The 2022 NFL Draft in Las Vegas is less than 24 hours away, and the Jacksonville Jaguars are on the clock. Leading draft analysts are finalizing their mock drafts, and all indications are that LSU Tigers cornerback Derek Stingley, Jr. will be one of the top picks in the NFL Draft and go in the top 10 of Round 1.
The LA sports betting market for the NFL Draft is driven by information. As the draft nears, there is not only more solid information, but also disinformation and unpredictability with unexpected events like team trades, which are expected to total at least five in Round 1.
What about insider critics mock draft
NBC Sports NFL insider Peter King released his updated mock draft Monday, and the sports betting market adjusted quickly to some of the player projections, including Georgia’s Travon Walker the new betting favorite to be the No. 1 overall selection.
But Peter King projects that Stingley will go No. 12 overall to the Minnesota Vikings. King notes that his old defensive coordinator at LSU and secondary coach Daronte Jones would coach Stingley.
Former Tigers cornerback Patrick Peterson could also mentor Stingley. This would seem to be a dream scenario for the Vikings, but based on other analysts and money coming in on Stingley, it looks far more likely he’ll be drafted in the top 10.
Keep in mind that if any of these NFL Mock Draft ‘experts’ were able to project even 10 of the 32 Round 1 picks correctly, they would have had an exceptional mock draft.
Jump on Stingley’s popular bet wagon
Due to rules and regulations, Louisiana does not allow select sportsbooks like FanDuel to operate NFL Draft betting.
However, Caesars Louisiana Sportsbook is approved by the state to allow NFL Draft betting, and Derek Stingley is taking more action and about to become king of the Empire as a top 10 pick.
I spoke with Adam Pullen, Assistant Director of Trading at Caesars Sportsbook in recent days ahead of the NFL Draft. Pullen says Caesars has “taken more action’ on Stingley, and, “especially in Louisiana.”
Fans of LSU and the Tigers are placing more bets on one of their own. Stingley is one of Caesars’ biggest liabilities as he’s one of the three most bet on players and most money is on him in the NFL Draft market.
“There is more volatility the final week into the draft,” Pullen noted. “We’ve taken much more recreational action in Louisiana, but have also seen some bigger bets recently on Stingley too,” Pullen told me on behalf of PlayUSA.
While limits are reduced in some NFL Draft markets, Caesars has taken some bets from $1,000 to $2,000 on Stingley, including to be the No. 3 overall pick to the Houston Texans, now at +600 odds.
Derek Stingley, Jr. NFL Draft projections and odds
Derek Stingley, Jr. is now projected to be a top 10 pick in Round 1 of the 2022 NFL Draft. Stingley is expected to be the second cornerback drafted behind Cincinnati’s Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, whose stock has also risen in the week leading into the Draft.
Gardner is now just a -130 favorite to be the first cornerback drafted but was closer to -400 or higher last week. Caesars now has Stingley at +100 odds to be the first corner back drafted after sitting at +200 less than a week ago. Other sportsbooks have longer odds on Stingley, but his popularity in Louisiana shows the regional bias and interest in the LSU star.
Stingley’s NFL Draft profile now shows his over/under draft position is 7.5 at FanDuel Sportsbook with -114 odd on the under, but 7.5 and -150 under at Caesars Sportsbook. Stingley’s over/under draft position was 9.5 at Caesars less than a week ago.
That means Caesars has taken more money on Stingley to be drafted higher. And, they’re charging higher odds and vigorish if you want to bet that Stingley will be one of the first seven players drafted. DraftKings favored Derek to be a top 10 pick with odds of -125 but is now at -300.
Stingley joins other LSU star players in focus
Stingley is set to join former LSU stars playing in the NFL, including 2022 Super Bowl participants:
- Joe Burrow
- Ja’Marr Chase
- Odell Beckham
- Andrew Whitworth
- Tyler Shelvin
In Stingley’s freshman season at LSU in 2019, he had 6 interceptions and 15 pass breakups and helped lead LSU to a national championship. Derek only played three games in 2021, and he confirmed that he suffered the Lisfranc foot injury on the first day of fall camp last season and played the first three games injured.
All of this further supports what a star NFL teams believe Stingley can be as he returns from an injury.
The LSU star ran a 4.37 40-yard dash at LSU’s Pro Day on Apr. 6, and he’s now going to be performing for an NFL team on Sundays. As a top 10 pick in the NFL Draft, Stingley is about to secure a contract of at least $5 million per season and a signing bonus of over $13 million.
LSU Tigers to watch in 2022 NFL Draft
Derek Stingley, Jr. will be the first LSU Tiger to be picked in the 2022 NFL Draft. He’s also likely to be the only Tiger drafted in either Round 1 or 2.
Here are other Tigers to watch in the NFL Draft as they begin a pro football career. The NFL may not draft some of these players but they did participate in LSU’s pro day and will be free.
- Ed Ingram, OG
- Chasen Hines, OG
- Damone Clark, LB
- Ty Davis-Price, RB
- Neil Farrell, Jr. DT
- Cordale Flott, CB
- Jontre Kirklin, WR
- Andre Anthony, DE
- Cade York, K
- Darren Evans, DB
- Austin Deculus, OL
- Cam Lewis, DB
- Glen Logan, DT
- Jamal Pettigrew, TE
- Liam Shanahan, C
- Avery Atkins, K/P
New Orleans Saints 2022 NFL Draft picks
As is the case with the Draft, fans will either love or hate what the Saints do with its picks. Will this year’s crop fall on the good side of the Saints’ draft history, or go the other direction?
In total, New Orleans has 7 picks in this year’s NFL Draft. And at least they head into the NFL Draft in a better position with salary-cap space having freed up some money in recent months including converting two players’ salaries to bonuses.
Round 1: No. 16 (from PHI)
Round 1: No. 19 (from PHI)
Round 2: No 49
Round 3: No. 98 (compensatory)
Round 4: No. 120
Round 5: No. 161
Round 6: No. 194 (from PHI)
