Tristan Wirfs To The Giants? Draft Betting Odds Now Favor Him

• The New York Giants select fourth overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, and Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs could be their preferred selection.
• Wirfs has more physical upside than nearly every prospect in the draft and he fills a big positional need for the Giants.
• The Giants also might look to select a defensive standout or trade down to stockpile more picks.

NEW YORK – The New York Giants have the fourth overall pick in Thursday’s NFL Draft, and many expect them to select Iowa Hawkeyes offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs with that pick. This includes sports bettors.

Wirfs is a raw prospect but has immense physical upside. He checked in at 6-foot-5 and 320 pounds at the NFL Combine but turned in the best workout of any offensive lineman there. His feats included a 4.85-second 40-yard dash, a 10-foot broad jump, and a 36.5-inch vertical.

Oddsmakers expect that NFL teams will be enamored with the tools Wirfs offers. The Giants have long been expected to go offensive line with their first pick and NFL draft betting odds now favor him as New York’s first pick.

Last week, Jedrick Wills Jr. was favored to be the Giants first pick at +160 odds while Wirfs trailed him at +185 odds. After Wirfs, the odds board featured Clemson Tigers Linebacker Isiah Simmons at +285, the field at +650, and Louisville Cardinals Offensive Tackle Mekhi Becton with longshot odds at +700.

However, since then the Miami Dolphins have reportedly inquired about trading up to the third overall pick to select an offensive tackle, and many expect that offensive tackle to be Alabama’s Jedrick Wills Jr.

Giants Draft Needs

The Giants desperately need to address their offensive line in this draft—particularly at offensive tackle and center. The only two starters on the Giants’ offensive line that graded out as starter-caliber in 2020, per Pro Football Focus, were tackle Nick Gates and guard Kevin Zeitler.

The NFL is an offense-driven league, and it is hard to find success on offense with poor offensive line play.

Second-year quarterback Daniel Jones had an inconsistent rookie season and was sacked 38 times thanks in large part to poor play along the offensive line. All-world running back Saquon Barkley would also benefit from improved blocking.

The offensive line is far from their only need, however. The Giants’ defense was one of the worst in the NFL in 2020 and it wouldn’t be surprising if they looked to address that need with an elite defensive prospect like linebacker/safety Isaiah Simmons or Auburn Tigers defensive tackle Derrick Brown.

The team is likely set at cornerback after signing James Bradberry to a three-year, $45 million deal during the offseason, but Ohio State corner Jeffrey Okudah can’t be ruled out as a possibility either if he’s still on the board.

Oddsmakers expect the Giants to go with an offensive player with their first pick, however.

With so many needs, the Giants might also look to trade down to stockpile more draft picks. The NFL Draft is a crapshoot, and with so many holes on the roster, the Giants need as many picks as they can get their hands on. Whether it’s Wills Jr. or Wirfs, the top priority seems to be to help QB Daniel Jones first.