NFL Draft odds: Who will be the No. 1 pick?

It's well-known that Houston, owners of the No. 2 pick, are in the market for a quarterback. To us, it appears that either the Texans will need to move up to No. 1 to secure their guy, or a team will jump Houston for the honor of picking whoever it is they want.

It's for that reason that the top of the board for first overall pick is all about the quarterback. After all, 16 of the last 22 first picks have been passers, with the remaining group either a defensive or offensive linemen.

Odds to go Number 1 in the 2023 NFL Draft

Odds are courtesy of DraftKings.

1. Bryce Young, QB (-130)
2. CJ Stroud, QB (+250)
3. Will Levis, QB (+500)
4. Jalen Carter, DL (+650)
5. Will Anderson, EDGE (+750)

There's a steep drop off after these first five names, with the next batch of players all coming in at +10000 or longer to go first in the draft. 

Bryce Young of Alabama won the Heisman in 2021, and seems to be one of the more pro-ready passers in this upcoming draft. The biggest knock on Young is his size. It depends where you look, but Young measures in at about 6-0 and 190 pounds, which would make him one of the smallest quarterbacks in the NFL. Despite that, his performance in the SEC will warrant this selection, and we're optimistic about his professional outlook.

CJ Stroud of Ohio State has been one of college football's best quarterbacks since he became the Buckeyes starter. Stroud is a pocket-passer first, but showed some mobility in the College Football Playoff that may raise his stock come April. His combine performance is likely one that will be watched closely.

Will Levis offers what we see as the best value currently. Levis has been Kentucky's quarterback in a pro-style offense, and he bring prototypical size from the quarterback position: 6'3'' and 230 pounds. His statistics and team success do not match Stroud or Young's, but we could see a team taking a chance on Levis being the guy based on his physical traits.

Jalen Carter and Will Anderson are both blue-chip talents along the defensive line, but we expect the top pick to be a quarterback this year, and don't recommend placing a bet on either one of these players at this point.