Who will Eagles take in draft? Oddsmakers weigh in

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To quote the late Shock G of Digital Underground, “It’s the same ol’ song, y’all.”

Around this time last year LSU wide receiver Justin Jefferson at +160 ($10 bet to win $16 - NBC Sports betting partner PointsBet) was the favorite to be selected as the Eagles first pick in the NFL Draft.

We all know the Eagles passed on Jefferson and opted for TCU’s Jalen Reagor, whose odds were +1000 ($10 bet to win $100). In fact, the top five players on the betting board were all wideouts.

Now to present day, and surprise once again a wide receiver is listed at the top. Not just any receiver but the reigning Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith from Alabama. Smith is the odds-on favorite at -139 ($10 bet to win $7.19).

DeVonta Smith: -139

Patrick Surtain II: +300

Jaylen Waddle: +400

Jaycee Horn: +400

Micah Parsons: +650

What is different from a season ago is Smith and his teammate at ‘Bama, Jaylen Waddle (+400), are the only offensive players in the top five on the board. Sandwiched between the two is another member of the Crimson Tide, cornerback Patrick Surtain II (+300). South Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn (+400) and Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons (+650) round out the top five.

PointsBet has also set Smith’s over/under at 11.5 on which pick he’ll be selected at. The over is the favorite at -135 ($10 bet to win $7.41) while the under is at +100 ($10 bet to win $10). Remember the Eagles currently own the 12th overall pick.

That leads us to which position the oddsmakers think the Eagles will hone in on with their first pick.

Wide receiver: +125

Cornerback: +175

Offensive lineman: +700

Defensive lineman: +1000

Once again all the attention is on the wide receiver position with odds of +125 ($10 bet to win $12.50) followed by cornerback at +175.

So for the second straight year all the signs from a betting perspective point toward wide receiver being the Eagles’ first pick. If Smith is that selection then the Eagles will have done something they haven't done since 1965 ... draft a Heisman Trophy winner.

The Eagles took Notre Dame quarterback John Huarte in the 6th round. He was also was selected in the 2nd round of the AFL Draft by the Jets. Huarte opted to sign with the Jets but never took a snap because he was beaten out for the job by Alabama quarterback Joe Namath, who was the top overall pick by the Jets in the very same 1965 AFL Draft.

Huarte eventually played for the Eagles in 1968 when he appeared in just two games and made his only NFL start. The Eagles lost that game 34-25 to the Giants.

PointsBet is NBC Sports Official Sports Betting Partner, and we may receive compensation if you place a bet on PointsBet for the first time after clicking our links.

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