Super Bowl LVIII is over. You know what that means! Focusing on the off-season and the NFL Draft of course!
Every team will attempt to dethrone the Kansas City Chiefs. But they’ll maintain a distinct advantage over them and the San Francisco 49ers. Every team (except the Carolina Panthers) gets to draft higher than they do. However, seeing as most two picks will not stay long with their original team, everything is guesswork at this point.
But what are the initial DraftKings Odds telling us so early in the process?
NFL Draft Consensus Top Pick
| Player To Go Number 1 | Line |
| Caleb Williams | -900 |
| ** Odds Courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook** | |
Despite some Chicago Bears faithful hoping to keep Justin Fields, that looks unlikely. Although it’s fair to say that the organization did not do a lot to support him, you can’t skip out on the quarterback from USC. Picture every team represented by their coach and GM right now in your head. How many would pass on Caleb Williams?
The Kansas City Chiefs would, and probably the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens. But other than that, hard to see anyone else passing. Especially with his talent, on a rookie deal, even those teams would at least consider it. This is why the NFL Draft odds are essentially saying that he is going number one. But there is a twist!
The odds only have him going first overall. The Bears may believe in Fields and elect to trade out of the top spot. A team needs to give up multiple assets, but Williams would be worth it. Anyone who decides to go first this year is taking the USC talent. Regardless of who ends up picking first, the others will have to wait.
NFL Draft Riskier Odds
| Player To Go Number 1 | Line |
| Drake Maye | +475 |
| Marvin Harrison Jr. | +1200 |
| Jayden Daniels | +1500 |
| Michael Penix Jr. | +4000 |
| Bo Nix | +9000 |
| ** Odds Courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook** | |
Including the other names is simply for the sake of being complete. Williams is going first. You know it, the NFL Draft knows it, we all know it! However, there is a significant gap between Maye and Harrison. Although unlikely, it appears that the oddsmakers view Maye as a slight outside shot to be taken ahead of everyone else.
Two things would have to happen. Either Williams suffers a complete accident or an injury or the interviews and in-person meetings too heavily sway toward Maye. Firstly, the ability to play football again would have to be questioned for it to be that serious. For example, even a torn ACL in a workout would be fine. It would give the Bears another tanking season, knowing they could pair their new QB with another top-tier talent in 2025.
Additionally, as per some rumors, he may refuse to even go to Chicago. Although a standoff appears unlikely there is another more civil alternative. Maye impresses when meeting with teams so much and he draws up plays on the whiteboard at such a high level that teams feel they can coach up the difference. Again these are stretches, but if you see any of those scenarios playing out, then +475 is a great return to consider for a long shot.
NFL Draft Favorites For Picks 1-3
| Pick and Player | Line |
| 1. Caleb Williams | -900 |
| 2. Drake Maye | -180 |
| 3. Jayden Daniels | +150 |
| ** Odds Courtesy of DraftKings** | |
This could be a better avenue to make some money, especially as more picks and choices are revealed. Maye is considered the second-best option in this year’s 2024 NFL Draft class. And the gap is fairly large after him. Keeping it is interesting, but your focus should be on the number three pick.
The New England Patriots are selecting there. Although there are rumors that they are looking to trade out to acquire additional assets. But this line reveals a key piece of the puzzle. Regardless of which team chooses a player here, they will target a quarterback over the talented wide receiver from Ohio State.
Daniels had a great season for LSU. But the upside and QB needs throughout the league may also be helping his NFL Draft capital. Regardless of the reasoning, it’s rare for teams to trade up this early in the rounds and not get a quarterback. Meaning, the oddsmakers are expecting a QB to be taken off the board 1, 2 and 3 this year.
About the Author
Gabriel is a lifelong sports fan. Pick a sport, and he’ll enjoy talking about it with you! From football to soccer, combat sports, and volleyball! For more great content, check us out on X @TotalApexSports. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel, where we do several shows daily. You can follow Gabriel on Twitter @BigTenGabriel to enjoy all of his great content. Make sure you follow us on NewsBreak as well.
