Happy Draft Day everyone. It’s a beautiful spring day here in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts and I’m so fired up for one of my favorite days of the year. This years NFL Draft presents a lot of intrigue with players like Will Levis, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Anthony Richardson who have all been a heavy talking point of draft discourse. Then, we have elite prospects with All Pro potential like Will Anderson Jr., Bryce Young, Calijah Kancey, and Darnell Wright.
To celebrate the big day, I’m giving out my 2023 NFL Draft Best Bets. They range from exact draft selections of players to conference selections in the first round. 8:00 PM cannot come soon enough.
NOTE: ALL LINES ARE ACCORDING TO DRAFTKINGS SPORTSBOOK.
Will Anderson Jr. Third Overall +240
With the first two teams in the draft (most likely) taking quarterbacks, Anderson to the Cardinals feels like it’s going to happen. Kyler Murray wants an offensive tackle, but you can’t pass on a generational talent like Anderson. He had 27.5 sacks over two seasons and is the best player in the draft. Arizona would be foolish to not take him. Every mock draft I’ve assembled since the Bears trade has Anderson in this spot.
Will Levis Fourth Overall +115
The Colts appear to be fairly dialed in on taking a quarterback in this draft. With Stroud and Young off the board, they’re choosing between Levis and Richardson. Levis just feels like a Colts quarterback. A huge arm and a gritty play style that radiates remnants of Andrew Luck. I feel pretty safe betting him to go fourth overall because the other potential is that a team like Tennessee trades up to this spot and takes Levis.
Top Five Exact Order: Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, Will Anderson Jr., Will Levis, Jalen Carter +650
This is the exact order of my most recent mock draft. I was originally on board with Stroud going one, but the winds are heavily blowing in the direction of Bryce Young being taken first overall. Then, the Texans have been using a smokescreen to maybe drive up the value of the second pick by saying they aren’t going to take a quarterback, but they aren’t fooling anyone. Then at three, four, and five, all these fits just feel right. It’s what I’ve been feeling for the past month. Sometimes I have visions in my sleep of Levis throwing a touchdown in a Colts uniform or Jalen Carter making a tackle in a Seahawks jersey.
Total BIG Ten Players Taken In The First Round Over 8.5 +240
What a line. In my mock draft, I have nine BIG Ten players getting taken in the first round. The reason I’m so confident in the over 8.5 bet is because I have all these players coming off the board pretty early. The latest BIG Ten player I have getting drafted is Minnesota center John Michael Schmitz at twenty five. This might be a year the BIG Ten finally beats the SEC in something football related.
John Michael Schmitz To Be Taken In The First Round +200
Michael Schmitz is my second highest rated interior offensive lineman in the draft. There are three teams in the late first round that I could see taking him. That’s the Giants, Vikings, and Bengals. All three are in the market for a center and with their position in later rounds, they wouldn’t be able to land the All American. It’d be a bit of a “reach” pick, but not by much. Pencil John Michael Schmitz in as a first rounder.
Total Defensive Backs Taken In The First Round Over 5.5 -195
I’m going against myself here. In my mock draft, I have only five defensive backs coming off the board in the first round with four corners and one safety. Here’s the thing; this years corner class is one of the most loaded we’ve ever seen. With the class being so talented, a lot of teams with other needs may still draft a corner because they’re the best available player and will try to make up for this in later rounds. Something tells me we’re going to see a huge run on defensive backs between picks fourteen to twenty three.
Total Quarterbacks Taken In The First Round Under 4.5 +140
It feels clear that four quarterbacks will definitely come off the board tonight. Those names are CJ Stroud, Bryce Young, Anthony Richardson, and Will Levis. The name that hangs in the balance that could rattle this bet is Tennessees Hendon Hooker. Some mock drafts predict the Vikings, Saints, or Buccaneers to take him. Personally, I don’t see it. He’s a twenty five year old quarterback coming off a torn ACL. Someone will take him in the second round, but I get the feeling a lot of GMs feel the same as I do that the cons out weight the pros of Hooker to take him in the first round. Hammer the under of 4.5 first round quarterbacks.
Position Of Bills First Drafted Player: Running Back +1000
The Bills need a premiere running back to become the most well rounded roster in the NFL. Whether it’s Bijan Robinson falling to them or taking Alabamas Jahmyr Gibbs as a receiving back, I have a great feeling they’ll be walking out of the first round tonight with a running back to play alongside James Cook and Damien Harris. A lot of mock drafts I’ve seen has them taking one. In my mock draft I have them taking Gibbs.
Position Of Jaguars First Drafted Player: Offensive Lineman +200
With the loss of Jawaan Taylor in free agency and the suspension of Cam Robinson, the Jaguars are bare bones at the tackle position. This years tackle class is a very good one with Peter Skornski, Paris Johnson Jr., Darnell Wright, and Broderick Jones. While I think those four will be off the board by the Jaguars pick, there is a high possibility they draft either Oklahoma tackle Anton Harrison or Ohio State tackle Dawand Jones. I also wouldn’t be shocked if they stayed in state and took Gators guard O’Cyrus Torrence purely off his massive 6’5, 346 pound frame. Any way you shape it, the Jags are taking an offensive lineman.