Quinyon Mitchell Has Second-Best Odds To Be First Defensive Player Drafted

It’s been a meteoric rise for Quinyon Mitchell.

Could the Toledo cornerback cap it by being the first defensive player chosen in the NFL draft?

Such an outcome is entirely realistic, according to DraftKings sportsbook.

While Dallas Turner has the best odds to be the first defensive player picked in the draft, Mitchell comes in at No. 2. Here is a look at the top-5 candidates and their corresponding odds.

Odds to be the First Defensive Player Chosen in Draft

• Dallas Turner -130
• Quinyon Mitchell +380
• Jared Verse +475
• Terrion Arnold +650
• Laiatu Latu +800

Mitchell’s stock was rising steadily throughout the pre-draft process, and then he put on an absolute show at the NFL Scouting Combine.

The 6-foot, 195-pound cover man ran the 40-yard dash in 4.33 seconds, hit 20 reps on the bench press and impressed with a 38-inch vertical leap.

Mitchell has good tape as well, with the one big question centering on the level of competition faced. However, plenty of smaller-school payers with a great athletic profile have made a smooth transition to the NFL, and the betting markets clearly think Mitchell has that same chance.

Turner ran a fast 40-yard dash and has the pedigree as an edge rusher from powerhouse Alabama, so it makes sense that he is the favorite to be the first defensive player chosen.

But it depends on how the board shakes out, because a team with a bigger need at cornerback could take Mitchell instead of Turner.

This is an interesting wager because the beginning of the draft is expected to be so offense-heavy. There is a chance none of the defensive players go in the first eight or 10 picks, which really makes it tough to gauge which one will be selected first.

Mitchell’s dominant Combine has put him right in that conversation. Terrion Arnold is the other cornerback listed with top-5 odds, while Jared Verse and Laiatu Latu are both edge-rushers that could be in the mix to be the first defensive player chosen.

There are also longshot choices to consider, and some of them could hold value because of the uncertainty of the pecking order surrounding the defensive players in this draft.

These odds can also be wagered on using DraftKings sportsbook.

• Byron Murphy II +2000
• Nate Wiggins +2500
• Chop Robinson +2500
• Cooper DeJean +7500
• Payton Wilson +10000
• Michael Hall, Jr. +10000
• Kris Jenkins +10000
• Kool-Aid McKinstry +10000
• Jer’Zhan Newton +10000
• Edgerrin Cooper +10000
• T’Vondre Sweat +10000
• Ennis Rakestraw, Jr. +10000
• Bralen Trice +10000