It’s a dream for every player to be drafted.
The cherry on top? Going first among all of your positional peers.
There are four players in the mix to be the first wide receiver drafted in 2023, according to odds unveiled by DraftKings.
TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston leads the way, as the 6-foot-4, 216-pound playmaker had a breakout campaign in 2022 and has the type of measurables that will get teams excited.
Johnston could go as high as top-10 in the draft, but he will have some competition from others to be the first wide receiver selected.
Here is the quartet with a legitimate shot at going first among the wideouts, per DraftKings on February 14:
- Quentin Johnston +150
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba +225
- Jordan Addison +250
- Jalin Hyatt +600
Johnston had 60 catches for 1,069 yards and six touchdowns this past season, playing a large role in TCU advancing to the national championship game. Not only does he have ideal height, but Johnston is expected to run a blazing 40-yard-dash time during his pre-draft workouts.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba had an unbelievable 2021 season, catching 95 passes for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns. He only played three games in 2022 and had pedestrian numbers, but the strength of his sophomore campaign should keep Smith-Njigba in the conversation to be the first wide receiver drafted. Smith-Njigba has done most of his damage from the slot, but as the game evolves that position is becoming just as important as the outside receivers.
Jordan Addison had a breakout 2021 season with Pittsburgh, catching 100 passes for 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns. Addison transferred to USC for his junior year once Kenny Pickett went to the NFL, and while his production dropped, there is still plenty to like about him as a prospect.
Jalin Hyatt is the longshot among the main candidates, but he may have some value at +600 odds. Hyatt has blinding speed and has started seeing his name pop up in many first-round mock drafts. Henry Ruggs is a recent example of a speedster going first among wide receivers, as he was surprisingly chosen ahead of CeeDee Lamb and Jerry Jeudy in 2020.
There are 12 other wide receivers that can be wagered on to be the first wide receiver taken in the draft, although all of them are major longshots to surpass the main four candidates.
Here are the odds for the other dozen prospects:
- Zay Flowers +2000
- Josh Downs +3000
- Kayshoun Boutte +3500
- Xavier Hutchinson +7500
- Parker Washington +7500
- Rashee Rice +7500
- Cedric Tillman +7500
- A.T. Perry +7500
- Nathaniel Dell +7500
- Rome Odunze +7500
- Jonathan Mingo +10000
- Andrei Iosivas +10000
