NFL Draft Betting: Laiatu Latu Surpasses Dallas Turner as New Favorite to be No. 8 Overall Pick
Dallas Turner was the long-time favorite to be the No. 8 overall pick in the draft.
With three days remaining, he has been usurped.
The Falcons hold the eighth selection, and UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu is now the betting favorite to be picked in that spot with +185 odds, per DraftKings on April 22nd.
Turner, the edge rusher from Alabama, has odds of +220, dropping to second for the first time since the odds were unveiled last month.
Odds to be the No. 8 Pick at DraftKings
- Laiatu Latu +185
- Dallas Turner +220
- Rome Odunze +600
- Byron Murphy II +1200
- Jared Verse +1300
- Quinyon Mitchell +1600
- Terrion Arnold +1700
- Malik Nabers +1700
- J.J. McCarthy +1800
Latu was a 15/1 longshot to be the No. 8 pick in late March but has come on strong the past two weeks. He had a serious neck injury in college that forced him to medically retire at one point, but has put together two dominant and healthy seasons since.
If Atlanta is comfortable with the medical, Latu could be the choice over Turner. Latu now has +145 odds to be a top-10 selection after being a longer shot previously.
Turner is still listed as the favorite to be the first defensive player taken in the draft at -120 odds, although he doesn’t have a natural landing spot above pick No. 8.
Latu has +275 odds to be the first defensive player chosen, and that could be the value play for those who believe he will go at No. 8, since four quarterbacks, three wide receivers and offensive tackle Joe Alt are all commonly projected to go in the top-7.
The betting markets are swinging this week as the final decisions are being made in preparation for the draft.
Many believed Latu might slip in the first round because of his medical history, but the opposite could now be true: good examination results may push him up into the top-10.
The Falcons have -215 odds to make a defensive lineman or edge their first selection of the draft, according to DraftKings.
The big question: is it more likely to be Latu or Turner?