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Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

NFL Draft bets: How many total QBs will go in Round 1?

By Griffin Carroll | Last updated 4/10/23

Last week we watched as the betting market for the top overall pick flipped on its head. Bryce Young is now either the favorite or co-favorite to be selected first in the upcoming NFL Draft, with QB CJ Stroud the other option.

New markets are emerging, and one worth looking into is that of total quarterbacks selected in Round 1. Much has been made, per usual, of the top of the class for QB. There are a whole bunch of QB-needy teams at the top of the draft, and it's considered to be a rich class. The three big names are Young (-120 to go first), Stroud (-+100 to go second) and Anthony Richardson (-250 to be the third QB taken).

Will Levis, who has a bettable over/under at pick No. 7.5, rounds out the top of the group. There is however value in perhaps looking at the expanded market.

Total Quarterbacks Taken in the First Round odds

DraftKings has a market up for a variety of positions. For quarterbacks, the number is set at 4.5 taken in the first. Under 4.5 is the current favorite at -155, with Over 4.5 set at +125.

There appears to be some value in taking the over in this spot. For starters, we know, without a shred of doubt, that four quarterbacks are going to be taken inside the top-10. That leaves at least 21 draft spots for a fifth QB to be taken, and considering how many teams need a more capable passer, we're intrigued at this price.

One of the more likely options to be the fifth QB taken is Tennessee's Hendon Hooker. Hooker was a Heisman favorite this past season before tearing his ACL in November, but the 6-3 playmaker has started getting some buzz as a potential late first-round pick. Hooker's stock is rising, visiting this week with the Lions, who own two first-rounders and may be looking for a long-term replacement to Jared Goff.

Hooker is also reportedly visiting with the Raiders (pick No. 7) and Buccaneers (pick No. 19), so teams are clearly doing their homework.

Another potential first-round QB may be Stanford's Tanner McKee. McKee's calling card is his height, sitting at 6-foot-6, and his accuracy.

We're not advocating that Hooker and McKee are generational talents, but rather that we have two quality options that could put this bet over the hump.

You can't win in the NFL without a quarterback, and drafting a player in the first round allows you to give them a fifth-year option should you like to keep them under team control at a reasonable cost before deciding whether or not to commit to a second contact (see: Lamar Jackson at pick No. 32 and the Baltimore Ravens).

At plus-money, we're willing to stake a bet that one of Hooker or McKee is scooped up in the first round at the end of April.

Betting: Over 4.5 QBs taken in Round 1 (+125 DraftKings)

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