Georgia defensive end Travon Walker has gone from long shot to consensus favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in this week’s NFL draft in sportsbooks across the country.
Walker, who wasn’t even listed when some sportsbooks were setting odds on which player would be No. 1, passed Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson late Sunday and now sits at the top of the odds boards at books across the country. Hutchinson had been the absolute favorite since early March.
Walker’s odds rose from +150 to -200 on Caesars Sportsbook on Sunday night, with Hutchinson falling from -170 to +160. During a 12-hour span beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET Sunday, 36% of the money bets on all NFL-related options at Caesars Sportsbook were either “pro-walker or anti-Hutchinson,” according to Max Meyer, a spokesman of Caesars.
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Walker opened 30-1 to be the top pick at BetMGM sportsbook. He now accounts for 35% of the money wagered in BetMGM’s odds to become number 1, the most of any player. Seamus Magee, sports dealer at BetMGM, said they “took a lot of money from Walker late yesterday” which contributed to the odds movement.
The Jacksonville Jaguars own the No. 1 pick overall. The trading team at sportsbook PointsBet, where Walker also passed Hutchinson over the weekend, says they believe Jacksonville general manager Trent Baalke is “completely into Walker”.
“At the end of the day, Baalke gets the last call, which is why Walker is currently the No. 1 overall favorite,” a PointsBet spokesman told ESPN on Monday.
North Carolina State offensive lineman Ikem Ekwonu starts first at Caesars Sportsbook 8-1, followed by Alabama offensive lineman Evan Neal at 16-1.
The draft begins Thursday in Las Vegas.