- Kayvon Thibodeaux has -110 odds to be the first selection of the 2022 NFL Draft.
- Aidan Hutchinson has the next shortest odds at +250.
- Matt Corral rounds out the top three choices with a +300 betting line, shortest of all the quarterbacks.
LAS VEGAS – The NFL Draft is already less than five months away. As the college football season winds down, the option for who will be the first overall pick has already been trimmed down to just a few options, at least according to the odds.
2022 First Overall Draft Pick
- Kayvon Thibodeaux -110
- Aidan Hutchinson +250
- Matt Corral +300
- Kenny Pickett +1000
- Malik Willis +1000
- Carson Strong +1200
- Evan Neal +1200
Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE, Oregon (-110)
Kayvon Thibodeaux has been a projected top draft selection for quite some time now. As time passes, his case for being the first overall selection gets better and better. Online gambling sites have him with the shortest odds for a reason.
Thibodeaux was the No. 2 overall player in his class and made an immediate impact his freshman season, recording nine sacks and forcing a fumble. Ever since then, he has been drawing double teams on nearly every play, but his impact is still felt on the Oregon Ducks’ defense whenever he’s on the field.
Thibodeaux has frown comparisons to NFL greats like DeMarcus Ware as well as Myles Garrett and Von Miller. Based on those evaluations alone, he should seem like a lock to be the first overall pick in the draft.
Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan (+250)
Aidan Hutchinson has arguably been the best defensive player in college football this season. However, over the course of his four years at Michigan, he’s been inconsistent. Hutchinson has recorded 13 sacks this season which is third-best in the country, but has just 4.5 sacks across his previous three years combined.
Aidan Hutchinson: Most sacks in season by any Michigan defender, ever (13)@UMichFootball pic.twitter.com/WRjY5hrwFr
— PFF College Football (@PFF_College) November 27, 2021
Hutchinson has locked up his spot as one of the first names to be called in April, but it’s unlikely he’ll be the first. He’s older than Thibodeaux, less consistent and likely has a lower ceiling as well. He’s recently become the No. 1 pick on some mock draft, but it’s probable those writers are either falling victim to recency bias due to his three-sack performance against Ohio State or are simply trying to get clicks by going against the grain.
He had a great season, but can he perform at that level for multiple years?
Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss (+300)
Those betting on the NFL Draft may not be used to a quarterback not being favored to go first overall, but the quarterback play was so bad this season that it seems impossible to take one first overall.
Matt Corral is not the best player in the country and barring a drastic shock, will not be the first overall pick. There’s nothing out there to even say that Corral is definitively the best quarterback in the draft. It’s not too farfetched to say a team may prefer Malik Willis or Kenny Pickett in the draft process, but it’s a safe assumption to make that no quarterback will be the first pick in the draft.