2022 NFL Draft: Betting odds on first quarterback drafted

Fans of the NFL likely know the NFL Scouting Combine is getting started in Indianapolis this week.

The combine can majorly affect the stock of soon-to-be draft picks, with great testers flying up the ranks and those who grade out poorly falling down the draft board.

This is an intriguing time to place a futures bet on the first quarterback drafted in this year's draft, which is set to begin on April 28.

You'll start hearing coaches and general managers making public comments, and rumors will swirl more than ever on who is considering drafting whom.

You can bet on the first quarterback taken on books like DraftKings and FanDuel, and now makes sense to acquaint yourself with the board.

First Quarterback Drafted Odds

The favorite on FanDuel is Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett. Pickett had a great year for the Pitt Panthers, with the only real concern around him that he has small hands.

That may be a minor issue, and if you believe it will have no effect on his draft stock, you can load up a future on Pickett going first at +120.

The next three:

• Malik Willis, Liberty (+150)
• Sam Howell, North Carolina (+650)
• Matt Corral, Ole Miss (+1000)

Willis could garner a ton of attention and vault himself to the betting favorite with a strong combine performance.

He has been described as having elusiveness and an accurate deep ball, so if he can show off his power and touch in front of these NFL scouts, he may become a team's favorite.

Howell and Corral are long shots to be the first quarterback off the board. Don't expect Corral's odds to get much better, as the Ole Miss product is not participating in the combine after suffered an injury in his team's bowl game this winter.

The Teams That May Be in the Market for Drafting a QB

When looking at the draft order for this spring, there are a handful of teams that have a clear need for quarterback.

• Carolina Panthers (#6)

The Panthers need a quarterback coming off a poor Sam Darnold experiment. Don't expect them to take one this high in a draft loaded with talent along the trenches. If Willis or Pickett do go here, I'd expect the Panthers to have traded down first.

• Denver Broncos (#9)

The Broncos feel far more likely to address the quarterback position in free agency or through a trade. It's rumored they have signficant interest in possibly disgruntled Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Washington (#11), Minnesota (#12), New Orleans (#18) and Pittsburgh (#20) all feel like viable spots for a quarterback to go as well.

The best betting approach may be to take a gander into how beat reporters are covering teams like Washington, New Orleans and Pittsburgh.

Gaining an understanding of what's being discussed for all of these franchises could help inform your futures bet for this particular market.

To me, the best value ahead of the draft is Malik Willis, but I am going to keep monitoring the situation before placing a wager on a fun bet for NFL Draft night.