NFL Draft 2023 Odds & Preview: Will Alabama duo be taken with top two picks?

One of the most anticipated days on the annual sports calendar is on the horizon, as the 2023 NFL Draft will commence on Thursday, April 27, at Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri.

There will certainly be a lot of anticipation about who the Super Bowl champion Chiefs will take with their first pick on Thursday night, but as always, the biggest anticipation will be around the top picks.

Picking first this year will be the Carolina Panthers, who acquired the top pick in a trade with the Chicago Bears on March 10.

Here’s a look at the order for the first round. There are only 31 picks in the first round this year, as the Miami Dolphins forfeited their first and third-round picks due to violating the league’s anti-tampering policy in their unsuccessful pursuits of Tom Brady and Sean Payton.

2023 NFL Draft Order (First Round)

1. Carolina Panthers (acquired from the Chicago Bears)
2. Houston Texans
3. Arizona Cardinals
4. Indianapolis Colts
5. Seattle Seahawks (acquired from the Denver Broncos in the Russell Wilson trade)
6. Detroit Lions (acquired from the Los Angeles Rams in the Matthew Stafford trade)
7. Las Vegas Raiders
8. Atlanta Falcons
9. Chicago Bears (acquired from the Carolina Panthers)
10. Philadelphia Eagles (acquired from the New Orleans Saints)
11. Tennessee Titans
12. Houston Texans (acquired from the Cleveland Browns in the Deshaun Watson trade)
13. Green Bay Packers (acquired from the New York Jets in the Aaron Rodgers trade)
14. New England Patriots
15. New York Jets (acquired from the Green Bay Packers in the Aaron Rodgers trade)
16. Washington Commanders
17. Pittsburgh Steelers
18. Detroit Lions
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
20. Seattle Seahawks
21. Los Angeles Chargers
22. Baltimore Ravens
23. Minnesota Vikings
24. Jacksonville Jaguars
25. New York Giants
26. Dallas Cowboys
27. Buffalo Bills
28. Cincinnati Bengals
29. New Orleans Saints (from San Francisco via Miami and Denver)
30. Philadelphia Eagles
31. Kansas City Chiefs

Panthers Set to Pounce on Tide Signal Caller Young with Top Pick

But who will the Panthers take first? All signs–and the odds–are pointing squarely at Alabama quarterback Bryce Young.

Over the past two college football seasons, Young threw for 8,210 yards and 79 touchdowns, and he was picked off only twelve times in 927 pass attempts.

Young, the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner, measured only 5 feet, 10 and one-eighth inches at the NFL Draft combine in February, and if you have been following the NFL or the draft for any length of time, you will know that vertically challenged quarterbacks will always generate a level of scrutiny for their height no matter the level of their accomplishments.

But the Panthers appear to be more fixated on all the traits he brings to the table otherwise, and he is heavily favored to be the first name called by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who is -1000000 to be booed by at least one person when he steps to the podium.

I made those odds up. but that is easily the lock of the night.

Odds to be Drafted First Overall in the 2023 NFL Draft

• Bryce Young, QB, Alabama -2000
• Will Levis, QB, Kentucky +1000
• C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State +2500
• Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida +7500
• Will Anderson Jr., DE, Alabama +20000

Odds are via BetOnline as of Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at 10:07 pm ET.

Will Anderson follow his former teammate in getting his NFL Draft moment with Goodell?

Anderson has been the best defensive player in college football over the past couple of seasons, compiling 152 tackles, 48 tackles for loss, and 27.5 sacks in that time in that period.

He is +340 to be taken second overall by the Texans, so it’s a possibility that he could be on his way to the AFC South. But he isn’t the favorite to be Houston’s pick.

Instead, Kentucky QB Will Levis (+145) and Texas Tech linebacker Tyree Wilson (+290) have the best odds to go second, while Anderson (+240) edges out Wilson (+270) and Ohio State offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. (+290) as the favorite to be Arizona’s selection.

If Levis doesn’t go second to the Texans, that could set up quite the decision for Indianapolis. Barring a very, very, very unlikely choice, the Colts are taking a quarterback and will be hoping to hit the jackpot like they did in the 1998 NFL Draft with Peyton Manning and the 2012 NFL Draft with Luck. But will it be Levis (+150), Stroud (+190), or Florida’s Anthony Richardson (+270)?

Rounding out the top five are the Seattle Seahawks, who are favored to select Georgia defensive end Jalen Carter (-180), though Richardson (+500), Anderson (+650), or Stroud (+900) could be in play if they are still on the board when the Seahawks are on the clock.

2023 NFL Draft Predictions for the Top Five Picks

1. Bryce Young (Carolina Panthers)
2. Tyree Wilson (Houston Texans)
3. Will Anderson Jr. (Arizona Cardinals)
4. Will Levis (Indianapolis Colts)
5. Anthony Richardson (Seattle Seahawks)