2025 NFL Draft Odds and Predictions

The 2025 NFL Draft will be here before you know it. I know, the 2024 NFL season hasn’t even started, but the second it does, it’ll be over in the blink of an eye.

Once the first kickoff starts, everyone will start whispering about which team is likely to pick first in next April’s draft. They’ll also start hyping up the top college football prospects. Before long, NFL Draft mocks come out.

It’s a process, and it’s admittedly still early. But it’s also something you can bet on. That brings me to the 2025 NFL Draft odds, which you can now bet on at most sports betting sites.

The key to betting on the NFL Draft is often submitting your slip early. If you have interest in that, join me as I break down the latest odds and come away with a prediction.

2025 NFL Draft #1 Overall Pick Odds

The only 2025 NFL Draft betting market currently available is for the top pick in the draft. That makes complete sense, seeing as we don’t have an official NFL Draft order just yet.

We do have a rough idea as to which teams are likely to contend for the first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, though. And before the 2024 NCAAF season gets going, we have a rough idea as to which players could vie for the top spot.

Using the latest NFL odds at Bovada, here’s a look at who might be picked first overall in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Georgia Bulldogs star quarterback Carson Beck leads the way with the best 2025 NFL Draft odds, and that should shock few people.

He’s on perhaps the best team in the country – one that I predicted will win the national championship this year.

That alone will have him in contention, but he’s also arguably the most complete quarterback prospect in this draft. Seeing as quarterback is the position often chosen at the top spot, he is an obvious choice.

Of course, offensive lineman and defensive linemen can also go first overall. And while it’s rare, an offensive skill position player could excite enough to make a team take the dive.

That said, history tells us to start with the quarterback. I’d be putting most of my time and energy into either deciding if Beck is the right guy to go number one in the 2025 NFL Draft, or if another passer can unseat him.

To answer that, let’s first look at Beck’s number one overall pick case and work our way to a prediction.

Why is Carson Beck Favored to Go #1 Overall?

The Georgia product is next in line to possibly be the first player chosen in the NFL Draft. 

He’s also entering the 2024 college football season with the best Heisman Trophy betting odds, so across the board, he fits the bill as a potential #1 pick.

Leading the nation’s best team doesn’t hurt his stock. Beck was fantastic en route to nearly 4,000 passing yards and 24 scores last year, but he could impress further by doing something similar with less.

The Bulldogs are down key contributors compared to last year, with big-play stars such as Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey now playing with the big boys in the NFL.

Seeing his supporting class decline could obviously put the pressure on Beck, but he stands tall in the pocket, is highly accurate (72% completion rate in 2023) and can make every single throw the NFL could ask of him.

The need for stellar quarterback play is there, too. The New York Giants currently project as the team most likely to land Beck’s services with the top pick, but the Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders, Seattle Seahawks, and New Orleans Saints are just a few other teams that could be looking to hit the reset button under center.

Talent, college production, and NFL need combine to make Beck a terrific bet to be picked first in the 2025 NFL Draft. All things considered, his +350 NFL Draft odds seem like a joke.

Top Contenders to Be Picked First in the 2025 NFL Draft

Beck is a really good bet to go first in next year’s draft, but his +350 odds don’t exactly make him a lock. You should be looking for viable alternatives, especially if a team you don’t expect finds themselves with the top draft choice.

Whether it’s a different quarterback that could go ahead of Beck, or another position altogether, the following three players make the most sense as #1 pick contenders.

Shedeur Sanders +500

If you’re just going off of NFL odds, Sanders is probably the best player to loosely circle as a legit #1 pick candidate. He’s not nearly as safe as Beck, but the upside is beyond clear.

Sanders projects as a more mobile prospect with the ability to put up big numbers, both through the air and on the ground as a runner. He was also not far behind Beck in terms of accuracy at Colorado last year (69%) and took care of the ball as well as anyone.

His 27 passing scores to just three picks were a reminder that the son of Deion Sanders can cook, but also knows how to limit bad plays. He played a key hand in elevating an otherwise terrible Buffaloes squad and making them must-see television on a weekly basis.

Of course, there is some concern that Sanders is more of a gimmick than a generational talent.

The Colorado Buffaloes still struggled against top tier teams, and Sanders has yet to truly prove himself beyond putting up big numbers in high-scoring shootouts. His second full season with the Buffaloes could go a long way to dispel those concerns.

The Buffaloes don’t have the best odds to win the Big 12, but being a top team within the conference would put Sanders very much in the conversation to go #1 overall.

If Sanders keeps posting monster stats and Colorado benefits in the win column, there’s absolutely a path to him overtaking Beck to be the new #1 NFL Draft pick favorite.

You can also lump Quinn Ewers in here (same price at +500) with Sanders. I don’t see either as serious threats to leapfrog Beck, but they both have good odds and are in play.

James Pearce Jr. +650

Right now, at least for me, Pearce Jr. is the only realistic non-quarterback I’d project to be in the conversation to go first in the 2025 NFL Draft.

If a team is sitting at first overall and doesn’t need a passer, this explosive pass rusher would be awfully hard to pass up.

Pearce was sensational for the Tennessee Volunteers defense a year ago, racking up 14.5 tackles for loss and a staggering 10 sacks. 

He doesn’t need to best those numbers to elevate his #1 pick potential, but doing so couldn’t hurt.

NFL scouts already know who this kid is and what he can be. He has the size, length, and athleticism to destroy offensive lines from the outside.

Physically, this dude can ball, and he’d be a welcomed addition for any team trying to provide their roster with a spark. His case simply comes down to who is drafting at #1 and whether they need a passer.

Mykel Williams +800

One last contender to be picked first in the 2025 NFL Draft is Mykel Williams. As things stand, I don’t think a skill position player will get it done, and I also doubt it’s an offensive lineman.

If someone is picking first and doesn’t want Carson Beck, I would bet they roll with the defensive prospect they like the most. In the off chance Pearce Jr. isn’t it, Williams would make a lot of sense.

Another Georgia alum could vie for the top spot, as Williams is a towering defensive end with terrific size and exceptional athleticism. He has not yet matched Pearce in terms of productivity, but he’s still posted 4.5 sacks in each of the last two seasons.

Helping Georgia climb back into the national title conversation would boost his stock, as would putting up some more eye-popping numbers. Williams is athletically in the mix to go #1 overall, but until he puts better stats on the table, he’ll be second fiddle to Peace.

That said, his profile, upside, and +800 odds keep him in play for ambitious bettors.

Best Value Bet to Be the #1 Pick in the 2025 NFL Draft

The best value bet to be the top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft has to be Jalen Milroe. 

As I’ve said, we should probably be looking at a quarterback, and if things get crazy, we should see if any long shot bets make sense.

Milroe is still a work in progress, but he’s pretty similar to Sanders, but has proven himself on a much bigger stage. His numbers are comparable, but he’s shown to be the much more productive rusher.

This kid has the clutch gene, too. Have you already forgotten his insane fourth done play that nearly won an ESPY?

Milroe is still admittedly a bit rough around the edges, but the sky’s also the limit with him. 

We know Alabama is in a mild transition period with the retirement of Nick Saban, but Milroe is only going to get even more credit if he can progress further despite all of that drama.

Already being looked at as a first round prospect, Milroe just needs to clean some things up, showcase slightly improved accuracy, and keep the Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff conversation.

If we’re talking about a guy with a great athletic profile, a big arm, solid production, success against elite competition, and amazing value, I’m not sure there’s a better value bet to go #1 overall for the 2025 NFL Draft.

Recent #1 NFL Draft Picks

Last 10 #1 Overall NFL Draft Picks

• 2023: Caleb Williams, QB, Chicago Bears
• 2022: Travon Walker, DE, Jacksonville Jaguars
• 2021: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars
• 2020: Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
• 2019: Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals
• 2018: Baker Mayfield, QB, Cleveland Browns
• 2017: Myles Garrett, DE, Cleveland Browns
• 2016: Jared Goff, QB, Los Angeles Rams
• 2015: Jameis Winston, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• 2014: Jadeveon Clowney, DE, Houston Texans

This is a visible landscape of who has been drafted #1 overall over the last 10 NFL Drafts.

Quarterback domination isn’t just a recent phenomenon. The league has invested in quarterbacks at the top spot 34 times, with running backs (23) coming in at a distant second.

That dates back quite a while, though. In the last decade, 70% of the first overall picks were signal callers. Basically, if you don’t have a quarterback and you’re picking #1, you should go get one.

Even if the quarterback class is weak, it’s going to be on the table. On the off chance you finished dead last and A) the quarterback class is awful and/or B) you don’t need one, history tells us we can start looking at the trenches.

Until we know who is picking first overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, nothing can be said for certain. Without having that information, though, the current talent pool and history says we should be angling for a passer with our bets.

Who Will Be the First Pick in the 2025 NFL Draft?

It’s crazy early. The NFL teams we think stink could complete their rebuilds and climb the ladder. The college football prospects you’re presently touting could face-plant or get injured. Things can and will change greatly between now and April 2025.

But history does tell us a lot. It’s very likely that a team bad enough to finish dead last in the NFL will be searching for a new quarterback. And this year’s class is good enough that we should anticipate them taking the plunge if that is in fact the case.

The exact NFL team to pick #1 overall is unknown, but if a quarterback is needed, we should be looking at either Carson Beck or Shedeur Sanders here.

Fortunately, bettors are getting unreal value for Beck, who should probably be considered a lock until proven otherwise. Sanders is a fine pivot, but he’s a wild card and his +500 odds aren’t all that more inviting than Beck’s.

Is it a safe pick? Probably. But his +350 odds are still awesome when you consider he’s the best quarterback in college football. To be frank, it’s unbelievable that his price is this good. I think it may be time to pounce.

Bet: Carson Beck +350