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2023 NFL Draft odds, predictions: Why C.J. Stroud has value as No. 1 pick

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We’re just more than two weeks away from the NFL Draft, and we’re already seeing some dramatic movement in the betting Market.

Much of the intrigue starts at the No. 1 pick, where the Panthers have been mum about their plans after trading D.J. Moore and a bushel of picks for their presumptive franchise quarterback.

But the questions don’t end there: We’ve also seen some shifts in the positional and team-specific markets, especially after some surprising moves in free agency.

With that as the backdrop, here are three of our favorite NFL Draft props to bet on at FanDuel ahead of this month’s marquee event:

C.J. Stroud to be No. 1 overall pick (+200)

Right after the Panthers traded for the No. 1 pick, Stroud was the heavy favorite to hear his name called first on draft night.

In recent weeks, though, there’s been enough smoke about Bryce Young to close the gap, and the market moved sharply in his favor over the last few days.

Still, it’s all just that: smoke.

I have a tough time buying that Carolina traded that much for the top pick without a clear target in mind, and there’s a reason Stroud was such a heavy favorite to begin with.

The former Ohio State star fits the ideal profile of coach Frank Reich, who has long favored tall, “prototypical” quarterbacks and has seemingly described Stroud whenever discussing what his team is looking for in a quarterback.


C.J. Stroud
Getty Images

New quarterbacks coach Josh McCown also has publicly gushed over Stroud, and he even seemed to spill the beans about Stroud’s future home at the QB’s pro day in late March.

Even NFL draftniks and news-breakers, who have collectively driven the hype train on Young-to-Carolina, seem split about which quarterback will go No. 1 – which isn’t exactly an endorsement of Stroud but certainly makes this short price on Young feel a little premature.

I’d bet Stroud all the way to even odds, so this feels like outright larceny.

Zay Flowers to be first WR selected (+330)

The hype keeps building for Flowers, who was seen as a long shot to be the first Receiver off the board just a few weeks ago but is dealing as the second choice as of Wednesday.

There’s a lot to like about the Boston College product, who showed success in the slot and as an outside receiver in college — unlike betting favorite Jaxon Smith-Njigba (-250) — and has among the highest floors of any receiver in this draft.

He boasts arguably the most complete skill sets in this class, which makes him an attractive play in a market that can be awfully scheme-dependent.

In many ways, this is a bet against Smith-Njigba, who’s a heck of a prospect but has enough red flags from a traditional NFL scouting view to hesitate laying such a short price.

It’s also worth sprinkling a few bucks on Quentin Johnston (+1100), but if you’re betting one player in this market, it should be Flowers.


Zay Flowers
Getty Images

Ravens to draft cornerback first (-125)

All offseason long, the Ravens have been vocal about their intent to draft a wide receiver, with coach John Harbaugh going as far as to confirm that his team will add a wideout in this month’s draft just a few weeks ago.

Yet that was before the team shelled out $15 million in guaranteed money to sign Odell Beckham Jr., who slots in as the team’s No. 1 receiver ahead of former first-rounder Rashod Bateman and recent signee Nelson Agholor.

It was a shocking move for a team that’s historically been frugal in free agency, especially at the wide receiver position.

Betting on the NFL?

It also signals that this team will go elsewhere with the No. 20 pick, and there’s plenty of reason to expect a cornerback in this spot.

Baltimore was prepared to offer an OBJ-like deal to All-Pro corner Darius Slay before he re-signed with the Eagles, and the team has been mocked to draft a corner by national and local media alike in the wake of the Beckham signing.

This isn’t the best price we’ve seen on the Ravens drafting a CB, but there’s still value at this price.

The post 2023 NFL Draft odds, predictions: Why C.J. Stroud has value as No. 1 pick appeared first on Bloomberg News Today.



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