The 2021 NFL Draft is now only days away. As usual, the quarterback position is garnering the most attention — on the betting markets and among mock draft pundits — leading up to the NFL’s annual offseason spectacle, so much so that experts believe picks one through five could all be quarterbacks. One signal caller who will be getting a lot of attention over the next few days is former North Dakota State star Trey Lance.
Lance didn’t face the competition that guys like Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Justin Fields, and Mac Jones did in college, but he may be the most physically gifted quarterback in this class. With Lawrence and Wilson, practically locks to respectively go No. 1 and No. 2 overall, Lance is in competition to go as high as No. 3 to the San Francisco 49ers.
Where will he ultimately land? Here’s how the oddsmakers at DraftKings Sportsbook see it playing out.
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook as of April 19, 2021.
Washington Football Team (+500)
The WFT signed journeyman veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick this offseason, presumably to be their starter in 2021. That could all change on Draft day, though.
WFT would likely have to trade up from No. 19 all the way to No. 4 or No. 5 to land Lance. If you know anything about the NFL Draft Value Chart, then you understand the cost that would come with such a move. While the odds aren’t that long, my guess is Fitzgerald won’t be losing his job to a first round pick for a second consecutive year.
New England Patriots (+500)
The Patriots have been uncharacteristically aggressive this offseason, and for them to land Lance, that will have to continue on Draft day.
The Pats currently own the No. 15 overall pick, meaning they would likely have to give up at least two first rounders to move up for Lance. The wild card here is Bill Belichick. If he loves Lance, the Patriots will find a way to make it happen.
Atlanta Falcons (+500)
The Falcons are in a great position. They can: Stay at No. 4 and draft the heir apparent to Matt Ryan or Florida tight end Kyle Pitts; or they can trade back, accumulate picks and attempt to rebuild their defense.
San Francisco 49ers (+300)
The 49ers turned the NFL offseason upside down when they sent a haul to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for the third overall pick in the draft. Early reports linked the Niners to Mac Jones and recently they have been said to favor Justin Fields. These odds would suggest Lance is very much in play at No. 3.
Denver Broncos (+300)
It’s no secret that the Broncos have a glaring hole at the most important position in all of American professional sports. They could still opt to acquire a veteran such as Teddy Bridgewater to compete with Drew Lock, but the idea of new GM George Paton making an aggressive move to acquire his quarterback of the future is gaining steam in the days leading up to the Draft.
Don’t be surprised if the Broncos swing a deal with the Falcons to move up to No. 4 if they quarterback they love slips past the 49ers.
Others:
- Chicago Bears (+1000)
- Carolina Panthers (+1000)
- Detroit Lions (+1100)
- New Orleans Saints (+1600)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (+2000)
- Philadelphia Eagles (+2500)
- New York Jets (+2500)
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