The NFL Draft begins Thursday night in Kansas City. 

The pre-draft craziness has yet to abate. In New England, for instance, news of a cold war between head coach Bill Belichick and QB Mac Jones continues to fuel the radio waves and media streams emanating from the Bay State. 

With Massachusetts sports betting now well into its second month - yes, you can bet the NFL Draft on Massachusetts betting apps - this is a storyline that will get heavy play on Thursday night. 

To recap: Jones irked Belichick last season by openly rebelling against Belichick’s hand-picked coaching duality of Matt Patricia and Joe Judge. Jones back-slid numerically, as well, struggling in the system Patricia and Judge failed to implement. 

RELATED: Patriots 2023 Draft Odds: Offensive Lineman or Receiver?

New offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien has said all his players – including Jones – have a “clean slate” heading into the 2023 season. 

The Patriots often – and sometimes famously – trade down on day one of the draft. In 2020, just a month after Tom Brady left for Tampa Bay, Bill Belichick famously left his dog “Nike” sitting alone at the screen when it was time for the Patriots to make their first-round pick, before news broke that the team had dealt it and moved out of the round entirely. 

The Patriots have multiple needs beyond whatever concerns they may have about Jones or his potential in-house replacement, Bailey Zappe. 

The Patriots are drafting 14^th overall in the first round. They have several needs, including most notably at cornerback and on the offensive line. Given the needs of the teams ahead of New England, neither position will have its best option available unless the Patriots opt to move up.

With scores of mock drafts populating the internet, NFL betting fans need to be wary when trying to discern the goings on at Kremlin on Route One, also known as the Patriots’ team offices inside the Gillette Stadium complex. 

One major question is this: Would the Patriots trade Jones to move up and take a coveted quarterback? There’s no indication that will happen, especially given the affinity team owner Robert Kraft has for Jones. 

Then again, no one ever thought the team’s first pick of the post-Brady era would be traded by a dog. Given that backdrop, we have five NFL Draft props to consider backing ahead of pick No. 1 on sports betting apps Thursday.

Best NFL Draft Prop Bets On Mass Betting Apps

Patriots 1^st Pick – Offensive Lineman

Odds: +225 at DraftKings

Best Bet: Given Belichick’s less-than-complete faith in Mac Jones and his willingness to lean on running the ball, the Patriots are in desperate need of help on the offensive line. They most likely will gravitate toward that position at their earliest opportunity. The Patriots won’t be the first team to pick an offensive lineman, but New England will have its pick of top-tier talent. The Patriots benefitted from the Aaron Rodgers trade given that they now pick ahead of the Jets, who swapped picks with Green Bay. The Jets will certainly pick an offensive lineman to help protect Rodgers. But don’t be completely shocked if Belichick opts to move up, nonetheless. 

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QBs Taken In First Round – Under 4.5

Odds: +160 at DraftKings

Best Bet: This draft is QB heavy at the top, but the gap between the top three (or four) and the rest of the field is deep. Bryce Young, Will Levis, Anthony Richardson, and C.J. Stroud all appear to be near first-round locks. Richardson out of Florida has monstrous athletic talents and has excelled in pre-draft workouts, but he’s largely untested on game day or in big-game situations. He could go anywhere from No. 2 to No. 11, depending on team need. The drop after there is immense. Given the talent elsewhere, it’s unlikely another passer (see: Hendon Hooker) cracks the first round. 

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Nolan Smith - Top-10 Pick

Odds: +135 at DraftKings

Best Bet: The Georgia Bulldogs won back-to-back championships on the back of their defense. Two members of that unit have been slotted in multiple mock drafts as Top-10 picks. Interior lineman Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith, an edge rusher. Carter’s off-field issue won’t likely hurt him too much. The price on Smith here is hard to pass, especially with the Falcons in search of help on the outside defensively. Smith not only played at Georgia, but he is a Savannah, Georgia, native, and will be a hit with the Falcons fan base. 

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Will Anderson - 1^st Defensive Player Selected 

Odds: +125 at DraftKings

Best Bet: While the Panthers appear locked in on Young at No. 1, every pick afterward has a question mark. Do the Texans go with a QB, or do they stick with defense? If the Cardinals don’t trade out of the No. 3 spot, Anderson, out of Alabama, would be good fit for Arizona. Otherwise, he could land in Seattle at No. 5 if the Cardinals make a trade. Anderson is the best of a strong group of edge rushers available who will be scooped up in the first round. 

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Christian Gonzalez - Under Pick 8.5

Odds: -120 at DraftKings

Best Bet: Even with the inflated juice here (-120), this is a solid pick given the consensus around Christian Gonzalez’s talent and the number of teams in the top eight that are in search of help in the secondary. He could be a fit in Seattle at No. 5 for Pete Carroll or slide to Detroit at No. 6. Just 20, Gonzalez may still be growing at 6-2, 201 pounds. Just a sophomore at Oregon, his athleticism and talent both scream on the upside. 

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