After a short offseason, the fun starts up again with the first day of the 2023 NFL Draft Thursday in Kansas City. Below, I analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s draft odds for NFL prospects and tab who will be the first, second and third overall picks — just part of SportsbookWire’s many expert picks and predictions among our NFL best bets.
There are quarterbacks abound in this draft, but all have questions. It’s still undetermined which QB the Carolina Panthers like with the No. 1 overall pick.
What first looked like quarterbacks going No. 1 and No. 2 now looks like a distant memory. Alabama edge Will Anderson could go at No. 2 to the Houston Texans. Or it could be Texas Tech edge Tyree Wilson. Then again, it could be Kentucky QB Will Levis and not QB C.J. Stroud out of Ohio State. What a mess … but a fun mess.
This is the best part of the offseason. Especially for the young men who have waited to hear their name called their entire life. This is the culmination of a journey and the start of a new one.
Congratulations to them all, but why not we make some money by cashing in on some NFL Draft prop bets.
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NFL odds: First overall pick
Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 10:41 p.m. ET
- Bryce Young: -2400 (bet $2,400 to win $100)
- C.J. Stroud: +1500 (bet $100 to win $1,500)
- Anthony Richardson: +2500 (bet $100 to win $2,500)
- Will Levis: +6000 (bet $100 to win $6,000)
- Will Anderson: +12000 (bet $100 to win $12,000)
AVOID.
Young (-2400) will be the No. 1 pick, but the price is too high and not worth the risk.
The -2400 odds almost makes it a certainty that the Panthers will select Young. Rather than wager 24 times the potential profit, it would behoove you to make a play on one of the next 2 picks at far better odds.
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NFL odds: Second overall pick
- Will Levis: +105 (bet $100 to win $105)
- Tyree Wilson: +170 (bet $100 to win $170)
- Will Anderson: +300 (bet $100 to win $300)
- C.J. Stroud: +550 (bet $100 to win $550)
- Anthony Richardson: +3400 (bet $100 to win $3,400)
- Bryce Young: +4000 (bet $100 to win $4,000)
- Jalen Carter: +6000 (bet $100 to win $6,000)
The pick – WILL LEVIS (+105)
If you think Houston will be making this pick and not trading it, then this is not the bet for you. In that case, the decision would be down to Anderson and Wilson. But odds are, if Houston can, it will trade out of this spot and allow someone else to move up and draft a quarterback. That QB being Levis, the strong-armed gunslinger from Kentucky.
Levis has the arm and the mobility to be successful. This is not a guarantee, but it’s something teams have taken a chance on early and often so many times before.
Nothing is more important in the NFL than a franchise QB and teams are willing to trade up to snag one.
Expect a team to trade into No. 2 with Houston and take Levis. It could be the Las Vegas Raiders; it could even be the Detroit Lions. My gut feeling is it will be a team which can wait a year to let Levis learn from a veteran QB already in place.
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NFL odds: Third overall pick
- Tyree Wilson: +270 (bet $100 to win $270)
- C.J. Stroud: +280 (bet $100 to win $280)
- Will Anderson: +370 (bet $100 to win $370)
- Anthony Richardson: +500 (bet $100 to win $500)
- Will Levis: +1000 (bet $100 to win $1,000)
- Paris Johnson Jr.: +1000 (bet $100 to win $1,000)
- Jalen Carter: +2200 (bet $100 to win $2,200)
- Peter Skoronski: +3000 (bet $100 to win $3,000)
- Christian Gonzalez: +3400 (bet $100 to win $3,400)
- Devon Witherspoon: +3400 (bet $100 to win $3,400)
- Bryce Young: +6000 (bet $100 to win $6,000)
The pick – C.J. STROUD (+280)
No. 3 is where Stroud should come off the board.
After being passed up by the first 2 teams, Stroud will get drafted by the Indianapolis Colts, who will trade up a spot to get their man.
While rumors have the Colts favoring Levis, it’s very unlikely the Texans would trade their No. 2 pick to a division rival. Thus, the Colts will settle for Stroud, a move which could lead to better results than drafting Levis.
Indianapolis owner Jim Irsay has wasted too many years on grizzled veteran quarterbacks. He will finally get his young gun in Stroud.
Much like Houston with the No. 2 pick, Arizona wants to trade out of the 3 spot and gather more selections. The team that gives the Cardinals the best deal will get the choice, which will be Stroud.
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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
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