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Tide shifts: Odds signal Bryce Young, Will Anderson Jr. could go 1-2
Alabama could produce the top two picks in the 2023 NFL Draft if oddsmakers are correct with projections of quarterback Bryce Young being the No. 1 overall pick and defensive end Will Anderson Jr. going second.
Young is the overwhelming favorite to be the first player drafted, with the futures market pushing that wager to -1200 at Caesars and -1000 at DraftKings. That recent change moved Young ahead of Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud, who is no longer the favorite to be picked at No. 2.
DraftKings was first to move Anderson Jr. to the favorite at No. 2 (+150), but with limited clarity as Kentucky quarterback Will Levis (+210) is narrowly behind.
FanDuel has Anderson (+200) and Stroud (+250) nearly even in No. 2 pick odds, and Anderson, Stroud, and Florida’s Anthony Richardson dead-even at +250 to be drafted third overall.
Stroud is fourth in the No. 2 pick market at DraftKings, a signal the Houston Texans could be considering eschewing the quarterback need with their first of two first-round picks. Houston also has the 12th overall pick and is rumored to favor Richardson and Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker.
Of course, smoke screens and unabashed lies from personnel departments multiply this time of year with teams seeking to underplay their affinity for favored prospects and overplay the merits of others.
Anderson Jr. is also the favorite for the No. 3 pick at DraftKings. The Arizona Cardinals hold the pick entering the draft but are open to dealing the choice if a QB-needy team shows the appetite to trade a bundle of assets.
Will Anderson Jr. is the consensus top defensive player in this draft.
DraftKings odds for the No. 2 overall pick as of Tuesday at 9 a.m. ET:
Will Anderson Jr., Alabama (+150)
Will Levis, Kentucky (+210)
Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech (+300)
C.J. Stroud, Ohio State (+350)
Bryce Young, Alabama (+800)
Jalen Carter, Georgia (+1500)
Anthony Richardson, Florida (+1800)
–Field Level Media contributed to this story