In what is a nice turnaround from last year’s draft class, quarterbacks have once again taken center stage during NFL draft discussions. There is a “big four” that is garnering the most attention from NFL scouts and media alike. With solid performances at the different scouting events for any one of them, they could hear their names called early during the 2023 NFL Draft.
Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Will Levis, and Anthony Richardson are the quarterbacks with the best betting odds to not just be the first quarterback taken in the draft, but to also be the No. 1 overall pick.
Who Will Be the First QB Drafted in 2023?
Based on the current NFL draft order, plenty of teams could be jockeying to get that No. 1 pick. Below, we’ll look at each player’s odds to go first overall, according to DraftKings.
Bryce Young (-250)
The quarterback from Alabama right now is the betting favorite to be the first overall selection. Scouts see Young as having much of the pro-level skills needed to succeed at the next level. The main questions surrounding Young are his height and weight.
There’s concern he may not have the height many scouts look for in a pro-signal-caller, but I would argue what’s more concerning is his weight. On the frame Young possesses, can he add 10-15 pounds of muscle and still perform the way we see on tape? That’s the question scouts will be asking themselves.
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Young won’t perform at the NFL Combine, and Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline reported on Football Insiders that he is weighing the option to have a private pro day separate from Alabama on the west coast. Wherever he shows up, if those questions are answered in the affirmative, Young may very well see his name called first.
Anthony Richardson (+250)
Richardson is an intriguing name. He’s maybe the fastest riser up the NFL draft odds list. Dripping with the physical tools NFL teams covet, combined with just jaw-dropping highlight plays while at Florida, this is a guy who can very quickly rise up draft boards.
The pre-draft events are literally made for a player like Richardson to shine. His performance at the NFL Combine was the perfect setup to produce “wow” moments that will have scouts reconsidering him as a possible first-overall selection.
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Similar to Stroud, all it takes is one team to fall in love with Richardson’s physical gifts and have the belief they can develop the polished skills he may lack at the moment. I still think it’s a long shot Richardson goes first overall, but stranger things have happened at the NFL draft.
C.J. Stroud (+400)
Stroud is the other signal-caller being discussed heavily in the No. 1 overall discussion. So much so that his NFL draft odds of +400 look like a steal compared to Young’s -250.
The Ohio State quarterback checks the boxes that scouts have questions about for Young. Listed at 6-foot-3, 218 pounds, Stroud has the body type scouts love for their quarterbacks.
However, what scouts are wondering is does he have the skill set Young possesses as a passer and runner. Oftentimes, when it comes to player selection, we see NFL teams talk themselves into believing they can develop the skills if the physical attributes are ideal.
If Stroud’s skill set is close enough to Young’s in the eyes of scouts — and already having the ideal body type — it’s very realistic he’s the first name we hear called on draft night. I think +450 is a steal for him. Run, don’t walk.
Will Levis (+1200)
Levis is a bit of a wild card. The Kentucky quarterback is listed at 6-foot-3, 232 pounds. That’s the type of size scouts love, especially if he can move around and be athletic.
Levis’ size is drawing comparisons to Josh Allen, who puts that size to good use in the NFL as a dual-threat quarterback. If Levis showcases similar moments as Allen did when he came out, it’s not completely out of the realm of possibility to hear his name called first on draft night.
Levis lacks the polish of Young or Stroud, but some scouts may believe he has just enough to make it work. I doubt that’s the case, however, and believe of the big four quarterbacks, he’s the most unlikely to be drafted first.