Football fans in New England are dying to know who the New England Patriots will take in the upcoming NFL draft.
It's an extremely interesting draft for the Pats because there's a good chance they select their quarterback of the future. As the draft draws closer and closer, American sportsbooks are getting pretty creative with their betting options. FOX Bet has markets for which team will draft a certain player.
The betting odds say the most likely Patriot first-round pick is Alabama quarterback Mac Jones at +350. So a $100 bet would win $350 and pay out $450 if Bill Belichick decides to go that route.
"New England seems to be a perfect spot for Mac Jones," FOX Bet content integration specialist Jacob Blangsted-Barnor told NESN. "He has very similar attributes to the quarterbacks that Josh McDaniels likes to build his offense around. Jones is a very Patriots-like QB in the same way that Jimmy Garoppolo was. He is very accurate, processes reads well and could be a very efficient passer despite not having amazing arm strength."
Jones, Florida quarterback Kyle Trask and North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance are the top three contenders to wind up in Foxboro, according to the FOX Bet trading room. They clearly believe it's QB or bust for the six-time Super Bowl champs.
Odds to be drafted by Patriots (FOX Bet):
Mac Jones +350
Kyle Trask +450
Trey Lance +550
DeVonta Smith +650
Micah Parsons +800
Justin Fields +900
Jaylen Waddle +1000
Rashawn Slater +1300
Kyle Pitts +1600
Ja'Marr Chase +1800
The biggest obstacle in the way of Jones joining the Pats is the San Francisco 49ers. They hold the third overall pick and head coach Kyle Shanahan might be interested. The Niners are the odds-on favorite to draft Jones at -333, meaning you have to risk $333 to win $100.
"Kyle Shanahan has been a fan of quarterbacks like Jones forever," Blangsted-Barnor said. "There were plenty of rumors that the Niners liked Jones before the trade and now they're in the driver's seat after moving up to No. 3 overall. But the Patriots are a surefire second on the list. There aren't many other teams in the Top 15 that are real high on Jones and he could slide if San Francisco goes in another direction. At that point, don't put it past Belichick to move up.
"We actually think the Niners take Justin Fields (+162), which would swing the door open for Jones to the Patriots," Blangsted-Barnor forecasted. "But continuous big money (at our sportsbook) keeps showing for Jones to San Francisco, so we're forced to keep the price low."
Lots can change between now and April 29, but bookmakers remain bullish on the Patriots choosing their quarterback of the future on Day 1 of the draft. And the betting odds say that Jones is most likely to take the baton from Cam Newton.
