For countless football fans out there, there are few things better than the NFL Draft. When things roll around for the opening round on Thursday, April 28, people will be waiting to see who will be taken No. 1 overall. Multiple players are in the mix. In this piece, we have NFL Draft picks for the first round, with dreams about to become a reality for countless college players out there.
To no one’s surprise, Aidan Hutchinson is the favorite to be taken No. 1 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jacksonville is no stranger to holding the No. 1 overall pick, as they’ve been one of the worst teams in the game in recent years. Now, the Jags are hoping that Hutchinson can help the offensive side of the ball after they recently went with quarterback Trevor Lawrence as the top pick.
Hutchinson, a star of the Michigan Wolverines, has blossomed into one of the best talents in the game and his potential can’t be measured. He’s a true talent and the expectation is that the Jags will call his name at No. 1. A stud defensive end, Hutchinson would immediately be able to contribute to this team and help the pass-rush as a whole for the squad.
| No. 1 Draft odds |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hutchinson | -200 | -200 | -200 | -200 |
| Walker | +200 | +200 | +200 | +200 |
| Ekwonu | +1200 | +1200 | +1200 | +1200 |
| Neal | +1400 | +1400 | +1400 | +1400 |
It’s not a lock that Hutchinson will be taken No. 1 overall, though, as other players are certainly in the mix. This includes Travon Walker, Ikem Ekwonu, Evan Neal and others. For Jacksonville, they obviously won’t be going with a QB at the top of things this year, as Lawrence is viewed as the future for this team. Defense feels like a safe bet for them.
According to the best rated sportsbooks, Hutchinson holds -200 NFL odds of being taken No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft. From our chair, we think it would be a bit of a shock if the team decided to go elsewhere in this case. Because of this, we’re going with Hutchinson as our pick to go No. 1 overall. Agree? Check out our best NFL betting sites to get a wager in.
The question on everyone’s mind too is who will be the first quarterback taken in the NFL Draft? As things stand, it’s going to come down to either Pitt QB Kenny Pickett or Liberty’s Malik Willis. Both are top-tier talents and they’re sure-fire first-round picks. However, it’s for sure a close race to see who goes off the board first. Starting with Willis, his dual-threat abilities stand out.
His speed and ways of running the ball gives him a slight advantage over Pickett. In today’s NFL, a quarterback being able to escape the pocket and rush for big gains has changed things in a major way. Everyone has seen the kind of impact players like Lamar Jackson and Kyler Murray have had for both the Ravens and Cardinals, respectively.
With that said, Pickett has a rocket for an arm and he looks to have a bright future ahead of him as well. There are several teams in need of a QB for the future too, which is only going to make things even more interesting. We could even see some teams, like the Steelers, try and trade up to land a guy they’re a fan of. This will all be something to keep an eye on.
Per the oddsmakers, Willis holds the better pre-draft odds, as he’s been set at -175 to be the first quarterback taken off the board. Meanwhile, for Pickett, he’s a bit behind in the race in this case, as he’s been placed at +135. This is going to be very close, but our gut is that Willis will hear his name called first. We’re going with the Liberty QB as our pick.
While the odds for this haven’t been released just yet, look for Deebo Samuel to get traded before the NFL Draft. Countless headlines were made earlier this month when it was announced that the San Francisco 49ers speedster had requested the team to trade him. They simply hadn’t been able to get on the same page with extension talks, leading to Samuel asking for a move.
Samuel has solidified himself as one of the best offensive playmakers in the game. Any offence would be lucky to have him. Thus far, teams like the Jets and Texans have emerged as serious contenders. With Houston, they hold two first-round picks. Sending the No. 13 overall selection could be enough to get Samuel to the AFC South for the Texans.
However, we could see a shocking move come during the first round of the NFL Draft as well. Could the Green Bay Packers decide to try and test their luck? After trading Davante Adams to the Raiders, this team needs a No. 1 WR. Samuel would fit the bill and he’d surely make life easier for Aaron Rodgers. Stay tuned folks, as some massive news could be on the way.
