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NFL Draft 2022: Who Will Be the First Receiver Drafted?
Written by: Devon Platana
Last Updated:
Read Time: 6 minutes
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The 2022 NFL Draft begins in less than three weeks, kicking off on Thursday, April 28 from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
As usual, several teams will be looking to improve their offenses with this year’s prospects. Fortunately, the 2022 wide receiver class is one of the deeper groups in recent years, offering up some NFL-ready pass-catching help.
It’s unsurprising that fans are trying to figure out which wide receiver will be taken first in this year’s draft.
After all, some mock draft experts have players like USC’s Drake London or Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson being the top-rated wideout, while someone like Alabama’s Jameson Williams could easily be the first WR taken as well.
Fortunately, oddsmakers like BetOnline Sportsbook have released odds on who will be the first wide receiver drafted in the 2022 NFL Draft to help paint a clearer picture.
Odds to Be First Wide Receiver Drafted in 2022 NFL Draft
- Drake London, USC (+110)
- Garrett Wilson, Ohio State (+140)
- Jameson Williams, Alabama (+600)
- Treylon Burks, Arkansas (+800)
- Chris Olave, Ohio State (+1600)
- Jahan Dotson, Penn State (+7500)
- Christian Watson, North Dakota State (+7500)
- Tyquan Thornton, Baylor (+10000)
- Skyy Moore, Western Michigan (+10000)
Odds are from BetOnline Sportsbook.
Odds Heavily Favor London, Wilson to Be First WRs Drafted
Although there are many talented WR prospects on the board at the 2022 NFL Draft, the odds indicate that two stand out above the rest — London and Wilson — and for good reason too.
London Takes Leap in Stellar Junior Season for Trojans
London is currently BetOnline Sportsbook’s +110 favorite to be the first wide receiver drafted later this month. The USC product is essentially a quarterback’s dream, standing at 6-foot-5 while weighing 210 pounds.
London was solid throughout his first two seasons with the Trojans, but really took things up a notch last Fall.
Despite his season ending early due to a right ankle fracture, he still finished the campaign with new personal bests in receptions (88), receiving yards (1,084) and touchdowns (seven) in only eight games played.
The Moorpark, California native’s efforts in 2021 earned him first-team All-Pac-12 honors for the first time in his career and he was also named the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year.
Wilson Waits on Early NFL Draft Call After Terrific 2021 for Buckeyes
On the other hand, Wilson could easily be the first wide receiver taken at the 2022 NFL Draft and no one would bat an eye.
Wilson improved with each passing season at Ohio State. He went from having a combined 73 receptions, 1,115 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns in 21 games over his first two seasons as a Buckeye to racking up a 70-1,058-12 stat line in just 11 games last season alone.
While Wilson doesn’t have London’s size or elite athleticism, his speed more than makes up for it. He recorded a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at this year’s Draft Combine.
Coupling that speed with his excellent route-running ability and it’s easy to see what he could accomplish at the NFL level.
The truth is that both London and Wilson have an excellent shot at being the first WR drafted in a few weeks.
Teams drafting early — such as the New York Jets (No. 10), Washington Commanders (No. 11) and Houston Texans (No. 13) — could use potential franchise-changing wideouts on their roster.
At the end of the day, only one of these men can be taken before the other.
The good news is that, regardless of who it is, the team drafting either London or Wilson is getting a core piece to build around for years to come.
Will Another WR Be Taken First at the 2022 NFL Draft?
Even though BetOnline Sportsbook’s odds point to London or Wilson being the first wideout taken, there isn’t a guarantee that’s how the 2022 NFL Draft will play out.
Football fans aren’t strangers to teams making surprising picks in the first round of the draft. Even if the odds are heavily pointing in one direction, a general manager might believe his team should take another direction with a prospect that may be rated lower than others.
Jameson Williams, Alabama
For example, Williams is a somewhat distant third on BetOnline Sportsbook’s odds list as he presently sits at +600. Some bettors might decide to fade him based on those odds, however, that isn’t to say it’s impossible for him to be taken first.
After two uneventful seasons at Ohio State, Williams transferred to Alabama for the 2021 NCAA college football season. Needless to say, it didn’t take long for him to adjust to his new surroundings.
The 21-year-old wideout finished his sole season with the Crimson Tide amassing 79 receptions for 1,572 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns in 15 games.
He was also involved in special teams situations, averaging 35.2 yards on 10 kick returns — two of which were brought back for a touchdown.
By the end of the year, Williams was named first-team All-American and first-team All-SEC while taking home the Co-Special Teams Player of the Year award.
Treylon Burks, Arkansas
Another wide receiver prospect worth keeping an eye on is Arkansas’ Treylon Burks at +800 odds.
Although he isn’t the biggest wideout in the 2022 NFL Draft, Burks’ 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame has made him attractive to scouts.
Add in the fact that he has a 40-yard dash time of 4.55 seconds and it’s easy to see how he could terrorize the league for years to come.
Burks also enjoyed a career year at Arkansas in 2021. He suited up in 12 games for the Razorbacks last Fall, finishing with a career-best stat line of 66 receptions, 1,104 receiving yards and 11 TDs.
Burks became only the fourth player in Arkansas school history to reach 1,000 receiving yards in a season. He was properly rewarded for his efforts with first-team All-SEC honors and now looks to make an impact at the professional level.
Is Burks better than London, Wilson or even Williams?
It’s still too early to tell, however, all it takes is one general manager to like his skill set more than the others to make him — or any other name — the first wide receiver taken at the 2022 NFL Draft.
Other 2022 NFL Draft Content on Betting News
Devon is a Master of Journalism graduate who joined the sports betting world in 2020. His favorite leagues to cover are the NHL, NBA and NFL, and has a soft spot for fantasy football specifically. Outside of sports, he enjoys the finer things in life like pasta, live music and getting even more tattoos.
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