The NFL draft begins on April 27, leaving plenty of time for speculation to swirl.
The latest: A deep wide receiver class presents several options who could hear their name called first. There are two offensive linemen with strong cases to be the first and a few options at cornerback, while the first defensive player to shake hands with commissioner Roger Goodell seems obvious.
Check out the latest NFL draft odds.
NFL draft odds
Check out the latest NFL draft odds.
NFL draft odds: First wide receiver drafted
Click linked odds to add selection to betslip. Note: Lines have changed/market no longer available if grey.
| Player | Odds (March 14) | Odds (March 4) |
| Jaxon Smith-Njigba | -112 | +350 |
| Quentin Johnston | +200 | +145 |
| Jordan Addison | +550 | +250 |
| Zay Flowers | +550 | +450 |
| Jalin Hyatt | +700 | +450 |
| Kayshonn Boutte | +6,000 | +3,500 |
| Josh Downs | +7,500 | +4,500 |
| Rashee Rice | +10,000 | +7,500 |
NFL odds as of 11:40 a.m. ET on 03/14/2023.
Quentin Johnston had the best odds of any wide receiver to go first after an impressive junior campaign, but now that distinction belongs to Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Smith-Njigba is one of the most intriguing prospects in this class. His sophomore season was one of the greatest ever by a wide receiver, amassing 95 receptions for 1,606 receiving yards and nine scores, outproducing both Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, who were both first-round picks in last year's draft.
Over the last two years, Jaxon Smith-Njigba has hauled in 92% of his catchable targets—the highest rate of any FBS receiver. pic.twitter.com/HdMgA5ovUx
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) March 3, 2023
The reason why Smith-Njigba's not a slam-dunk choice to be the top option at his position is a lingering hamstring injury that limited him to only three games and five receptions last year.
His odds are on the rise after strong performances in the three-cone drill (6.57 seconds) and 20-yard shuttle (3.93 seconds) at the NFL combine.
First offensive lineman drafted
| Player | Odds (March 14) | Odds (March 4) |
| Paris Johnson | -118 | -106 |
| Peter Skoronski | +150 | +120 |
| Broderick Jones | +350 | +500 |
| Darnell Wright | +500 | +2,500 |
| Dawand Jones | +4,500 | +1,500 |
| O'Cyrus Torrence | +4,500 | +2,500 |
| Anton Harrison | +5,000 | +5,000 |
| Matthew Bergeron | +8,000 | +6,000 |
| Cody Mauch | +10,000 | +10,000 |
Paris Johnson is the odds-on favourite to be the first offensive lineman off the board. He's a versatile blocker with experience playing left and right tackle, in addition to guard. This past season was his first as an every-game starter.
Peter Skoronski, meanwhile, has been Northwestern's starting tackle since arriving at Evanston. With an impressive collegiate track record behind him, he appears to be the safest option at the position.
NFL draft odds: First defensive player drafted
| Player | Odds (March 14) | Odds (March 4) |
| Will Anderson | -225 | -215 |
| Jalen Carter | +300 | +350 |
| Tyree Wilson | +350 | +250 |
| Christian Gonzalez | +2,500 | +2,500 |
| Myles Murphee | +5,000 | +4,500 |
| Nolan Smith | +5,000 | +5,000 |
| Bryan Breese | +8,000 | +8,000 |
| Lukas Van Ness | +8,000 | +5,000 |
| Devon Witherspoon | +8,000 | +8,000 |
| Will McDonald IV | +10,000 | +9,000 |
| Joey Porter Jr. | +10,000 | +10,000 |
| Brian Branch | +12,000 | +10,000 |
| Cameron Smith | +12,000 | +12,000 |
| Keele Ringo | +15,000 | +15,000 |
| Drew Sanders | +15,000 | +15,000 |
Will Anderson was the top defensive player in this class before the year started and he did enough to maintain the distinction.
He didn't repeat his 2021 performance (101 tackles, 31.0 tackles for a loss, and 17.5 sacks) but his 51 tackles, 17.0 TFL, and 10.0 sacks were solid.
Quite the comparison for @AlabamaFTBL's Will Anderson Jr. 👀
— NFL (@NFL) March 3, 2023
📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork
📱: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/iinycEr6E4
Tyree Wilson's another option we can get behind.
The imposing 6-foot-6, 275-pound defensive lineman from Texas Tech had seven sacks and 14 tackles for a loss in 10 games last season.
First cornerback drafted
| Player | Odds (March 14) | Odds (March 4) |
| Christian Gonzalez | -200 | -157 |
| Devon Witherspoon | +200 | +160 |
| Joey Porter Jr. | +750 | +400 |
| Cameron Smith | +2,800 | +1,700 |
| Deonte Banks | +4,000 | +4,000 |
| Keele Ringo | +4,000 | +4,000 |
| Emmanuel Forbes | +8,500 | +8,500 |
| Clark Phillips | +9,000 | +9,000 |
| Eli Ricks | +10,000 | +10,000 |
| Kyu Blu Kelly | +10,000 | +10,000 |
Christian Gonzalez was a dominant performer at the NFL combine. He ran a 93rd-percentile 40-yard dash time (4.38 seconds), resulting in a 95th-percentile speed score (110.1) due to his above-average size (6-foot-1, 197 pounds) for the position, per PlayerProfiler.
He had four interceptions at Oregon in 2022 after transferring from Colorado.
Plenty of buzz surrounds Devon Witherspoon after an excellent senior season at Illinois. He had three interceptions for the Fighting Illini last year and is gaining plenty of steam through the pre-draft process, going No. 7 in Mel Kiper's latest mock draft.
NFL draft odds: First tight end drafted
| Player | Odds (March 14) |
| Michael Mayer | +135 |
| Dalton Kincaid | +150 |
| Luke Musgrave | +400 |
| Darnell Washington | +400 |
| Zack Kuntz | +6,000 |
| Sam LaPorta | +8,000 |
| Jahleel Billingsley | +10,000 |
| Tucker Kraft | +10,000 |
| Cameron Latu | +10,000 |
| Luke Schoonmaker | +10,000 |
Michael Mayer, also known as "Baby Gronk," is the favourite to be the first tight end drafted in what's a loaded class.
After posting back-to-back 800-yard seasons with 16 total touchdowns at Notre Dame, while also demonstrating elite blocking skills, he's going to be at the top of the board for many NFL squads.
.@NDFootball TE Michael Mayer crushing the gauntlet.
— NFL (@NFL) March 5, 2023
📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork
📱: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/CluECAS2Ov
Dalton Kincaid is next up and he's flying up mock drafts thanks to elite receiving chops.
His 890 yards and eight touchdowns in his junior campaign caught the attention of many scouts.
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