Why Did Bryce Young’s NFL Draft Odds Improve After Quiet Combine?

The NFL Scouting Combine was really good to some prospects, especially those who put together strong performances throughout the event.

It was also good to Bryce Young, however, despite the fact that he elected not to participate in drills and measured in at a very disappointing 5-foot-10.

In comparison, Anthony Richardson put together perhaps the freakiest combine performance we’ve ever seen out of a quarterback. The 6-foot-4, 244-pound signal caller broke the records for vertical jump (40.5″) and broad jump (10’9″) as a quarterback. Oh yeah, he also ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash. As you can imagine, that helped his odds of becoming the No. 1 overall pick.

“Bryce Young remains the favorite overall and also has the most handle at BetMGM for the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft,” Christian Cipollini, Sports Trader at BetMGM told NESN. “However, the story coming out of the combine is Anthony Richardson. Richardson’s odds have been as high as 100-1 and are now down to 5-1. The early picks in the NFL draft will definitely be interesting with Young, (C.J.) Stroud, and now Richardson in the conversation.”

The movement has been plentiful following the combine, giving us a new-look board over at BetMGM.

NFL Draft No. 1 Pick Odds
Bryce Young: -190
Anthony Richardson: +500
Will Levis: +1200
Will Anderson: +1200
Jalen Carter: +4000

While the move on Richardson is interesting, the move on Young is what means the most for bettors.

“A week before the combine, a pair of professional bettors told me Bryce Young was looking bulky and that he would weigh in over 200 pounds in Indianapolis,” NESN betting analyst Sam Panayotovich added. “Scouts tend to care more about weight than height with smaller quarterbacks, so it makes sense that Young went from -130 or so the Monday of the combine to -190 right now. The hype is on Anthony Richardson, but he’s still a long shot to go No. 1.

“The move on Young out to -190 is way more important than the move on Richardson.”

The likelihood that Richardson goes No. 1 in the NFL Draft is very slim. That spot is Young’s to lose at this point, despite his lack of involvement at the combine.

Weird.