Cam Ward NFL Draft Odds Continue to Surge in His Direction to be No. 1 Pick
The NFL Draft odds for who will be the No. 1 pick in April have completely flipped from Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders to Miami QB Cam Ward.
Just two weeks ago, Sanders was a massive outright favorite to be the No. 1 pick, but Ward flipped things after the New Year and is now extending his lead in the betting market.
Current NFL Draft Odds to be No. 1 pick (odds via BetMGM)
- Cam Ward -145
- Shedeur Sanders +115
At BetMGM, Ward opened with +450 odds to be the No. 1 pick. But since the Titans secured the No. 1 pick, and reports circulated they like Ward, he’s dropped down to -145, which represents an implied probability of 59.2% of happening. A week ago, Ward was -135.
On FanDuel Sportsbook, the odds haven’t shifted quite as dramatically recently, but have overall. In early December, Sanders was -180 to be the No. 1 pick. After Colorado’s bowl game, where Sanders and his team put up a stinker, he was -135. Now he’s +105, while Ward is -125.
On Jan. 5, Benjamin Allbright reported the Titans are “rumored to love Cam Ward,” right around the same time the odds shifted more heavily towards him.
The recent surge may now be tied to prominent NFL Draft Analyst Dane Brugler linking Ward to the Titans at No. 1 in his Wednesday morning mock draft with Sanders sliding to No. 6.
Things will change as both quarterbacks work out for teams and go through the predraft process, but with the QB-needy Titans set to pick first, followed by the Browns and Giants, who also need a QB, it seems almost certain a QB will go first overall.
Behind Ward and Sanders in the odds to go first at BetMGM is Penn State standout pass rusher Abdul Carter (+1200) and Colorado WR/DB Travis Hunter (+1400). There’s a big drop-off after that with LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell and Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart both tied with +5000 odds.
Dart is interesting as he’s been moving up draft boards after throwing for 404 yards and four touchdowns in the Rebels’ blowout bowl win. But against the two best defenses he faced this year, LSU and Georgia, he was held to 284 yards and 199 yards passing yards, respectively. He threw one TD and one INT in both games. Unless the Titans become enamored with Dart, it’s hard to envision him jumping to No. 1.
Ward threw for 4,313 yards and an NCAA-leading 39 TDs this season. Sanders finished with 4,134 yards and 37 passing TDs while completing an NCAA-best 74.0 percent of his passes.
It does feel certain a QB will be taken with the first pick by the Titans, but until we go through the predraft process and more reports emerge on who Tennessee likes, this is a betting market to stear clear of.
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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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