- Odds for the first QB taken range from -200 for Bryce Young up to +450 for Will Levis
- The Chicago Bears hold the number one overall pick but have expressed interest in not using it for a quarterback
- Colts Owner Jim Irsay has been vocal in his draft plans but may be setting up a smokescreen
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The 2023 NFL Draft continues to heat up and Colts Owner Jim Irsay has seemingly revealed the team’s draft strategy. The Chicago Bears currently have the number one pick but are speculated to trade it or select a defensive player.
The draft is one of the most unpredictable days of the year and there are always surprises throughout the first round or in the top 10. Online gambling sites have set odds for the first QB taken, with odds as high as +450 for Will Levis.
First QB to be Selected in NFL Draft Odds
- Bryce Young -200
- C.J. Stroud +300
- Will Levis +450
Jim Irsay Shows his Hand but May Be a Smokescreen
A recent development has all signs pointing to an Indianapolis Colts trade up from number four to one for Alabama QB Bryce Young. While Jim Irsay questionably revealed the Colts’ draft plans, it’s worth wondering how much of this is a smokescreen.
Misleading information runs amok during the NFL Draft every year and it would be no surprise to see the Colts doing much of it this time around. The Colts could likely be doing so to put pressure on their AFC South rival Houston Texans, who hold the second overall pick and may feel the need to jump the one extra spot to guarantee their selection.
With direct news from GM Ryan Poles that it is likely the Bears will refrain from taking a QB of their own, it follows logically that they would trade out of the first overall pick to stack up future draft selections.
The Colts seem to be by far the best option to do so as they have the capital and hold the number four overall pick, where the Bears could still take one of the top two defensive players in either Jalen Carter or Will Anderson Jr. assuming both the Colts and Texans take a QB as they are expected to do.
Will Levis is an interesting longshot at +450 odds, as early draft news speculated some teams have him ranked much higher than the general consensus among the public. If a team like the Las Vegas Raiders managed to put a package together to trade up from number seven to one, it could be because they liked Levis enough to secure him uncontested.
However, NFL Draft sportsbooks have listed Bryce Young as the -200 favorite for a reason, as the Colts seem all but set on the Alabama product and are the most likely candidate to pull off a trade for the number one pick.
If the Texans feel the heat from Irsay’s potential smokescreen and want to secure Young, they would trade up to take him specifically, as any other preference for QB would likely have them stay put at number two.
Yet, the NFL Draft is always full of surprises and truly no one knows what will happen until the teams themselves are on the clock and submit their selection. At this time Bryce Young seems to be a lock for the first QB selected at -200 odds but crazier things have happened and we may even see someone like Will Levis (+450) being selected at number one when it is all said and done.