When will Louisville OT Mekhi Becton be selected during the 2020 NFL Draft? Let’s explore the possibilities and break down the over/under.
Betting boards across America are loaded with prop wagering options that are focused on the 2020 NFL Draft. Unlike any other draft in history, the selection process will be held in a fully virtual format on April 23-25.
When will Louisville Cardinals OT Mekhi Becton be selected during the 2020 NFL Draft? The over/under is set at 8.5. Bovada has the over (-155) as the favorite and under (+115) as the underdog. Under bettors will cash if Becton is a top eight pick, while over will cash if he is selected ninth or later.
Offensive Tackle NFL Draft History
The 2020 NFL draft features one of the deepest offensive lineman prospect pools in recent memory. In a related prop, bookmakers at William Hill have set the total at 6.5 offensive linemen being selected during the first round. Looking specifically at the offensive tackle position, 40 players have been selected in Round 1 over the last 10 drafts. Four OT were selected during the 2019 draft with Jonah Williams going first to Cincinnati at pick No. 11.
Three tackles were taken during the first round in 2018 and just two went off the board during Round 1 in 2017. None of those players were selected eighth or earlier. The 2016 draft had two players go off the board in the top eight. Baltimore took Ronnie Stanley with the sixth pick and Jack Conklin was selected by Tennessee with the eighth pick. There have been 11 offensive tackles selected with the eighth pick or sooner during the last 10 NFL drafts.
- 2016: Ronnie Stanley No. 6 Baltimore Ravens
- 2016: Jack Conklin No. 8 Tennessee Titans
- 2015: Brandon Scherff No. 5 Washington
- 2014: Greg Robinson No. 2 St. Louis Rams
- 2014: Jake Matthews No. 6 Atlanta Falcons
- 2013: Eric Fisher No. 1 Kansas City Chiefs
- 2013: Luke Joeckel No. 2 Jacksonville Jaguars
- 2013: Lane Johnson No. 4 Philadelphia Eagles
- 2012: Matt Kalil No. 4 Minnesota Vikings
- 2010: Trent Williams No. 4 Washington
- 2010: Russell Okung No. 6 Seattle Seahawks
Mekhi Becton Player Background
Mekhi Becton enters the 2020 NFL Draft after a three-year career with the Louisville Cardinals. During his freshman season, Becton was a lead blocker for QB Lamar Jackson who posted 1601 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns during his final year in Louisville. Becton fills a lot of space on the offensive line, as he is 6-foot-7 and 364 pounds. Nimble and quick for a man of his size, Becton turned heads after posting a 5.10 time in the 40-yard dash during the NFL combine.
Becton played in 35 games (33 starts) for the Cardinals and showed his versatility by playing at both the left and right tackle positions. A rock-solid run blocker, Becton needs polishing as a pass protector but that’s a coachable skill that can be learned at the NFL level. Becton will be up against Jedrick Wills Jr. (Alabama), Tristan Wirfs (Iowa) and Andrew Thomas (Georgia) in the race to be the first offensive tackle taken in the draft.
Which Teams Are Possible Landing Spots?
Barring any Day 1 trades, there are limited top eight landing spots for Becton. Cincinnati and Washington are widely expected to take QB Joe Burrow and DE Chase Young with the first two picks, respectively. Detroit is up next with the third pick, but the Lions’ most pressing need is on defense. A recent SI mock draft has Detroit selecting Ohio State CB Jeffrey Okudah.
If Becton can beat out the other three top prospects, the New York Giants are a possible landing spot with the fourth overall pick. After that, the Dolphins and Chargers are both said to be shopping for a quarterback with the fifth and sixth selections. That leaves Carolina, who needs more help on defense, and Arizona as teams that need to pick Becton for UNDER to cash on this prop. The Cardinals are in the running, as they need to add protection for franchise QB Kyler Murray.
The Play: Based on team needs, plus the prospects he is up against, it’s difficult to find a top-eight landing spot for Becton. Jedrick Wills and Tristan Wirfs will likely be the first two offensive tackles selected. Also, SI draft analyst Kevin Hanson lists Becton as the 13th overall prospect on his Top 100 Big Board. My money is on OVER 8.5 as the best bet on this NFL draft prop.
Play: OVER 8.5 (-150)
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