Quarterbacks drive interest in the annual NFL draft, and for good reason. No position affects the sport more than signal-callers, and those players almost universally become the face of their respective franchise. The 2021 draft looks no different, with Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and BYU’s Zach Wilson expected to kick things off on Thursday.
But even with the top two picks effectively in the books, considerable intrigue lies behind them. Some combination of Ohio State’s Justin Fields, Alabama’s Mac Jones, and North Dakota State’s Trey Lance could follow Lawrence and Wilson, making the 2021 NFL Draft a record-setting affair.
Check out the odds and info provided by DraftKings Sportsbook.
Player odds
Quarterback to be selected with each of the First 4 picks: YES -125
Quarterback to be selected with each of the First 5 picks: YES +1200
Best bets
Even if some doubt lingers regarding the San Francisco 49ers’ choice at No. 3, it appears a fait accompli that all of the top three picks will go toward quarterbacks. For the first four selections to turn into signal-callers, either the Atlanta Falcons have to take one at No. 4 or they’ll need to trade out to another team in search of a franchise passer. Both scenarios seem reasonably likely given the Falcons’ needs and the league-wide demand for QBs.
Still, that outlook appears far better than five quarterbacks going off the board in the first five picks. The Cincinnati Bengals won’t take one a year after making Joe Burrow the No. 1 overall selection, and they rarely trade out of their first-round pick. Given the Bengals’ conservative nature, the prospect of another team moving up to No. 5 for a quarterback seems dicey at best.
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