It’s been a couple weeks since the Super Bowl. Ready to bet on the NFL again?
The Scouting Combine has you covered.
Hundreds of the top collegiate prospects in the country have descended on Indianapolis to meet with teams, get examined and show off their athleticism and strength on the field.
Some of the elite prospects do not plan to participate in the drills, but almost everyone else will do so in hopes of improving their draft stock.
DraftKings has unveiled several different Scouting Combine-related wagers. Here is a look at four of them, with a betting prediction on which side hits.
Fastest 40-yard Dash Time: Over/Under 4.275 seconds
Yes, we are getting down to the thousandths of a second to determine this one. The over is currently the slight favorite at -120 odds, but the oddsmakers seem to feel good about this placement.
The player to watch is Texas A&M running back Devon Achane. He is also a track star who recently ran a 6.63-second 60, and by many accounts he is the fastest man in college football. Achane has some size limitations that could be a burden at the next level, but it won’t matter for this bet.
Achane has been fine-tuning his body for the past few months, and knows that the fastest 40 at the Combine will help his draft stock.
Cincinnati wide receiver Tre Tucker is another blazer who could be in the mix, as he has the type of top-end speed that could help him finish in the 4.2s.
I’m in on Achane here, as he is a special athlete who has the ability to beat this time.
Prediction: Fastest 40 under 4.275 seconds (-110)
Anyone to Break 40-yard Dash Combine Record of 4.22 Seconds?
John Ross set the combine record with his 4.22 40 back in 2017, which helped rocket him into the top-10 of the draft.
Once again it is Achane with the best shot at it, and he has spoken openly of challenging the record, but the oddsmakers aren’t buying it. No record is the heavy favorite at -650, with yes the underdog at +400.
Achane is fast, but not this fast.
Prediction: No one breaks the 40-yard dash record (-650)
Most Bench Press Reps: Over/Under 39.5
Defensive linemen often dominate this drill, and the record is 51 bench-press reps of 225 pounds, set by Eastern Kentucky’s Justin Ernest in 1999.
It’s a bit of a different game now, as linemen are more agile than in the past. In 2022, the bench-press reps topped out at 29, by UCLA defensive tackle Otito Ogbonnia. Some prospects to keep an eye on include Michigan defensive lineman Mazi Smith and Minnesota-Duluth offensive lineman Brent Laing.
I’m going to roll with the historic trend on this one as there is less emphasis on big bench-press numbers in the present day.
Prediction: Most bench press reps under 39.5 (-125)
Highest Vertical Jump: Over/Under 43.5 inches
Unlike with the 40-yard dash, past vertical jump measurements should ring pretty true, since there is no hand timing to worry about.
TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston and North Carolina wide receiver Josh Downs have both reportedly reached 42-inch vertical jumps in the past. They have been training to ace the combine, and a vertical jump is a good measure of athleticism for a wide receiver.
Seahawks cornerback Tariq Woolen had a combine-best 42-inch vert last year, the first time since 2018 no athlete surpassed 43.5 inches in the vertical jump.
My eyes are on Johnston, who could reach that number, and there are plenty of other candidates that could make a run at it.
Prediction: Highest vertical jump over 43.5 inches (-135)
