2026 NFL Draft Betting: Riddick’s Top Prospects & Sharp Value Angles

ESPN analyst Louis Riddick just dropped his annual “favorite prospects” list, and for sharp bettors hunting 2026 NFL Draft prospects betting value, this is actionable intel. Riddick spent 12 years as an NFL scout and Director of Pro Personnel — when he pounds the table on a player, the draft position markets tend to move. The question isn’t whether his picks are good prospects. The question is: has the market already priced in his conviction, or is there still edge to extract?

With Round 1 kicking off April 23, the window for finding closing line value on draft props is closing fast. Let’s break down Riddick’s list through a betting lens and identify where the real value lives.

Market Overview: Draft Prop Landscape

Draft prop betting has exploded in recent years, and the markets have gotten sharper. Books now offer over/under draft positions, first player drafted by position, team-specific selections, and exact pick props. The key to finding edge is identifying where public perception lags behind informed money.

When a respected evaluator like Riddick publicly endorses prospects, expect line movement within 24-48 hours. The sharps who acted before this article dropped are already sitting on CLV. For everyone else, the play is identifying which of Riddick’s picks haven’t fully adjusted yet — particularly his Day 2 sleepers, where market inefficiency tends to linger.

Current Draft Odds

Note: Draft prop odds fluctuate rapidly as April 23 approaches. Check bet105 for live lines before placing any action.

Riddick’s First-Round Locks: The Betting Angles

Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

Riddick’s leading with a running back in a league that’s devalued the position tells you something. Love isn’t just a back — he’s a 1,652-yard, 21-touchdown weapon who caught 27 balls and runs routes like a receiver. The 11 explosive plays of 20+ yards (six going for touchdowns) is the stat that matters for NFL decision-makers.

Sharp Angle: The “don’t draft RBs early” narrative has suppressed Love’s draft position in public perception, but NFL front offices don’t actually follow that rule when elite talent is available. Saquon Barkley went second overall. If Love’s over/under draft position is sitting higher than 8.5, there’s potential value on the under. Teams picking in the 5-10 range need game-breakers, and Love is exactly that.

The reverse line movement to watch: if public money hammers the over (expecting him to fall) but the line moves toward the under anyway, that’s sharp money signaling insider confidence in a top-8 selection.

Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

Riddick called him a “can’t-miss prospect” — language he rarely uses. At 6-5, 244 pounds with a 43.5-inch vertical, Styles is a physical freak who posted 77 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, and a pick last season. More importantly, Riddick emphasized his “diamond-level character” and leadership traits.

Sharp Angle: Character concerns sink draft stocks. Character praise elevates them. When evaluators specifically call out a player’s leadership and intangibles, that often signals the player interviews exceptionally well — and interviews move draft boards. Styles is likely a safer “under” bet on draft position than his physical traits alone would suggest.

Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State

Interior offensive linemen are notoriously hard to project for draft position betting because they’re rarely sexy picks that generate media buzz. Riddick’s “must-have foundational player” language combined with versatility (can play anywhere on the line) and dominant tape makes Ioane interesting.

Sharp Angle: Guards typically go in the 15-32 range of Round 1, with significant variance. The expected value play here is less about exact position and more about “first offensive lineman drafted” props if available. Ioane’s versatility and dominance could push him ahead of pure tackles in a class where the tackle depth is strong.

Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

Riddick says he’s the best receiver in the class. Full stop. The production backs it up: 136 catches, 1,812 yards, and 18 touchdowns over his last two seasons. The problem? A medical red flag the size of Arizona: torn ACL/MCL/PCL in 2022, broken collarbone in 2024, hamstring issues in 2025.

Sharp Angle: This is where contrarian betting gets interesting. Injury history creates market inefficiency because public bettors overweight recent negative news. If Tyson’s medicals check out in team visits — and Riddick’s endorsement suggests he believes they will — his draft position could significantly outperform public expectations. The over/under on his draft position is likely inflated by injury concerns. If you’re getting plus-money on under 15.5 or similar, that’s worth a look.

Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana

The 4.42 forty sealed it for Riddick. Cooper’s 7.3 yards after catch average and ability to make contested grabs (that Penn State catch was absurd) make him a complete receiver. 937 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2025 despite playing for Indiana, not a traditional powerhouse.

Sharp Angle: Small-school and non-elite-program receivers often fall further than their tape suggests because NFL teams stick to familiar pipelines. But when combine testing validates the film — like Cooper’s 4.42 — that discount disappears. If the market still has Cooper outside the top 20, there’s value on the under. The combine performance should have moved this line already.

Riddick’s Day 2 Sleepers: Where the Real Edge Lives

This is where sharp bettors make money. Round 1 props are heavily bet and relatively efficient. Days 2 and 3? That’s where market inefficiency thrives.

Keionte Scott, CB, Miami

The stat line is absurd for a corner: 67 tackles, 13 TFLs, 5 sacks, 2 INTs, 2 forced fumbles, 4 PBUs. Riddick clocked him in the 4.32-4.35 range at his pro day. That’s elite speed for a player who also produces like a linebacker.

Sharp Angle: Riddick says “early Day 2” — that’s picks 33-50ish. If Scott’s draft position over/under is sitting at 55.5 or higher, the under has significant expected value. Versatile defensive backs who can play nickel and blitz effectively are exactly what modern NFL defenses need. This profile doesn’t last until pick 60.

Kyle Louis, LB, Pittsburgh

When an evaluator compares a prospect to Derrick Brooks, pay attention. Riddick’s been talking about Louis “a ton this spring” — that kind of repeated advocacy from a respected voice moves markets. Louis posted 77 tackles and 7.5 TFLs with “movement skills of a defensive back and hands of a wide receiver.”

Sharp Angle: Riddick’s Pitt bias is known, but that doesn’t invalidate the evaluation. The Brooks comparison will circulate, and comparisons to Hall of Famers — even with caveats — elevate draft stocks. If Louis is projected as a third-round pick, the under on his draft position offers value. Day 2 linebacker props are often mispriced because the position lacks the glamour of pass rushers and corners.

How to Bet the Draft: Sharp Strategy

Draft prop betting rewards information edge and timing. Here’s the framework:

Bet early on conviction plays. If you believe a prospect will outperform their current draft position line, lock it in before the market adjusts. CLV is king.
Fade public overreactions. Injury concerns (Tyson) and positional bias (Love as an RB) create inefficiencies. The public overweights narratives; sharps bet value.
Target Day 2 props. Round 1 is efficient. Rounds 2-3 are where books have less data and lines are softer.
Watch for steam moves. When a player’s draft position line moves 3+ picks without obvious news, that’s sharp money. Either follow or fade based on your own analysis, but recognize the signal.
Understand team needs. Draft position props are ultimately about predicting NFL front office behavior. Know which teams need which positions and where they pick.

The Bottom Line

Riddick’s list confirms what the tape shows: Love, Styles, Ioane, Tyson, and Cooper are legitimate first-round talents. The betting value depends entirely on where the current lines sit relative to their likely landing spots.

The sharper plays are his Day 2 sleepers — Scott and Louis — where market inefficiency is more pronounced and Riddick’s advocacy hasn’t fully filtered into public consciousness yet.

Draft night is chaos. Information asymmetry rules. For bettors willing to do the work, there’s edge to be found. Just make sure you’re getting the right number before the market corrects.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best 2026 NFL Draft props to bet?

The highest-value draft props are typically over/under draft position bets on Day 2 prospects where market inefficiency is greatest. First player drafted by position props also offer edge when you identify consensus mismatches between public perception and team needs. Always compare lines across books — reduced juice options at bet105 improve your expected value on any draft prop.

Who does Louis Riddick think is the best player in the 2026 NFL Draft?

Riddick identified Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio State) as close to a “can’t-miss prospect” and called Jordyn Tyson (WR, Arizona State) the best receiver in the class. For betting purposes, Riddick’s strongest conviction appears to be on Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame) as a game-changing playmaker worth a top-10 selection despite the running back position’s perceived devaluation.

Are NFL Draft sleeper bets profitable?

Day 2 and Day 3 draft sleeper props can be highly profitable because these markets are less efficient than Round 1 props. Books have less data on later-round prospects, and public money concentrates on first-round names. Sharp bettors who identify undervalued prospects — like Riddick’s picks of Keionte Scott and Kyle Louis — can find significant expected value before lines adjust.