The 2023 NFL draft begins on Thursday in Kansas City, and anticipation is high. Each team enters the selection process with its own needs and expectations, which makes it interesting to see how sportsbooks expect different teams to approach this year’s draft.
Among the many NFL draft odds that sportsbooks are offering is what position each team will try to fill first with its top pick in this year’s draft. Below, we’ll take a look at some of the best and most interesting betting lines on how various teams will try to fill out their rosters.
NFL betting odds on first drafted player position
Some NFL teams have very obvious needs and priorities heading into the 2023 draft, while others have more flexibility to select the best available player still on the board by the time their first pick rolls around. Here are some of the more intriguing odds on what position each NFL team will draft with its first pick.
All the following odds come from DraftKings Sportsbook, and they refer to the position a player is listed at currently — not how a team might use that player in the future. Not every NFL team or position appears below, and we highlight the most favored choices. Some teams are not available on the sportsbook’s odds board for a variety of reasons. All odds are subject to change and will be different when the draft begins.
Jump to: AFC East | NFC East | AFC North | NFC North
AFC South | NFC South | AFC West | NFC West
AFC East
New England Patriots
Offensive lineman +225
Cornerback +250
The two most likely first picks for the Patriots, according to the odds, are offensive lineman and cornerback. New England currently has the 14th pick in this draft. With pressing needs at cornerback and at offensive tackle, this draft position should give New England the chance to scoop up a top prospect at one of those two spots. Wide receiver (+275) is also a possibility, depending on how soon the draft’s top two corners and top three offensive linemen are off the board.
Buffalo Bills
Wide receiver +200
Defensive lineman/edge defender +250
The Bills won’t get their first pick until late in the first round, at the 27th spot. Their primary need will likely be at receiver, where they’ll hope to pick up a rookie who can immediately complement Stefon Diggs. If there are no great options there, Buffalo may also opt for a defensive tackle to help shore up a problematic run defense, or an edge rusher type to get more pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
New York Jets
Offensive lineman -270
Defensive lineman/edge defender +300
After the trade that brought Aaron Rodgers to the Jets, New York will pick 15th overall in this draft. The consensus here is that the Jets are thinking offensive lineman, and there should still be some excellent options available midway through the first round. If not, New York also has some needs on the defensive line after losing two key players to free agency.
NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles
Offensive lineman -115
Defensive lineman/edge defender +110
The Eagles will get their first pick at No. 10, thanks to a previous trade with the New Orleans Saints. While they’re in good shape with their current offensive line, there’s some thought that they could take this opportunity to secure a blue-chip lineman who will mature into a future contributor. They also have some holes to fill in the defensive line, thanks to free agency, though a running back (+300) is another possibility.
Dallas Cowboys
Tight end +175
Running back +225
The Cowboys have the 26th pick in the first round. While many experts have cited defensive line and offensive line as Dallas’ biggest areas of need, oddsmakers seem to think that there’s a good chance the Cowboys will look to pick up a tight end to help its young core at that position, with this draft being fairly deep there.
New York Giants
Cornerback +140
Wide receiver +150
The Giants will start with the 25th pick overall, and the consensus among experts is that New York needs to be on the lookout for strong cornerbacks. They didn’t make any big moves in that area during free agency and could be hurting at that position after this season. However, if there’s a star receiver left on the board, that could also be appealing, since the Giants still lack a true top receiver.
AFC North
Pittsburgh Steelers
Offensive lineman +100
Cornerback +130
The Steelers have the 17th pick in the first round, and their most urgent need would seem to be on the offensive line. Pittsburgh hasn’t taken an offensive lineman in the first round since 1996, and the last two years of first-round picks have focused on quarterback and running back. This draft position should ensure that there are still some attractive options in terms of linemen, though Pittsburgh also enters this draft in need of corners.
Baltimore Ravens
Cornerback -120
Wide receiver +200
The Ravens have the 22nd pick, and their two most obvious needs are at corner and receiver. The former has been a recurring problem for Baltimore, often due to injuries, while the latter is currently a patchwork project coming off a season in which the Ravens had one of the worst receiving groups in the league. It might be a question of which position has the better talent to offer when the Ravens get their turn.
Cincinnati Bengals
Tight end +150
Cornerback +250
The Bengals are all the way toward the end of the first round with the 28th pick overall, and the team has a clear need at tight end even after picking one up in free agency. Depth at cornerback is also a concern for Cincinnati, but depending on the options, there’s also a chance the Bengals might go with an offensive lineman (+400) if they see a good candidate to fill the hole at right tackle.
NFC North
Green Bay Packers
Wide receiver +150
Defensive lineman/edge defender +225
The Packers will start with the 13th overall pick as a result of their trade with the Jets. The team needs receiving threats, whether at receiver or tight end (+250), but it also needs a strong edge pass rusher. Last season, all it took was basically one key injury to make the Packers’ pass rush evaporate.
Chicago Bears
Offensive lineman -175
Defensive lineman/edge defender +180
The Bears will get their first of 10 picks in this draft with the ninth overall selection. That can often be a great spot to pick up an offensive lineman before the best ones are all gone, and Chicago certainly has some needs there. But the Bears also need help on the defensive line, both inside and outside, after having the worst pass rush in the league last season.
Minnesota Vikings
Wide receiver +200
Cornerback +200
The Vikings have the 23rd pick in the first round, and it’s one of only five picks they’ll get over the course of the seven-round draft. They have to make the most of it, and cornerback is probably the biggest area of need after losing three players there in the offseason. Quarterback (+300) is also a possibility, as is the defensive line (+450).
AFC South
Jacksonville Jaguars
Cornerback +120
Offensive lineman +175
The Jaguars get their first pick at the number 24 spot, and cornerback is the most likely focus. The team has one solid potential star there already, but it needs more depth on the other side. The team also needs to shore up the left guard position, and securing a future stalwart at right tackle would be nice if there’s a good option there.
Tennessee Titans
Offensive lineman -105
Quarterback +105
The Titans have the 11th pick overall, and there are two clear needs they’ll be looking to address with it. Any of the top three offensive linemen who might still be available would work for Tennessee, but the priority will likely be on finding a left tackle who will serve them well into the future. If the teams ahead of the Titans in the draft pull a shocker by going for linemen and leave a potential star quarterback on the table, however, that could also be an intriguing choice.
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons
Defensive lineman/edge defender -125
Running back +200
The Falcons start with the eighth pick in this draft, and conventional wisdom says they could use that spot to improve a dismal pass rush. Atlanta recorded fewer than 40 sacks in the last two seasons combined — a league low. If the teams ahead of the Falcons are thinking about quarterbacks and offensive linemen, it could be a good time to score an edge rusher.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Offensive lineman +150
Defensive lineman/edge defender +300
The Buccaneers will have the 19th pick, and their biggest needs are at offensive tackle and edge pass rusher. It may come down to which position has the better offerings still on the draft board by the time Tampa Bay gets to make a choice.
AFC West
Kansas City Chiefs
Wide receiver +150
Offensive lineman +200
The Chiefs won’t get their first pick until the 31st selection of the draft. Such are the downsides of winning the Super Bowl. The Chiefs suffered some losses in the receiving group this offseason, which they will likely need to address one way or another. They also need help at right tackle, though, so expect Kansas City to have an eye on both spots when it finally gets to pick.
Las Vegas Raiders
Cornerback -135
Offensive lineman +220
The Raiders have the seventh pick in this year’s draft and need to make it count after their first-round picks in three of the past four years failed to add up to much. The biggest need that Las Vegas could conceivably get the first crack at addressing in this position is cornerback. The team is in a good spot to get one of the two best corners available in this draft, but it also needs help on the right side of the line if there’s a particularly strong choice still available.
Los Angeles Chargers
Wide receiver -200
Tight end +300
The Chargers will first be on the clock in this draft at No. 21. They could end up targeting either a receiver or a tight end, depending on which has the more attractive options still on the board. This is a team that feels pretty well set at offensive and defensive line, but it could use a breakout receiver or a game-changing tight end who can also put the work in as a run-blocker.
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals
Offensive lineman +125
Defensive lineman/edge defender +125
The Cardinals have the third draft pick, which leaves them in a good position to get the first swipe at something other than a quarterback, which is one of the few spots they feel they have figured out right now. Where they need help is the pass rush, especially after losing two of their best to retirement and free agency. But the offensive line is also an area of need, and they will likely have their pick of the best available there.
Seattle Seahawks
Defensive lineman/edge defender –400
Quarterback +400
The Seahawks have the fifth pick as a result of a trade with the Denver Broncos, one of two first-round picks for Seattle in this draft. The consensus opinion is that they’ll use that spot to try to select a star pass rusher to be a game-changer on the defensive line. A quarterback pick seems unlikely to be the priority after the team re-signed Geno Smith in the offseason.
Current order for the first round of the 2023 NFL draft
While draft order can change due to last-minute trades, especially as teams change strategies on draft day depending on which players remain on the board, the current team order for the first round of the 2023 NFL draft is as follows:
- Carolina Panthers (acquired from Chicago Bears)
- Houston Texans
- Arizona Cardinals
- Indianapolis Colts
- Seattle Seahawks (acquired from Denver Broncos)
- Detroit Lions (acquired from Los Angeles Rams)
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Atlanta Falcons
- Chicago Bears (acquired from Carolina Panthers)
- Philadelphia Eagles (acquired from New Orleans Saints)
- Tennessee Titans
- Houston Texans (acquired from Cleveland Browns)
- Green Bay Packers (acquired from N.Y. Jets)
- New England Patriots
- New York Jets (acquired from Green Bay Packers)
- Washington Commanders
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Detroit Lions
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Seattle Seahawks
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Baltimore Ravens
- Minnesota Vikings
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- New York Giants
- Dallas Cowboys
- Buffalo Bills
- Cincinnati Bengals
- New Orleans Saints (acquired from San Francisco 49ers)
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Kansas City Chiefs
