Polarizing QB Anthony Richardson leaving oddsmakers nervous

Alabama’s Bryce Young is the odds-on favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, but it’s another quarterback who has at least one sportsbook sweating a bit harder as the pre-draft process begins in earnest.

Anthony Richardson remains a +2500 longshot at BetMGM to go first overall, but the former Florida star is the sportsbook’s biggest liability a little more than two months out from the draft. Richardson has accounted for 13.4 percent of all money wagered on the top pick, third behind only fellow quarterbacks Will Levis of Kentucky (34.6 percent) and Young (22.9 percent).

Young is widely expected to be the first name called, whether the Chicago Bears keep or trade the pick. The former Heisman Trophy winner is the -120 favorite ahead of Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud, who is listed at +275.

Defensive linemen Jalen Carter (Georgia) and Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama) are both being offered at +600 — down from each opening at +750 — while Levis’ odds have shortened from +1000 to +750 at BetMGM.

Levis has also drawn the most total bets for the No. 1 overall pick at 22.2 percent, followed by Young (15.9 percent) and Carter (14.5 percent). That also makes Levis the sportsbook’s second-biggest liability at this time ahead of Carter.

Interestingly, Richardson has accounted for 13 percent of the total bets and 13.4 percent of the money since BetMGM opened the market on the No. 1 overall pick.

Quarterbacks have a lengthy history of rising through the pre-draft process, and Richardson’s name remains somewhat polarizing a little more than two weeks before the start of the NFL Scouting Combine.

Richardson is rated the fourth-ranked quarterback prospect in this year’s class by Lindy’s Draft Guide, which compares his skill set to that of former NFL MVP Cam Newton. While Richardson has “all-world tools,” according to the publication that is published in conjunction with Field Level Media, he also likely faces a long learning curve in the NFL.

After a red-hot start to his final season in Gainesville, Richardson finished it with a 53.8 completion percentage. He has the upside to intrigue teams with top-five picks. Whether his potential ceiling is enough to entice whichever team has the No. 1 pick come draft day remains to be see.

One thing is for sure: His pre-draft journey will be monitored extremely closely by oddsmakers along with NFL scouts.

–Field Level Media