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The annual NFL Draft buzz has been percolating for weeks, and football-hungry fans will finally get their first real fix of the 2025 season Thursday when the 2025 NFL Draft kicks off from Green Bay, Wis.
While quarterback Cam Ward of the University of Miami appears to be a sure thing to be the top overall pick by the Tennessee Titans, subsequent selections have been the topic of much debate, and the 2025 NFL Draft prop odds have fluctuated along with the speculation.
Perhaps the most-debated, top-10 selection lies at No. 3 in the hands of the New York Giants, the high-profile and proud franchise that has gone 9-25 the past two seasons following a promising 9-7-1 campaign and playoff berth in 2022, coach Brian Daboll’s first season. Now, Daboll undoubtedly needs to move the team in a positive direction if he is to remain with the franchise through the end of his fourth season.
Last year, in what was widely seen as a quarterback-rich class, the Giants passed on available signal-callers such as Bo Nix and J.J. McCarthy at No. 6 overall in favor of LSU product Malik Nabers, who is widely regarded as perhaps a generational talent at wide receiver.
However, the quarterback position still needs to be addressed. Last year, incumbent Daniel Jones, the No. 6 overall pick in 2019, went 2-8 in 10 starts before the team released him. The Giants appeared to be prime candidates to take a signal-caller early in this year’s draft, but some of their offseason moves suggest they might go in a different direction.
The most telling sign is that the club signed not one, but two “bridge” quarterbacks in Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston. Wilson was solid but unspectacular in going 6-5 in 11 starts for the Pittsburgh Steelers, while the strong-armed, turnover-prone Winston went 2-5 in seven starts with Cleveland Browns. Conventional football wisdom suggests the club intends to get by with the veteran tandem for at least a year and again bypass selecting a quarterback early in the draft.
The 2025 NFL Draft props odds have, accordingly, reflected this viewpoint. Colorado product Shedeur Sanders, who is widely regarded as the second-best quarterback prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft behind Ward, was the early favorite to be taken No. 3 overall by the Giants. However, in recent weeks those odds have flipped, and the Giants are now considered longshots to take Sanders at No. 3 overall.
As of Tuesday afternoon, William Hill/Caesars has Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter favored to go to the Giants third overall at the thick price of -450, followed by two-way star Travis Hunter, the Heisman-winning teammate of Sanders at Colorado, next at +400. Sanders is third in the NFL Draft prop odds at +450. Moreover, DraftKings prop odds have the Steelers (+190) favored to draft Sanders, followed by the Browns (+200) and Giants (+215).
Sanders is the son of NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, a famed two-way star in the NFL who has cut a polarizing figure as Colorado’s head coach. His son’s NFL draft profile has also been the subject of wide-ranging perspectives. Supporters point to his toughness, natural playmaking ability and accuracy, while detractors point to some poor habits such as holding the ball too long and throwing late over the middle.
While the general consensus among NFL analysts is that New York will bypass Sanders, there are still some industry insiders who believe the Giants would be making a mistake by letting the signal-caller fall to another team.
Emory Hunt’s favorite early draft prop: Sanders to NYG (+450)
One such Sanders supporter is SportsLine NFL analyst Emory Hunt, who, in an episode of the Early Edge podcast recorded last Friday, gave Sanders to the Giants at +450 as his pick in a segment titled “Favorite Early Draft Bet.” Hunt was adamant that the quarterback’s detractors will quickly be proven wrong when they see him in live NFL action.
“This is an easy layup, and so many people are going be so wrong when this dude balls out as a rookie, because he has the highest floor,” Hunt said. “I don’t care about the ceiling. The floor can help you win right now. The Giants have the best scenario; they can win now while also developing their QB of the future.”
Hunt isn’t alone among draft analysts in the CBS family with this projection. CBS college football writer and analyst Tom Fornelli also has Sanders to the Giants at No. 3 overall in his final NFL mock draft.
Even so, most New York Giants insiders appear to favor either Hunter or Carter at No. 3 overall. CBS senior fantasy sports editor Dan Schneier, who hosts the Giants-centered podcast Big Blue Banter, said he’d be “very surprised” if New York grabbed Sanders with the third overall pick.
“The Giants have spent a lot of time studying Sanders, but he doesn’t fit the quarterback outlook needed to maximize coach Brian Daboll’s system,” Schneier said. “He wins with his accuracy and repeatable throwing motion. Will that work at the NFL level? That’s not a gamble the Giants will be making at No. 3 in a class that has two-blue chip prospects in Carter and Hunter.”
Can I bet on the NFL Draft in my state?
In most cases, you should be able to make wagers on the 2025 NFL Draft if you are of legal age using a reputable sportsbook in a state where that sportsbook is allowed to operate. However, because the draft is not an on-field event, there could be some restrictions on the markets offered in each state. In some states, like Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New York, you cannot make any bets on the draft. In others, like Arizona and West Virginia, draft markets close at certain times and do not open again.
Why can’t I bet on the NFL Draft?
The most likely reason you cannot bet on the draft is you are in a state where mobile sports betting, or sports betting of any kind, is not legal. There are some states where betting on the draft is not allowed despite sports betting being legal. Those are Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New York, Kentucky, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.
Best bets for 2025 NFL Draft
Need help locking in your best bets for the 2025 NFL Draft? Our experts at CBS Sports and SportsLine have analyzed the draft class and each team’s needs. Check out the picks from experts like Jason La Canfora, Jordan Dajani and R.J. White.
