The only thing that’s certain about this year’s NFL Draft is that nothing is set in stone. Every team is fishing through potential draft prospects, looking for talent that can change the course of its franchise.
Among that talent lies four second-generation players who hope to make an immediate impact in the league.
Coming from NFL bloodlines can improve a franchise’s confidence level in certain prospects. Inherited athleticism coupled with pure knowledge of the game gives second-generation athletes an edge over the competition.
Below, we dive into the betting angles on four prospects who are hopeful to make their own legacy in the National Football League while following in their ancestors’ footsteps.
CB Derek Stingley Jr., LSU
Darryl Stingley had a prolific career as a wide receiver, amounting 1,883 yards and 14 touchdowns in five years with the Patriots. Unfortunately, he’s most known for the tragic hit that broke his neck and back, leaving him paralyzed.
Derek Stingley Jr. is the grandson of Darryl and thinks of him every time he steps on the field.
Stingley has been labeled as the top cornerback in the NFL Draft since his freshman season with LSU. He has prototypical size for an NFL defensive back with tremendous length. He utilizes his experience at wide receiver to assist in his ball-hawking skills.
A foot injury kept him out of all but three games this season. Had Stingley avoided his injuries, he would be a shoo-in for the first cornerback taken in the draft. That has left some value in the betting markets given the recent buzz surrounding Stingley.
Derek Stingley, Jr. in the top 10 picks?
That's where the buzz is trending. He and Sauce expected to come off the board there with 3-4 edge players and 3 tackles.
Top 10:
3 OT
3 DE
2 CB
…and 2 WR?— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) April 18, 2022
The Jets and Giants are among several teams in desperate need of a cornerback and each has two selections inside the top 10.
Stingley’s draft position odds are set at 11.5 with the under being juiced to -150. Rather than lay the juice, I’m going to take him to be drafted in the top 10 at odds of -105 at DraftKings.
Pick: Stingley Drafted in Top 10 (-105)
WR Christian Watson, North Dakota State
Tim Watson was a safety who bounced around several NFL franchises throughout the 1990s.
His son, Christian, a wide receiver at North Dakota State, has been jumping up draft boards after dominating in the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine. It isn’t often a 6-foot-4 wide receiver runs a sub-4.30 40-yard dash.
Watson has proven to be one of the most explosive wide receivers available in this year’s draft while averaging over 20 yards per reception during his four-year tenure at NDSU. He returned kicks while often being fed through wide receiver screens and reverses. Watson is a threat to take it to the house every time he touches the ball.
We’ve seen plenty of talent from the North Dakota State program jump in the NFL Draft, such as Carson Wentz, Dillon Radunz and Trey Lance. Watson is poised to do the same in a first round in which wide receivers are projected to excel.
DraftKings has the O/U of wide receivers taken in the first round at 6.5. I anticipate seven or more to be taken in the first 32 picks, with Watson being included in that bunch. I’m playing Watson under 39.5 draft position at +100 odds.
Pick: Watson Under 39.5 (+100)
CB Kaiir Elam, Florida
Kaiir is poised to be the next Elam to make his mark in the NFL following his father (Abram) and uncle (Matt), who both were safeties in the league.
There's much uncertainty in the cornerback position in this draft class after the top-three prospects. Elam is widely projected to be between the fifth and eighth cornerback selected in the 2022 draft based on the millions of mock drafts floating across the internet.
Much of that is due to the lack of shine Elam showed after returning from an injury that kept him out for three games.
Mel Kiper and Todd McShay’s most recent mock draft has Elam going to the Chicago Bears with the 48th overall pick as the seventh cornerback coming off the board.
My projections have Elam going in the middle of the second round and see value in him to go over his total set at 35.5 at PointsBet.
Pick: Elam Over 35.5
S Quentin Lake, UCLA
Quentin Lake is the son of Carnell Lake, who is one of the top safeties in Pittsburgh Steelers history. Carnell was named a member of the 1990s all-decade team after earning five Pro Bowl appearances.
Quentin enters the draft after playing four seasons at his father’s alma mater of UCLA. He has shown the ability to play both deep safety and man coverage when needed. Though he isn’t the flashiest defensive back in this year’s group, he takes from his father by playing with incredible knowledge and technical form.
Lake is projected to go in the final round in this year’s draft, and it’s hard to imagine his father’s success doesn’t appeal to some front offices. He doesn’t have any current odds on the betting board, but I will be jumping on odds of him getting drafted if the opportunity presents itself.
Pick: Lake to Be Drafted
