Shedeur Sanders leads odds to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft

With just weeks to go until which team will have the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Shedeur Sanders is positioned as the overwhelming favorite to be selected as the number one pick. Sanders currently has -140 odds at BetMGM to lead the draft, cementing himself as the preferred choice in betting.

The rise of Shedeur Sanders
Although Sanders started with positive odds of +300, his performance and media attention have boosted his value. At the beginning of the month, his odds were at +150, but his constant prominence, reinforced by the exposure generated by his father, Deion Sanders, as head coach of Colorado, have pushed him to the top spot in projections.

The quarterback has not only shined on the field, but has also captured the interest of fans and experts, who place him as a safe choice for any team looking to strengthen its offense. Even the Las Vegas Raiders are mentioned as a possible destination for Sanders, according to an analysis by Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic.

Other contenders for the top spot
Despite Sanders' dominance in the betting, Miami quarterback Cam Ward and Colorado two-way player and recent Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter are also in the mix. Ward is second in the odds at +240, while Hunter is third at +450.

Ward, who has proven to be a solid, long-term option, also appears in several draft analyses as a potential No. 1 pick. Meanwhile, Hunter, despite his unique talent and ability to play both offense and defense, is lagging in the picks due to the tendency to prioritize quarterbacks in the draft.

The teams in contention for the No. 1 pick
The team that picks first in the 2025 Draft is still to be determined, but projections indicate that the New York Giants (2-12) have a 43% chance of landing the No. 1 pick, followed closely by the Las Vegas Raiders at 41%. Other teams like New England, Cleveland, Jacksonville, Tennessee and Carolina could also enter the mix depending on the results of the final weeks of the season.

The value of the quarterback in the draft
The quarterback position remains the most valued in the NFL, and teams fighting for the top spot generally look to reinforce this area. This explains why both Sanders and Ward lead the betting and expert analysis.

A Draft with clear prospects
The 2025 projections suggest that only three players have a realistic chance of being chosen in the first spot: Shedeur Sanders, Cam Ward and Travis Hunter. Although names like Mykel Williams (Georgia) and Abdul Carter (Penn State) appear in the betting (+3,000), the gap between them and the favorites is considerable.