NFL betting: After a great draft, Eagles see big improvement in Super Bowl odds
Everyone loves to debate whether draft grades matter, probably more than they like to debate draft grades themselves.
But we all know some teams won the draft. We just don't know who yet. But oddsmakers don't have time to wait.
There are Super Bowl odds up nearly year-round, and some teams had their odds change over the NFL draft. The most significant move came after a Philadelphia Eagles draft that was universally praised.
The Eagles were +900 to win the Super Bowl before the NFL draft started, and +700 after it at BetMGM. That move separates the Eagles from a group that was behind the Kansas City Chiefs at +900. The Eagles are now alone as the second favorite to win it all.
Eagles GM Howie Roseman has been on a roll the past few years, and perhaps he did it again.
Eagles had a stellar draft
The Eagles started their draft by taking defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who had some buzz as the top overall prospect in the draft but fell to No. 9 due to off-field concerns. The Eagles could afford to take a shot on the supremely talented Carter. Philadelphia had that pick from a 2022 draft day trade with the New Orleans Saints.
Late in the first round the Eagles used their own pick on Nolan Smith Jr., an athletic pass rusher from Georgia. The Eagles defense was great rushing the passer last season and it could be even better this season.
Philadelphia's next few picks in the middle rounds also got praised: offensive lineman Tyler Steen in the second round, safety Sydney Brown in the third round and cornerback Kelee Ringo in the fourth round. Even defensive lineman Moro Ojomo, a seventh-round pick, was seen as good value. It seems like there could be a lot of impact players in that class.
The Eagles' draft had the highest consensus grade. Pair that with a fantastic roster that won an NFC championship last season, and it's no surprise that the Eagles moved up the Super Bowl odds.
Which other teams' Super Bowl odds shifted?
The Eagles weren't the only team to have its odds move after the draft.
BetMGM said the other teams whose odds got shorter were the Seattle Seahawks, who moved from +5000 to +4000 after a strong draft, Cleveland Browns (+4000 to +3000) and the New England Patriots. The Patriots moved from +6600 to +5000. The Patriots' move is curious considering their draft grades were in the middle of the pack. They drafted some defensive help with some good value picks (cornerback Christian Gonzalez and edge defender Keion White, but they also had the curious move of drafting a kicker and a punter. Their shift is a bit odd, though they're still behind the other three AFC East teams.
BetMGM said four teams lost ground in the Super Bowl odds after the draft: Minnesota Vikings (+4000 to +5000), New York Giants (+4000 to +5000), Las Vegas Raiders (+4000 to +6600) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+8000 to +10000). Those moves are odd since none of the draft grades were bad — the Giants were considered to have a good draft — but they shifted anyway.
With most of the impact free agents off the market, the draft was the last chance to improve a roster. The bad news for the rest of the NFC was that the Eagles seemed to maximize that opportunity.
