Bettors are always on the lookout for a potential edge over bookmakers, and NFL Draft odds have increasingly found their way into national discussion.
One sneaky bet in the 2025 NFL Draft could be on the number of Big 12 prospects drafted in the first round. Let’s take a look at why it is an enticing line and whether the over or under should be discussed.
How Many Big 12 Players Could Be Selected in the 2025 NFL Draft First Round?
The Big 12 has lagged behind rival conferences in producing first-round draft picks in recent seasons. In 2021 and 2022, the conference didn’t produce any first-rounders, but that number has increased in the last two seasons.
In 2023, six players from the conference went on Day 1, and three went in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, including Byron Murphy II, the first defensive tackle off the board.
That number isn’t expected to dramatically increase during the 2025 NFL Draft, with DraftKings setting the over/under at 3.5, with the under being favored by -900.
Over 3.5 Big 12 players taken in the first round should have seasoned bettors intrigued at +550. Those are big odds for such fine margins.
The phenom that is Travis Hunter will be drafted within the first five picks. His quarterback, Shedeur Sanders, is also expected to be a first-round pick, although his landing spot appears to be more uncertain. Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan also seems a lock to be a top 32 selection.
The wildcard is Iowa State Cyclones wide receiver Jayden Higgins. The 6’4”, 214-pound wideout had 1,183 receiving yards and nine receiving touchdowns on 87 receptions in 2024 and belongs among the top wide receivers in the 2025 NFL Draft. Higgins has an extended wingspan and showed his athleticism at the combine.
The Iowa State playmaker ran a 4.47 40-yard dash, and his 39” vertical jump ranked sixth among wide receivers in Indianapolis.
The under is the favored selection on the over/under line, but for those looking for an outside bet, over 3.5 Big 12 prospects drafted in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft at +550 could be worth a punt.
Which Big 12 Players Could Be Selected in the 2025 NFL Draft First Round?
In our latest 2025 NFL Mock Draft, three Big 12 prospects landed in the first round, with Higgins drafted towards the top of the second round to the New England Patriots with the 38th overall selection. The Iowa State Cyclones’ wide receiver is ranked No. 52 on CSN’s 2025 NFL Draft Top 300 Big Board, but will likely be picked much higher than that when the draft gets underway in Green Bay.
- Travis Hunter WR/CB, Colorado
- Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
- Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
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Other Potential Names
- Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State
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