NFL futures: Early betting favorites to be the top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft

Caleb Williams was certainly the odds-on favorite to go No. 1 a year ago today, should you have jumped on that market, but it seems far less obvious who may be the top overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Believe it or not, sportsbooks are already hanging odds on who will be the first to hear their name in Green Bay next April.

The current betting favorite is Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders. Sanders is the son of Deion Sanders, who is also his head coach, and one can't help but feel that marketability may have something to do with his status in this betting market.

Curiously, he's +100 to go first overall, which seems like a bit too heavy of a favorite in our book.

The current favorites to go No. 1 in the 2025 Draft

Odds are courtesy of DraftKings

• Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado (+100)
• Carson Beck, QB, Georgia (+300)
• Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas (+300)
• Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama (+950)
• Drew Allar, QB, Penn State (+1000)
• Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss (+1200)
• Cameron Ward, QB, Washington State (+1500)

As you can see, the top of the board is dominated by quarterback prospects. It certainly makes sense, considering six of the past seven first overall picks have been QBs, and 13 of the past 17.

We'd actually prefer looking elsewhere, simply because as it stands, this QB class appears to be a bit weaker than the past few years. Keep in mind, plenty of names will of course rise up. No one was talking about Jayden Daniels this time last year, or Joe Burrow a few years back.

It's likely a QB, but let's turn to a different position.

James Pearce Jr. could offer some value

James Pearce Jr. is an edge-rusher from Tennessee, and currently sits at 17-1 to go No. 1 next April. Pearce sits at 6-foot-5, 240, and is already one of the nation's most feared pass-rushers. PFF has him as the top prospect from the 2025 class, and if it isn't a QB, edge-rusher is a good bet to go at the top of the draft.

Each of the last three non-QBs to go number one were defensive ends.

Count us in on going contrarian with Pearce as the first selection next spring.

James Pearce Jr. to be first overall pick (+1700 DraftKings)