2021 NFL Draft: The best, worst bets from Round 1

Round 1 of the 2021 NFL Draft is officially in the books. We'll have more best bets for Day 2, but first, let's cover the highs and lows from the opening Thursday.

The best bets

Patrick Surtain II - Broncos (+850)

The Broncos knew it was now or never for Surtain II at pick No. 9.

Widely regarded as CB1 in the class, the Alabama product - who was also a +110 favorite to be the first defender off the board - was bypassed for fellow corner Jaycee Horn when the Panthers picked at No. 8. Instead of Surtain falling to the Cowboys at No. 10, as most mocks presumed, he was plucked by Denver, which now has a lockdown defensive back to combat the AFC West's daunting skill players.

Justin Fields - Bears (+1000)

We had a feeling at least one team was going to trade up for a quarterback, didn't we?

Four years after passing on both Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson for Mitchell Trubisky, the Bears traded up nine spots to No. 11 to land Fields, the former Ohio State standout.

The dual-threat quarterback's arrival immediately injects life into the franchise, and the move potentially gives Pace and Co. a little more time to figure things out in Chicago.

Over 3.5 linebackers drafted Round 1

OK, so it wasn't the most automatic bet of the first round, but anyone wagering on the total number of linebackers drafted Thursday endured quite the sweat.

Micah Parsons, Zaven Collins, and Jamin Davis all heard their names called between slots No. 12 and 19. After 12 consecutive picks without a linebacker, the Buccaneers were on the clock with the 32nd and final selection of the night.

At the buzzer.

The worst bets

Zaven Collins over 25.5

When we look at where prospects were selected relative to their draft spot over/under, few had a bigger discrepancy than Collins, who was projected to go by roughly pick No. 25 or 26. The Cardinals couldn't resist.

A year after scooping up a Swiss army knife for the defense with Isaiah Simmons, Cardinals brass added another playmaker in the middle of the field with Collins at No. 16, choosing the Tulsa product over fellow prospects such as Davis and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.

No. 3 overall pick - Mac Jones (+130)

This one made a ton of sense on the surface - the 49ers were linked to Jones immediately after trading up to No. 3, and most draftniks initially assumed he was the guy - but it's one that also made bettors look pretty foolish on draft day.

San Francisco wound up taking Trey Lance instead, and Jones fell to No. 15 to the Patriots. It'll count as a swing and miss in the box score, but bettors who picked up a good number on Jones to the Niners early had the right idea.

Penei Sewell under 5

There was really no way to justify Sewell going any earlier in such a deep class of offensive weapons. Pick No. 5 (Bengals) was the tackle's ceiling all along, and they didn't even bother - Cincinnati instead nabbed LSU wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase to pair with former college quarterback Joe Burrow.

Sewell fell to No. 7 to the Lions, and his over was never in doubt.

Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 12 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AJKolodziej.