NFL Draft Update: Patriots, Cardinals Boost Odds for No. 1 Pick
The race for the top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft got a little more interesting with the Carolina Panthers winning over the weekend. Carolina still has the worst record in the NFL but the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals are just a game back with three games left to play. When looking at the NFL betting lines, USC’s Caleb Williams remains the clear choice to go first overall.
Carolina’s pick is the property of the Chicago Bears thanks to a 2022 trade. Will the Bears double up on offensive stars who can help current starting quarterback Justin Fields or go with Williams as the team’s latest quarterback of the future?
According to the NFL draft odds, Williams and fellow quarterback Drake Maye of North Carolina continue to have the top odds among draft prospects. Williams, Maye, and UCLA defensive lineman Laiatu Latu are among the top draft prospects who have opted out of upcoming bowl games.
Even with Carolina winning last week, the order of the top three picks hasn’t changed with just three weeks left in the regular season.
When looking at the top NFL players by position, Williams, receiver Marvin Harrison (+1800), offensive lineman Joe Alt (+4500), edge rusher J.T. Tuimoloau (+3500), interior defensive lineman Michael Hall Jr. (+4500), cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry (+7500), tight end Brock Bowers (+6000) and linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (+10000) are the front-runners to go No. 1 overall at their respective position groups, according to the NFL Draft odds.
The 2024 NFL Draft is set for April 25-27 in Detroit.
No News is Good News
There has been little movement in the NFL Draft odds for the top prospects.
USC’s Williams is still priced at -650 to be the first quarterback chosen and has the same odds to be the top overall selection.
North Carolina’s Drake Maye comes in at +380 to be the top quarterback picked and has +450 odds to become the No. 1 overall selection according to our sportsbook
In the pecking order of the top quarterbacks, there is a drop-off after Williams and Maye.
Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels out of LSU comes in at +2000 followed by Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. (+2500), Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy (+3500) and former Arkansas quarterback K.J. Jefferson (+3500).
It is interesting that Jefferson entered his name in the transfer portal rather than declaring for the draft. He does have time to make that move.
Patriots, Cardinals Still in Play for No. 1 Pick
Even though the Carolina Panthers won for the second time during the 2023 season thanks to Eddy Pineiro’s field goal on the last play of the game against the Atlanta Falcons, the Panthers still have the worst record in the NFL. If the 2024 NFL Draft order was finalized off the current records, the Chicago Bears would have picks Nos. 1 and 5.
2024 NFL Draft Order updated (7 rounds) https://t.co/kvpmXPK39p
— Walter Cherepinsky (@walterfootball) December 19, 2023
The top pick was acquired from Carolina in a trade that sent the No. 1 overall selection to the Panthers. Chicago is 5-9 and that gives them the No. 5 pick.
The win by Carolina does tighten things up as the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals are both 3-11 and could still finish with the worst record in the NFL.
Carolina ends the season by playing the 6-8 Green Bay Packers, the 8-6 Jacksonville Jaguars and the 7-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jacksonville and Tampa Bay are current division leaders with little margin for error.
New England meets 7-7 Denver, 8-6 Buffalo and the 5-9 New York Jets. The final game could have significant implications in the early order for the 2024 NFL Draft.
Arizona faces Chicago on Sunday followed by matchups with the playoff-bound Philadelphia Eagles and a 7-7 Seattle team that just upset the Eagles.
Washington currently would have the No. 4 pick. The New York Giants and New York Jets would pick sixth and seventh, respectively, followed by the Los Angeles Chargers, Tennessee Titans and the Atlanta Falcons.
When looking at the NFL odds this week, the game that could have the biggest impact on the top 10 picks is the Washington Commanders game at the New York Jets.
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Who Wants a Quarterback?
Like it or not, all positions are not created equal in the NFL.
Carolina sent a future No. 1 pick and top receiver D.J. Moore to Chicago as part of the deal to acquire the rights to former Alabama quarterback Bryce Young is proof of that.
Among the teams currently picking in the top 10, only the Los Angeles Chargers can be ruled out as a team eyeing a quarterback early in the first round.
The Chicago Bears used a recent first-round selection on quarterback Justin Fields while Arizona QB Kyle Murray is a former No. 1 overall selection.
There has been plenty of chatter about what the Bears would do with the top pick. USC’s Caleb Williams is being touted as a generational talent so the Bears could pick him and acquire more draft capital by dealing Fields to a quarterback-needy team.
A Look at the Top 10
Six teams have been eliminated from playoff contention, with only the Carolina Panthers having something left to play for since they don’t hold the rights to their top draft pick.
Will the New York Jets, New England Patriots, Tennessee, Titans, Arizona Cardinals and Washington Commanders give some unproven players a chance to show what they can do with an eye toward the 2024 season?
The New York Giants and Chicago Bears could be the next two teams knocked out of playoff consideration and similar questions could be thrown their way.
The Atlanta Falcons moved into the No. 10 spot in the draft order. However, Atlanta is just a game out of first place in the NFC South race.
Top 10 Draft Order
- Chicago Bears (from Carolina 2-12)
- New England Patriots (3-11)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-11)
- Washington Commanders (4-10)
- Chicago Bears (5-9)
- New York Giants (5-9)
- New York Jets (5-9)
- Los Angeles Chargers (5-9)
- Tennessee Titans (5-9)
- Atlanta Falcons (6-8)
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Questions Of The Day
Which player has the best odds to be the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft?
Southern California’s Caleb Williams is viewed as the top prospect available in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Which team currently holds the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft?
Due to the trade that sent the top pick in last year’s draft to Carolina, and with Carolina having the worst record in the NFL, the No. 1 overall pick currently belongs to the Chicago Bears.
