We all knew that Fernando Mendoza would get drafted No. 1 overall. However, unlike a lot of previous drafts, nobody seemed to know who would go No. 2 between David Bailey and Arvell Reese and the chaos started very quickly during the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft as a result.
In the end, it was Bailey who went second to the Jets as the second favorite and Reese went fifth, barely holding on to top-five pick status after closing as high as -3000 to be a top-five selection. Jeremiyah Love going third overall wasn’t a surprise, though maybe it was a tad surprising that the Cardinals kept the pick to take him. If that was a surprise, it sure as heck wasn’t as big of a surprise as Carnell Tate going fourth overall to the Titans.
Over six million dollars was pumped into Kalshi’s second overall pick market and about $2.3 million more into the third overall pick market. Even though a lot of people were guessing, and it seemed like even beat writers and insiders had less insight than ever before, that didn’t stop gamblers and traders across all markets from getting down on the draft.
All in all, it seemed like the sportsbooks had a pretty good night and bettors are tending to some wounds here as we look ahead to Day 2, which features the second and third rounds. There are a handful of markets available as we look at some players who are still on the board, including some that were expected to be first-round selections.
Let’s survey the markets from DraftKings and the odds as of 9 a.m. PT on April 24 to see if there are any good bets to be made.
Number 33 Pick: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (+450)
There are two pretty clear needs for the 49ers with this pick – offensive line and safety. The Niners traded back out of the first round because they were confident that who they wanted would still be available and if the considerations were McNeil-Warren and OG Chase Bisontis, they can take their pick. They can also opt to trade the pick if they’d like.
If the pick is traded, my guess is that it goes to a WR-needy team and Denzel Boston is the pick. But, if the 49ers keep the pick, then I think EMW is the guy. Both McNeil-Warren and Bisontis seem to be graded much higher than the others in their respective position groups, so the 49ers should be interested in either one. Even with a healthy Christian McCaffrey, the running game for the Niners was horrendous last season, but they also only generated 20 sacks and 106 pressures, which ranked 32nd and 30th, respectively.
The 6-foot-4 safety out of Toledo seems like he has the potential to be more of an impact player than Bisontis and the 49ers need impact players with the current state of the NFC West.
Atlanta Falcons Position of First Drafted Player: Wide Receiver (+350)
The Falcons have a handful of needs, but first-year head coach Kevin Stefanski never seemed to be able to get an impact talent at WR in the draft with the Browns, so he’ll push for one here. I could absolutely see the Falcons trying to trade up here to get Denzel Boston, but I think there are a couple of players Stefanski could have his eye on.
While not as heavy as David Njoku, Malachi Fields at 6-foot-5 would be a good fit into the Atlanta offense as a guy who can keep the team on schedule as a big-bodied receiver, much like Njoku did for the Browns. Even though Njoku was technically a tight end, he was utilized more like a receiver. Maybe Stefanski feels like Kyle Pitts will play that role, but another big target in Fields to go with a 6-foot-4 guy in Drake London gives the passing game a lot of margin for error. Chris Brazzell is also 6-foot-4, so another option.
It’s also possible that Stefanski sees somebody like Germie Bernard in an Amari Cooper/Jerry Jeudy type role, given that he’s similarly-sized. I don’t think the Falcons necessarily need pass-catching help, but neither Pitts nor London had over 1,000 yards receiving, despite having 118 and 112 targets, respectively, so an offensive-minded guy is going to want a more dynamic passing attack.
Team Drafted By: Eli Stowers -> Carolina (+500)
The Panthers are going to be waiting around a while because they have the 19th pick of the second round, so the 51st pick overall. Will Stowers make it that far? I don’t know, but the Panthers may be working on some ways to move up to take him.
Stowers actually started his career as a QB, but moved to TE during his sophomore season at New Mexico State. Over the last two seasons at Vanderbilt, he caught 111 passes with more than 1,400 yards receiving. Mitchell Evans was the team’s leader at TE in yards per route run with 1.29 and that ranked 45th, as the only Panther with over one yard per route run.
Evans only played 37% of the offensive snaps as a fifth-round pick last season. Maybe his role does increase, but Stowers seems way more explosive.
