Bryce Younger opens as betting favourite to be first choose of 2023 draft

There are simply 4 NFL groups remaining within the quest for the Vince Lombardi Trophy, which implies fanbases of 28 different groups have turned their consideration to the offseason. The crown jewel of the offseason is the NFL draft, which infuses the league with younger expertise and infuses the fanbases of downtrodden groups with hope.

With the draft declaration deadline within the rearview mirror, we now know which gamers are eligible to be drafted. In consequence, BetMGM has released betting odds on who would be the first total choose. Let’s check out how oddsmakers count on the highest of the draft to unfold.

Bryce Younger favored to go No. 1

Mac Jones left Alabama for the NFL after the 2020 season and was chosen within the first spherical of the NFL draft by the New England Patriots in 2021. The Alabama quarterback room was simply high quality nevertheless, as Bryce Younger took the reins from Jones.

In his first season as a starter at Alabama in 2021, Younger accomplished 67% of his passes whereas throwing for 4,872 yards. He had a powerful 47-7 landing to interception ratio, main Alabama to an SEC championship and playoff berth. Younger was acknowledged for his unimaginable season as he received the Heisman Trophy.

Younger adopted up his Heisman season with one other stable season in 2022. He accomplished over 64% of his passes for 3,328 yards. He threw 32 touchdowns and simply 5 interceptions. Whereas his second season wasn’t practically as spectacular as his first 12 months, Younger nonetheless completed sixth in Heisman voting in 2022.

In early January, Younger introduced he will probably be foregoing his senior season at Alabama and as a substitute declared for the NFL draft. Young is the current betting favorite to be the first player drafted within the 2023 NFL draft at -120 odds.

C.J. Stroud has second finest odds

Whereas Younger is an odds-on favourite to be the primary participant drafted, there is not any certainty that issues will unfold that means. The draft prospects nonetheless must undergo the mix and the draft course of, and that all the time adjustments issues. Right now final 12 months, Aidan Hutchinson was a transparent favourite to go No. 1, however he was taken behind Travon Walker.

When you suppose the draft course of may damage Younger as a result of his measurement (a questionable 6-foot, 194 kilos) or another components, it might be sensible to look additional down the chances board.

C.J. Stroud has the second finest odds to be the primary participant drafted. Very like Younger, Stroud was a starter for 2 seasons in faculty after taking on for a present NFL quarterback (Justin Fields) at Ohio State. Over two seasons at Ohio State, Stroud accomplished over 69% of his passes and threw for over 8000 yards. He threw 85 touchdowns and simply 12 interceptions.

His most spectacular efficiency got here in a shedding effort, as he hung 41 factors on the vaunted Georgia protection within the School Soccer Playoff semifinal this previous season. He is larger than Younger, as Stroud is listed at 6-foot-3 and 218 kilos. Stroud is +250 to be the first player taken in late April.

Behind the 2 quarterbacks are a pair of defensive gamers from the SEC. Georgia’s Jalen Carter and Alabama’s Will Anderson are both +500 to be the first player taken. Carter is a defensive lineman who has 15.5 tackles for loss and 6 sacks over the past two seasons, whereas serving as a disruptive inside drive on what has been faculty soccer’s finest protection. Anderson is a proficient edge rusher who noticed his manufacturing dip barely this previous season. He had 17.5 sacks in 2021 however simply 10 in 2022.

Behind these two, Kentucky quarterback Will Levis has 10-to-1 odds to be the primary participant drafted. Levis is a polarizing prospect who has all the bodily traits however does not precisely have the manufacturing one would anticipate of a prime prospect. He additionally eats his bananas with the peel nonetheless on them and drinks his espresso with mayonnaise, which certainly raises some red flags.

Clemson edge-rusher Myles Murphy is 50-to-1 to be the primary participant drafted. Each different participant has odds of 100-to-1 or greater.

Will a quarterback go at one?

The highest-two favorites and three of the highest 5 favorites to be drafted first total are quarterbacks, which might lead you to imagine that there is a good likelihood a quarterback goes on the prime of the draft. Nonetheless, that is no positive factor.

The Chicago Bears at present personal the primary total choose within the NFL draft. In fact, they have already got a younger quarterback who has proven flashes and appears to be creating properly in Justin Fields. There isn’t any motive to imagine they might draft a quarterback except they make the stunning transfer of buying and selling Fields. This can be a crew with holes all around the roster that want filling that they might seemingly be finest served addressing within the draft.

Will the Bears commerce down and subsequently enable one other crew to draft a quarterback with the primary total choose? That looks as if the consensus opinion, however it’s additionally removed from a assure. That may require one other crew to be determined sufficient to maneuver vital future property to try to transfer up. Whereas it is a respectable class of quarterbacks, it isn’t thought of an elite class like 2021 or 2018 was. Will one other crew view these quarterbacks as worthwhile to maneuver up for?

If the Bears maintain the choose, they’re going to seemingly go together with one of many two defensive gamers who’re at present going off at +500 odds. Nonetheless, that might go in opposition to current historical past. Since 2015, solely twice has a non-quarterback gone first total. Myles Garrett in 2017 and Travon Walker in 2021 are the one two non-quarterbacks to go No. 1. In that point, we have seen Jameis Winston, Jared Goff, Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence all go on the prime of the draft.

There’s nonetheless 4 months till the NFL draft and loads will change over these 4 months. Nonetheless, if you wish to take a stand early and maybe get a superb value on a participant, draft betting is now open at BetMGM.