Arms Race At #1

It’s about time this NFL offseason got some more excitement, and no, I’m not talking about a certain 39-year-old who just got dealt to the Jets. The NFL Draft is officially here folks, and if nothing else, this year’s edition in Kansas City promises to be one of the most extravagant yet👇

The Carolina Panthers are on the clock first after trading a hefty package to the Bears for the top overall pick back in early March. When the deal was made, it was fair to wonder if Carolina knew who their guy was…and now, with the draft just hours away, it’s still a good question 🤷🏻‍♂️

• Unsurprisingly, the pick is widely expected to be a quarterback, but which one? For the past couple months, four different QBs have had varying levels of hype for the top spot, and all four are still very much in play

Rumor has it that the team has its mind made up, and one player has emerged as the heavy favorite to hear his name called first. But few things are as unpredictable as the NFL Draft…all four of these guys should hear their name called very early, and one will likely be the next Panthers’ QB 👇

📍 Bryce Young, Alabama (-2000)

If Young was just a couple inches taller, this wouldn’t even be a question. It still might not be, given how big of a favorite he is. But even though the former Heisman winner is in good spirits over the size concerns, they’re very real concerns nonetheless🤔

• I certainly get the hesitation, given that Young would be one of the smallest players ever taken in the NFL Draft. But he’s the complete package otherwise…if I’m the Panthers, the upside is worth the risk

📍 Will Levis, Kentucky (+800)

You gotta love the NFL Draft in this day and age, when an anonymous post on Reddit of all places can cause a player’s draft stock to skyrocket 😂

Where there’s smoke, there’s often fire, and Levis certainly has the high-end tools to develop into a franchise QB. But for the Panthers’ sake, I hope this is just noise 😬

📍 CJ Stroud, Ohio State (+2500)

Just hours after Carolina acquired the first overall pick, CJ Stroud found himself as a -400 favorite to be the selection. But a lot has changed since then, with many pointing a finger at advanced testing 👇

I still like Stroud’s chances of becoming a solid starting NFL quarterback, and I’d be shocked if he falls too far. But I’m not sure he has the upside to warrant the package the Panthers gave up for this pick

📍Anthony Richardson, Florida (+4000)

An electric combine performance had Richardson as high as +350 to go first back in March, and while that hype has cooled significantly, he’s still an interesting dark-horse. I mean, the potential is just silly 👇

Sure, the track record is lacking, and the downside is scary. But while I’d still give a slight edge to Young on my board, Richardson is right behind him 😤

Trivia Question: Who is the highest drafted QB of the Nick Saban era at Alabama?

Burning Questions

This NFL Draft may revolve around the QBs, but that doesn’t mean we’re lacking intriguing storylines otherwise. Here are some the biggest questions that should shape tonight’s first round👇

🏈 Where’s Bijan going?

The devaluation of RBs in today’s NFL is no secret, and we saw that firsthand in last year’s draft, with no rushers taken in the first round. But this year, we could have an exception to the trend in the form of Bijan Robinson

• The Texas product is considered by many to be the best RB prospect since Saquon in 2018, the last time we saw one taken in the first 20 picks

• With a draft position O/U of 15.5, Bijan shouldn’t have to wait for a new home for long, and with the Eagles and Falcons emerging as popular fits, he could go even earlier than expected 👀

🏈 Who will be the first WR taken?

There’s been a ridiculous amount of WR talent coming in to the league recently, and while this year’s class isn’t as deep as last year’s, there’s still several potential game-changers who should be picked early 👇

• Jaxon Smith-Njiba out of Ohio State is currently the -400 favorite to be the first WR off the board; could he potentially be a shiny new toy for Aaron Rodgers and the Jets at 15?

• Don’t count out Boston College’s Zay Flowers from leapfrogging JSN though; he’s currently +450 to be the first wideout taken, but he’s been one of the biggest pre-draft risers 📈

• Quentin Johnson from TCU, Jordan Addison from USC and Jalin Hyatt from Tennessee all have a great shot at hearing their names called tonight as well

🏈 How far does Jalen Carter fall?

Tonight’s biggest non-QB wild card is undoubtedly Georgia’s Jalen Carter, the controversial defensive tackle who looked like a near-lock to go in the top three just a few months ago

• Now? Not so much. An arrest stemming from reckless driving, as well as Pro Day struggles, had him tumbling down more than a few draft boards

• But given the dominance he displayed in back-to-back title campaigns at UGA, something tells me he won’t fall too far. He’s currently a -175 favorite to go 5th overall to the Seahawks, and if you ask him, he’s definitely not making it out of the top-10

For My Parlay Gurus

Draft lines can be a bit limited depending on the book you’re using, but in a league that loves its explosive playmakers, I’ll throw some change on Bijan and JSN going early than expected. Check out this parlay👇

• Bijan Robinson Under 15.5 picks: -275

• Jaxon Smith-Njiba Under 12.5 picks: +240

$100 on this bet would win you $364 — if we hit, make sure you email [email protected] for a chance to win up to $100*. Many will enter, only some will win 😉

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Trivia Answer: Just two Alabama QBs have gone in the first round since 1976; Tua Tagovailoa went 5th overall in 2020, and Mac Jones went 15th overall in 2021

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