNN Sports, DirecTV, Fubo, regional stations

Commercial content notice: Taking one of the sportsbooks offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 21+. T&Cs apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler

Responsible gambling 

Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chase their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressed
• National Council on Problem Gambling – https://www.ncpgambling.org/
• Gamble Aware – www.begambleaware.org

For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 1-800-522-4700 or go to ncpgambling.org/chat