The 2023 NFL Draft is quickly approaching, and the Tennessee Volunteers have multiple prospects expected to go in the first and second rounds, including their star wide receiver Jalin Hyatt and offensive lineman Darnell Wright. Both are regarded as top five at their position. Could one or both of them jump the line at their position and take the top spot when the first round is held on Thursday, April 27?
Given the consistency of mock draft projections to this point, it doesn’t seem likely they will be first off the board, but there are some interesting scenarios in which it wouldn’t be surprising. All of the top sports betting apps offer countless betting markets for the NFL Draft, and that includes Tennessee Vols Draft Odds for Jalin Hyatt and Darnell Wright.
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Tennessee Vols NFL Draft Odds
Let’s take a closer look at where Hyatt and Wright stand when it comes to the odds fo being the first player drafted at their position.
Jalin Hyatt
| PLAYER | DraftKings | Caesars | BetMGM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Ohio State0 | -400 | -400 | -500 |
| Zay Flowers (Boston College) | +550 | +375 | +650 |
| Jordan Addison (USC) | +650 | +650 | +900 |
| Quentin Johnston (TCU) | +800 | +600 | +1100 |
| Jalin Hyatt (Tennessee) | +3000 | +2500 | +3000 |
At -300, it’s hard to see Smith-Njigba being leapfrogged for the top spot. However, two teams stand out as plausible options to defy the odds.
The Atlanta Falcons have taken an offensive weapon in the first round in the last two years. With Arthur Smith now at the helm, that trend may continue. Most mock drafts have them going offense again, including running back, offensive lineman, and wide receiver. With an established No. 1 wide receiver in last year’s draft pick Drake London and a solid tight end in their 2021 first-round draft pick Kyle Pitts, the young offense is building the foundation for a special offense in the future.
However, outside of the recent picks, there really aren’t many other options for QB Desmond Ridder, who is set to start this season. An option to take the roof off a defense may be intriguing to the Falcons. Njigba is a slot option, and Quentin Johnston fills a similar role to London. That all makes Hyatt a great option for the Falcons with this pick.
The Falcons also have a major need of protection for their young QB, so this pick can go in a variety of directions.
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The Tennessee Titans also make a lot of sense for Hyatt to be the first receiver off the board. They have yet to decide about the future of QB Ryan Tannehill. Regardless of whether he is shipped out, the Titans need a receiver as urgently as anyone in the league. They are going to be hard-pressed to find anyone who can move the ball down the field with the receiving core they currently have.
Only two of the top-ranked receivers can provide the type of target they’ll need to have an impact given the rest of their roster. That’s Johnson or Hyatt. Johnson has all the tools to be the prototypical No. 1 receiver, and Hyatt has the speed and athleticism to make any defense play honestly until they are able to add more talent to the roster. If the Falcons pass on a receiver with their first-round pick, Hyatt will have another great chance to be the first receiver taken in the draft courtesy of the Titans.
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Darnell Wright
| PLAYER | DraftKings | Caesars | BetMGM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paris Johnson Jr. (Ohio State) | -200 | -225 | -175 |
| Pete Skoronski (Northwestern) | +170 | +175 | +200 |
| Darnell Wright (Tennessee) | +425 | +650 | +600 |
| Broderick Jones (Georgia) | +650 | +1500 | +1400 |
The tackle position provides the least amount of consistency of any position across reputable draft board sites. Paris Johnson Jr.’s odds may be pretty favorable on DraftKings, but there are countless mock drafts that have Wright going one or two among tackles. He has the most experience of all the tackles high on the board and has game tape against Will Anderson for coaches and GMs to reminisce about until the last second to make their pick.
The Las Vegas Raiders appear to be invested in Jimmy Garoppolo as their starting QB. Given his injury history, they’ll need all the help they can get to keep him upright. They currently have a quickly growing young star at left tackle in Kolton Miller, who is getting immensely better year by year. However, there is a major hole at right tackle. Although Wright’s ranking among tackles fluctuates depending on draft boards, he is the only one with an abundance of snaps at right tackle.
He is best prepared to fill in at the position and plug the hole for the Raiders. Most mock drafts have the Raiders taking the first tackle off the board, which plays well into Wright’s odds to go number one at the position. So much so, it may be worth taking a chance on his odds.
Article contributed by David Fletcher.
