Which Teams Have Best NFL Draft AV?

It’s no surprise that Michigan’s NFL team has transformed from being the laughingstock of the NFC to a bona fide juggernaut – current Detroit Lions Super Bowl odds have them pegged as the favorite going into the Division Round. The NFC North stalwart has built a Super Bowl frontrunning roster through the NFL Draft in recent years.

With the NFL Draft quickly approaching, BetMichigan.com was curious about which teams have had the greatest success in their draft selections since the 2020 Draft. Using Pro-Football-Reference.com, we calculated the average approximate value of each team’s first round picks between the 2020 and 2024 NFL Drafts.

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Best NFL Draft AV

Rank	Team	Avg. AV
1	Dallas Cowboys	26.0
2	Cincinnati Bengals	25.0
3	Los Angeles Chargers	23.5
4	Baltimore Ravens	21.5
5	Detroit Lions	21.2
6	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	20.4
7	Atlanta Falcons	19.4
8	Jacksonville Jaguars	18.0
9	Philadelphia Eagles	16.8
10	Denver Broncos	16.4

The net result is Detroit’s first consecutive division titles since the team’s run from 1952-54, with the Lions going 27-7 and capturing the NFC North in each of the last two seasons. This year’s team looks to go a couple of steps further than last year’s collective, which fell to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game.

Entering the NFL’s Divisional Round of the postseason, oddsmakers from DraftKings Michigan Sportsbook have Detroit as their Super Bowl frontrunner, at +275 odds. The Lions rank ahead of the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs (+350) in the postseason.

Lions Among NFL’s Best Drafting Teams

Since 2020, Detroit’s average Approximate Value (AV) for their draft picks, according to Pro-football-reference.com, is 21.2, which ranks fifth in the NFL in that span. The Lions are just behind the Baltimore Ravens (21.5 AV) and ahead of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (20.4 AV). The Dallas Cowboys being the league’s best drafting team overall, with an average AV total of 26.0 over the last half decade.

Michigan sportsbooks will have a variety of NFL Draft props as this April’s event gets near.

During that period, the Lions’ top AV earner on the field, according to Pro Football Reference data, has been offensive lineman Penei Sewell. The two-time All-Pro has racked up 56 AV in 67 games since going seventh overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, including a career-high AV of 19 this season.

Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (50 AV in 66 games) and running back Jahmyr Gibbs (27 AV in 32 games) are among the other success stories in the Motor City of late. RB D’Andre Swift (39 AV) and guard Jonah Jackson (27) were solid value picks who are playing elsewhere now.

Last year, the Lions added six players through the 2024 NFL Draft, with first round defensive back selection Terrion Arnold posting the best rookie season, AV wise (five AV in 16 games) this season. Three other picks (Sione Vaki, Mekhi Wingo and Christian Mahogany) have posted AV totals of one apiece this season.

Check out our reviews of Michigan sports betting apps and follow BetMichigan for a guide to NFL betting in Michigan and more coverage throughout the playoffs.

USA Today photo by Sergio Estrada

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Author

Christopher Boan

Christopher Boan is a staff writer for BetMichigan.com. He has covered sports and sports betting for more than seven years and has worked for publications such as ArizonaSports.com, the Tucson Weekly and the Green Valley News.