Sportsbooks Have Plans For Prospect After Major NFL Draft Rumor

We could soon have an NFL Draft day blockbuster on our hands.

The Arizona Cardinals reportedly are shopping the No. 3 pick ahead of the draft, and all indications point to them finally finding a suitor on the day itself. The Tennessee Titans, who own the No. 11 pick, reportedly are interested in trading up to No. 3, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Focus and Ian Rapoport of NFL Media. Though the two sources disagree on specifics, things directly pointed into the direction of a trade.

Just minutes before the rumors, DraftKings Sportsbook pushed Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud all the way up to -160 odds to be the No. 3 pick.

Coincidence? We think not.

The Titans are in need of a quarterback, watching Ryan Tannehill and 2022 draft pick Malik Willis combine to lead them to a 7-10 record in 2022-23. The expectation obviously is that they’ve got a keen eye on Stroud, who leapfrogged the likes of Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson (+600), Kentucky quarterback Will Levis (+475) and Buckeyes offensive lineman Paris Johnson Jr. (+450) to become the favorite to be selected third.

Here’s a look at who DraftKings likes to go third:

No. 3 Pick
C.J. Stroud (-160)
Will Anderson (+300)
Paris Johnson Jr. (+450)
Will Levis (+475)
Anthony Richardson (+600)
Tyree Wilson (+650)
Jalen Carter (+1000)

Should things fall apart on a trade and the Cardinals end up making a pick, a wager on Wilson or Carter could be the best bet. Arizona has Kyler Murray on the books for a long time, meaning the likelihood that they take a QB at No. 3 is virtually nonexistent.

Is betting on a possible trade worth it? Probably not. Will that stop anyone? No.