2022 NFL Draft: Odds to be selected No. 1 overall
The team with the first overall pick in the NFL draft has selected a quarterback in four straight years and six of the last seven. Lo and behold, the betting market expects another signal-caller to go No. 1 next spring.
Here's the full list of odds to go first overall in 2022, as we get a glimpse at how the top prospects in college football stack up.
Odds to go No. 1 in 2022 NFL Draft| Player | Team | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| QB Sam Howell | North Carolina | +225 |
| QB Spencer Rattler | Oklahoma | +300 |
| DE Kayvon Thibodeaux | Oregon | +450 |
| QB Malik Willis | Liberty | +750 |
| QB Matt Corral | Ole Miss | +1000 |
| QB JT Daniels | Georgia | +1000 |
| QB Brock Purdy | Iowa State | +1000 |
| QB Kedon Slovis | USC | +1200 |
| CB Derek Stingley Jr. | LSU | +1200 |
| DE Demarvin Leal | Texas A&M | +1600 |
| QB Emory Jones | Florida | +1600 |
| QB Jayden Daniels | Arizona State | +1800 |
| QB Grayson McCall | Coastal Carolina | +2000 |
| OT Evan Neal | Alabama | +2000 |
| DE Drake Jackson | USC | +2000 |
| QB D'Eriq King | Miami | +2000 |
| S Kyle Hamilton | Notre Dame | +2500 |
| OT Zion Nelson | Miami | +2500 |
| G Kenyon Green | Texas A&M | +3500 |
| CB Kaiir Elam | Florida | +3500 |
| QB Carson Strong | Nevada | +4000 |
| QB Phil Jurkovec | Boston College | +4000 |
Kayvon Thibodeau (+450)
What happens if the 2022 No. 1 overall pick goes to a team that's already set at quarterback? Thibodeaux is the safest option at +450.
The Oregon defensive end is teeming with NFL-ready traits and is the best non-quarterback in the pool. Thibodeaux took home Defensive Player of the Year after totaling 18 sacks as a senior in high school, and he was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year the following season in Eugene.
The 6-foot-5 pass-rusher led the team in both tackles for loss (9.5) and sacks (3.5) for the second straight season in 2020. Considering the premium teams place on players who can get after the quarterback, Thibodeaux's a solid play at 4-1 or better.
Malik Willis (+750)
Trevor Lawrence was the obvious No. 1 pick last year - and he was penciled into that spot essentially once he touched down at Clemson - but think about the unheralded quarterbacks who burst onto the scene in recent years.
Baker Mayfield was undersized and had plenty of competition in 2018 alongside Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, and Saquon Barkley, before going first overall to the Cleveland Browns.
Kyler Murray was thought to be a pipe dream at No. 1 after the Arizona Cardinals drafted Rosen at No. 10 the year prior. However, head coach Kliff Kingsbury and the front office notoriously swung for the fences and landed the Oklahoma product to inject life into the offense.
And then there was Joe Burrow, who went full sicko mode in 2019. He won an SEC title, Heisman Trophy, and national championship en route to going No. 1.
The player who stands to gain the most this season is Willis.
He was nothing short of fabulous at Liberty last year, posting 20 passing touchdowns, another 14 on the ground, and more than 3,000 yards of offense in just 10 games. The Auburn transfer led the Flames to a top-25 rank, with signature wins over Virginia Tech and Coastal Carolina.
The 2022 class is loaded with solid quarterbacks, but Willis offers the single most upside of anyone not named Rattler.
This right here is why Malik Willis is all the buzz right now. Shakes a sack, gets eyes back down field after being spun around, and makes a throw that you simply can't teach. On the move, cross body, falling away dart. pic.twitter.com/GXDNTDO34D
- Pal Saolantonio (@KyleYourFriend) July 22, 2021
Willis lit it up in his first season to initially land on the map. If he improves as a passer while showcasing more of his running abilities, he'll fly up the boards.
Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. Find him on Twitter @Ugglas4arms.
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