We're just days away from the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft — on April 27, live from Kansas City — and the betting markets are heating up and becoming, well, reactionary.
In the week leading up to the draft, bettors were shocked to see Kentucky quarterback Will Levis ascend the odds for the No. 2 overall pick to +125, according to DraftKings Sportsbook, ahead of Texas Tech edge rusher Tyree Wilson, who has +290 odds.
It's been universally accepted that Alabama quarterback Bryce Young will hear his name called first on Thursday. He has -1600 odds to go No. 1 overall. While Young's odds haven't changed, Levis — who rocketed up betting markets to No. 2 overall — has now done the same for the No. 1 overall pick.
What happened?
Well, it all seems to point to a Reddit post by user "SaleAgreeable2834." That person said Levis, who was +4000 to go No. 1 overall, is "telling friends and family Carolina will in fact take him on Thursday."
The NFL Draft in 2023: pic.twitter.com/RUGhhxVnpm
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) April 25, 2023
Other sportsbooks, such as PointsBet, had Levis at +5000, according to PFF Bet. They've also changed their odds.
Will Levis #1 pick odds have made a MAJOR shift ? pic.twitter.com/7T0ZPtR16M
— PFF NFL Podcast (@PFFNFLPod) April 25, 2023
Here's how the top online sportsbooks look for Levis' odds at the time of this writing:
- DraftKings Sportsbook: +475
- FanDuel Sportsbook: +800
- PointsBet: +400
Several sportsbooks have taken down NFL Draft markets.
Will Levis' Draft Projection
Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images
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Levis has everything you'd want in measurables when it comes to an NFL quarterback. He's 6-foot-4 and around 230 pounds. He ranked in the 96th percentile in hand size, 95th percentile in broad jump, and 79th percentile in the vertical.
He has a cannon for an arm and isn't fazed by pressure. Coming out of Kentucky, he often faced pressure with a disastrous offensive line and poor skill position players around him. The biggest knock on Levis is his college production and some inaccuracy. Ironically, he could play better in the NFL, depending on the team he lands with. If he gets on a team with solid skill position players and an offensive line to protect him, he might have more opportunity to make the most of his talent. He's also not afraid to get out and run. He enters the league as a Jay Cutler-like player who could become a Josh Allen-level player in the right system.
If he lands with the Indianapolis Colts at No. 4 overall, this would be an excellent spot. As for other teams inside the top 10, he'd also be in a great position with the Detroit Lions and Las Vegas Raiders.
