Caleb Downs vs. Mansoor Delane: Oddsmakers Favor Ohio State Star as First Defensive Back Selected in 2026 NFL Draft

The NFL Draft is this week, and if you didn't already know, the draft has become a huge event in the sports betting world.

Sportsbooks across the United States offer a wide array of betting markets to get in on, and those odds aren't just good for wagering; they also give us an insight into the probability of which players will be drafted to which teams.

One of the more interesting conversations for this week's draft is which player will be the first defensive back selected. With the top 10 picks likely being defensive-heavy, let's take a look at who will be the top DB taken off the board.

NFL Draft Top Defensive Back Selected Odds

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Caleb Downs -180
Mansoor Delane +160
Jermod McCoy +1500
Dillon Thieneman +8000

Caleb Downs, the safety from the Ohio State Buckeyes, is set as the betting favorite to be the top defensive back selected at -180, an implied probability of 64.29%. Downs' best chance right now is to be the No. 5 overall pick by the New York Giants. He's currently second on the odds list to be the No. 5 pick at +290, only slightly behind the favorite, linebacker Sonny Styles.

Mansoor Delane is second on the odds list at +160. He's the overwhelming favorite to be the top cornerback, but the LSU Tiger may be the second defensive back off the board, with Downs being a safety. Delane is +100 to be a top 10 pick, with an implied probability of 50%. If Downs is selected at No. 10 by the Giants, that's going to help Delanie's chances of being a top 10 pick. The Bengals looked like a great spot for Delanie to be drafted in the No. 10 slot, but with Cincinnati moving the No. 10 pick to the Giants in a trade for Dexter Lawrence, Delane may have to wait until the Dolphins in the No. 11 spot. He's the +550 favorite to be the Dolphins' pick in that slot.

It's not a complete lock that this is a two-player race. Jermod McCoy has an outside shot of being the top defensive back selected at +1500, an implied probability of 6.25%. A team would have to reach on the Tennessee Volunteer for that bet to cash.

Unless the Giants decide to stay away from Downs with their No. 5 or No. 10 overall pick, the Ohio State safety looks like a great bet to be the top defensive back selected at -180 odds.

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