As the countdown to Thursday night's first round of the 2025 NFL Draft continues, the futures of notable prospects such as Shedeur Sanders and Tetairoa McMillan are just as volatile as their betting odds.
BetMGM Sportsbook reported early this week that Sanders was a -115 favorite to go to the New Orleans Saints just last week. As of Monday, those betting odds were down to +160 with the Cleveland Browns close behind at +250, and several top online sportsbooks like DraftKings now have the Pittsburgh Steelers as a +170 favorite to select the talented University of Colorado quarterback.
McMillan, rumored to be the victim of a draft-day slide, is also on a charge toward being the fifth pick in the draft, a spot currently owned by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Here’s the latest on the NFL draft betting odds swings that make this week as dramatic as it is year in and year out.
Shedeur Sanders next team odds swing
Despite being the most recognizable players in the draft, Sanders has been one of the hardest players to pinpoint.
Mock drafts have him going as high as second to the Browns and as low as the top of the second round. Anonymous scouts and front office members have said that they don’t even have first-round grades on any quarterback in this draft despite Sanders being minus-money to be taken with a top-10 pick.
The latest intel shows that the betting public might have had the correct read all along.
BetMGM’s betting insights revealed that as of Monday, 21.4 percent of bets and 28.4 percent of the handle was on the Steelers to select Sanders. That represented the joint-highest ticket percentage, even with the New York Giants, and the highest percentage of the handle, 7.2 points ahead of the G-Men.
The swelling momentum comes at the perfect time for Sanders, who was +400 last week and +200 on Monday to land in the Steel City.
Sanders also had a pertinent response when asked to name which NFL QB will have the best wide receiver duo on Las Vegas Raider Maxx Crosby’s podcast The Rush, released Tuesday.
“Whoever gonna be the quarterback for (the Steelers’) DK Metcalf and George Pickens, whoever that is,” Sanders said.
Barring a trade up in the draft order, the Steelers will have to wait until the 21st selection to have the chance to draft the CU standout.
Jaguars taking Jeanty or McMillan?
Elsewhere on the board, University of Arizona wideout McMillan is making waves.
The 6-foot-5 playmaker was supposed to be out of the running to be taken with the fifth pick. His odds surged from +3000 last week to +1500 on Monday, per BetMGM, and are currently as low as +700 at FanDuel Sportsbook.
However, DraftKings has Heisman runner-up and ex-Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty (-160) in pole position to be taken fifth, now comfortably ahead of Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham (+250), who has been in the No. 5 chalk spot for months.
BetMGM saw a similar movement for Jeanty, who is a major liability for the books. Their insights showed that 14.8 percent of tickets and 38.4 percent of the handle are on Jeanty to be the fifth pick, both of those leading all potential candidates.
With all of the craziness going on throughout the draft board, there’s no doubt who is going first and second. Miami QB Cam Ward remains a heavy favorite to go first off the board to the Tennessee Titans, and Heisman Trophy-winning Colorado cornerback and receiver Travis Hunter is a strong favorite to go second -- a pick currently owned by the Cleveland Browns.
Penn State EDGE Abdul Carter is favored to go to the Giants at No. 3, although several insiders have reported that the Giants like Jaxson Dart to be their next franchise quarterback, which could open the door to trading back with a team desiring to take Sanders or another top prospect.