There’s a new favorite to be the third overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft: Ohio State offensive tackle Paris Johnson.
Johnson is now the betting favorite (at +250 at Draft Kings) to be the third player drafted, after few if any mock drafts had him going that high throughout the pre-draft process.
So what happened? Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported this week that Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray likes Johnson a lot and has told the decision-makers in Arizona that. There’s now talk that the Cardinals want to draft the franchise left tackle that their franchise quarterback wants blocking for him.
Of course, draft betting odds often change for reasons that prove not to be meaningful. This week the odds also changed on Kentucky quarterback Will Levis going first overall, apparently based on nothing more than an anonymous Reddit post claiming that Levis has told people the Panthers are going to draft him.
Johnson is likely to be the first offensive lineman drafted. No. 3 feels a little high, but there are people putting money on it happening on Thursday night.