During the college football season and into early January, Anthony Richardson was listed as an extreme longshot to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft.
The University of Florida quarterback opened with 100-to-1 odds to be selected first, and those odds still sat at 50-to-1 on January 4.
However, the hype has increased the past two months, and after a dominant showing at the NFL Scouting Combine, Richardson is now being listed as a clear contender to be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.
Richardson has odds of +300 to be the No. 1 overall pick, trailing only Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, according to DraftKings on March 6. Richardson was way behind C.J. Stroud, Will Anderson, Jalen Carter and Will Levis for several months, but has leapfrogged all of them as the draft gets closer.
Here is a look at the five players with realistic odds to go No. 1 overall, with Carter dropping down to +5000 after his arrest for reckless driving and racing.
- Bryce Young -200
- Anthony Richardson +300
- C.J. Stroud +450
- Will Anderson +1200
- Will Levis +1500
Richardson is a raw prospect who completed only 53.8% of his passes this past season at Florida, but he showed dominant physical traits at the NFL Combine.
Richardson ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash, set a quarterback record with a vertical jump of 40.5 inches and had a ball velocity of 60 miles per hour.
The Chicago Bears have the No. 1 pick in the draft, followed by the Houston Texans at No. 2. Chicago is expected to trade down because it has promising quarterback Justin Fields in the fold, and while Young is the expected target for those trading up, Richardson has now put himself into that conversation.
DraftKings also has a Team Draft Special which gives betting odds on which team takes Richardson in the draft. The Carolina Panthers are the favorites, followed by the Indianapolis Colts.
Both are currently in the top-10 of the draft and badly need a quarterback. Here is a look at the 10 teams with the best odds to draft Richardson.
- Panthers +300
- Colts +400
- Lions +500
- Seahawks +550
- Falcons +600
- Raiders +700
- Texans +1000
- Titans +1500
- Commanders +1600
- Buccaneers +2000
The Baltimore Ravens are tied for the 11th-best odds at +2500, and while they are a longshot, it is certainly an intriguing idea. Baltimore and quarterback Lamar Jackson are currently in a contract standoff, and Richardson would seemingly be an intriguing replacement if the Ravens do end up dealing Jackson for a boatload of draft capital.
Richardson did not have the type of college production that turns heads, which is why he was such a longshot to be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.
However, after showing off his unparalleled athleticism at the combine, there could be some teams that could be willing to take that big swing in order to land a high-risk, high-reward prospect.
Young’s odds have improved to be the No. 1 overall pick and he would be the safer choice, but there is no denying that Richardson has added another level of intrigue by putting on an unforgettable show at the NFL Scouting Combine.
