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The 2023 NFL Draft order saw a major shakeup on Friday afternoon as the Carolina Panthers traded for the No. 1 overall pick.
With the Bears moving out of the top spot, Carolina is now expected to take former Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud with that pick. Former Alabama star Bryce Young was the odds-on favorite to go No. 1 overall prior to the trade.
According to the latest odds from DraftKings, Stroud is now -225 to go No. 1 overall. Young’s odds have slipped to +175 as of publication.
Anthony Richardson and Will Levis are the other top candidates to go No. 1 overall at +550 and +2500, respectively. Former defensive stars like Will Anderson and Jalen Carter are considered long shots to be taken with that pick.
The 2023 NFL Draft will be held in Kansas City from April 27-29.
What this means moving forward
If Stroud is the pick, he’d join a Panthers team that’s in the midst of a full rebuild. Carolina has traded stars like Christian McCaffrey and DJ Moore over the last few months. The Panthers have not made the playoffs since 2017.
That does raise the question of Young’s future destination. He’s widely considered to be an elite passer in this class, but it’s unclear where he might be headed. The Houston Texans, however, seem like a potential destination as they have the No. 2 pick in this draft.
Richardson and Levis could go later in the 1st round. Other teams who could take a quarterback in the 1st round include the Indianapolis Colts, Las Vegas Raiders or the Atlanta Falcons, amongst others. All 3 of those teams currently have a selection in the top 10.
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
