Guest of the League
Big Dog Football League Est. 2001
FFL: Preseason | NFL: Week 1

Travis Hunter locked No. 2? Sportsbooks react to late NFL draft rumors

Thu Apr 24 3:31pm ET
Field Level Media

About the only thing that appears certain in the hours leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft is that Miami quarterback Cam Ward will go No. 1 overall to Tennessee.

Everything beyond that remains in flux, leaving sportsbooks adjusting odds based off breaking news and reports of teams interested in moving up or down within the top 10.

Travis Hunter has emerged as the strong favorite to go No. 2 overall. Whether the Cleveland Browns keep the pick or deal it, Colorado's two-way star moved from -1800 at DraftKings on Thursday morning to -2500 to go second overall by the afternoon. Hunter also is the -5000 favorite to go No. 2 overall at BetMGM.

The momentum for Hunter also has impacted Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter. He is now the -1600 favorite at DraftKings and -2000 at BetMGM to go No. 3 overall -- a pick currently held by the New York Giants.

The teams that ultimately hold the second and third picks is part of the drama building up to Thursday's first round. That's followed by plenty of uncertainty from the fourth pick on.

LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell is the heavy -475 favorite at DraftKings to go No. 4 where the New England Patriots currently sit.

Running back Ashton Jeanty has emerged as the -250 favorite at DraftKings and -300 at BetMGM to go No. 5. That pick is currently owned by Jacksonville, which would appear to have bigger needs than at running back. But the former Boise State star reportedly is coveted by a number of teams that may be looking to move up, including Chicago at No. 10.

As of Thursday morning, Jeanty had been backed by the most total bets at BetMGM to go No. 4 with 12.7 percent, despite Campbell being the heavy favorite. Jeanty is the favorite to go No. 5, and has been backed by the most money to do so with 31.5 percent.

Others in the mix with the fifth overall pick include Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham (+350 at DraftKings, +360 at BetMGM) and Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan.

"The NFL Draft brings in lots of attention from bettors," BetMGM trading manager Christian Cipollini said. "Trades, breaking news, and other factors can alter the draft in a moments notice. BetMGM is hoping Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty falls out of the top 5, but besides that every pick is a case by case situation."

One of the most rapidly evolving "situations" is that of Hunter's former teammate, quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Once in the mix to be the No. 1 overall pick and long thought to be the certain second quarterback off the board, reports have surfaced about a potential slide completely out of the top 10.

As of Thursday afternoon, Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart had emerged at +300 at DraftKings to go No. 9 overall, where New Orleans is believed to be considering a quarterback with Derek Carr's status for 2025 uncertain. Meanwhile, Sanders was +2200 to go ninth overall.

The son of Colorado coach and Pro Football Hall of Fame member Deion Sanders, where Shedeur Sanders winds up is one of this draft's biggest question marks. His shortest odds within the top 10 at DraftKings was +1200 at No. 3, although that's widely believed to be where Carter will go.

The story was similar at BetMGM, where Sanders was +1200 to go No. 3, but his only other odds shorter than -3000 to go in the top 10 was +1200 at No. 9 overall.

The team with the shortest odds to select Sanders was Pittsburgh at -145. The Steelers, who have remained in communication with Aaron Rodgers this offseason, currently hold the 21st overall pick.

Cleveland was +220 to select Sanders, followed by the New York Giants (+450), New Orleans (+1000) Las Vegas (+1200) and the Los Angeles Rams (+1500). No other team had shorter odds to select Sanders than the New York Jets at +2500.

The Browns are considered a candidate to trade into the second half of the first round to target a quarterback. The Raidders hold the Nos. 6 and 37 overall picks, the Saints Nos. 9 and 40. The Rams own the 26th overall pick, but no others until the 26th pick of the third round.

Top Headlines
The Paur Report

TFC Champion is Crowned

Player Notes
Drake Maye Apr 24 6:50pm ET
Drake Maye

New England Patriots brass traveled to Louisiana in recent days to visit with LSU offensive lineman Will Campbell, sources told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. The Patriots have been linked to the All-American tackle with their No. 4 overall pick in this year's NFL draft and did more homework on him late in the process. The Patriots have been fielding calls to trade out of the fourth overall pick in the days leading up to the first round on Thursday night, but if they hold onto the pick and both Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter and Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter are off the board, they are expected to call Campbell's name as they try to build up their offensive line in front of young quarterback Drake Maye. The biggest knock on Campbell as a potential bust at the next level is due to his short arms for an offensive lineman.

From RotoBaller

Omarion Hampton Apr 24 6:40pm ET
Omarion Hampton

A source who keeps his finger squarely on the pulse of the league suggests that North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton could fall to the Pittsburgh Steelers at pick No. 21 in the first round of this year's NFL draft on Thursday night. The thinking is that the Denver Broncos prefer Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson and are willing to trade up a few spots to secure him. It's a very deep draft at the RB position this year, which means as many as three or four RBs could be taken in the first round. After Najee Harris landed with the Los Angeles Chargers in free agency, the Steelers certainly are in the market for a new RB to help share the backfield load with Jaylen Warren in 2025. If the Steelers were to select Hampton in the first round, he'd be expected to lead the team in backfield touches by the end of his rookie season despite the presence of Warren.

From RotoBaller

Jaxson Dart Apr 24 6:30pm ET
Jaxson Dart

The Athletic's Jeff Howe is hearing from teams that wouldn't be shocked if Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart is the second QB off the board after Miami's Cam Ward goes to the Tennessee Titans at No. 1 overall. There will be a potential race at the quarterback position later in the first round on Thursday night, and the New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers have been showing interest in Dart. The Athletic's Dianna Russini reports that the Giants are trying to acquire a second first-round pick at the back end of the round for the very purpose of landing a signal-caller. The belief is that teams trying to trade back into the first round for a QB will need to jump the Steelers at No. 21. The G-Men signed veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston in free agency, but they are fully expected to draft a QB this week to potentially compete with Wilson for the starting gig in training camp.

From RotoBaller

TreVeyon Henderson Apr 24 6:30pm ET
TreVeyon Henderson

The Denver Broncos, who hold the No. 20 overall pick in the first round of Thursday night's NFL draft, could trade up a few spots to take Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson, a source who keeps his finger squarely on the pulse of the league tells Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio. The Broncos don't seem likely to trade all the way up into the top 10 to grab Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty, mainly because they like both Henderson and North Carolina's Omarion Hampton plenty. Even if head coach Sean Payton passes on a RB in the first round on Thursday evening, we'd expect the Broncos to come away with a rookie rusher at some point this week. Javonte Williams departed in free agency, and Denver desperately needs to upgrade their ground game alongside Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime. Henderson would immediately become the favorite for RB1 duties if he were to land with the Broncos.

From RotoBaller

Ben Johnson Apr 24 6:20pm ET
Ben Johnson

The Chicago Bears are among the teams making calls in an attempt to trade up from No. 10 overall in Thursday night's first round of the 2025 NFL draft, sources tell The Athletic's Dianna Russini. Teams think that the Bears are trying to move up from 10th overall in an effort to land Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, who is the consensus top RB this year in a deep draft class at the position. It was reported weeks ago that the Bears are in love with Jeanty, and they might feel the need to jump in front of the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 6 overall if they feel he's a must-have piece for the offense in head coach Ben Johnson's first year with the team. If the Bears to select Jeanty on Thursday night, it would obviously be bad news for D'Andre Swift's fantasy value heading into the 2025 season. The belief is Johnson would use a Jeanty-Swift tandem similarly to how he used Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery in Detroit.

From RotoBaller

Shedeur Sanders Apr 24 6:10pm ET
Shedeur Sanders

The Cleveland Browns acquired a 2025 fifth-round pick (No. 166 overall) and a fifth-rounder in the 2027 draft on Thursday from the Houston Texans in exchange for two 2025 sixth-round picks (one at No. 179 overall and one at No. 216 overall) and a 2025 seventh-rounder (No. 255 overall), according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The Browns hold the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft on Thursday night, and if they don't trade back within the first round, they are expected to take Colorado wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter with that selection. The Browns have also been rumored to be looking at trading back into the back half of the first round on Thursday evening to potentially take Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart. The No. 2 overall selection is viewed as much too high to take a chance on Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders.

From RotoBaller

Kirk Cousins Apr 24 6:10pm ET
Kirk Cousins

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins could watch the first round of this year's NFL draft on Thursday night to see what the QB landscape looks like before waiving his no-trade clause on Friday to allow for a possible trade. However, Underdog's James Palmer writes that it seems more and more likely that Cousins could be waiting to see how the second round plays out on Friday night before making any decisions. The 36-year-old veteran signal-caller has made it clear that he wants to be a starter elsewhere over serving as Michael Penix Jr.'s backup in 2025. After Penix took over for the struggling Cousins late last year, the veteran QB prefers to be traded to a team that doesn't have a young up-and-coming signal-caller on the roster already. The Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings have been mentioned as the three most likely candidates to consider trading for Cousins during the draft.

From RotoBaller

Deebo Samuel Apr 24 3:00pm ET
Deebo Samuel

The Washington Commanders are trying to trade back from the No. 29 overall pick in Thursday's 2025 NFL Draft, according to NFL insider Dianna Russini. However, if the team sticks with the pick, they are likely to take a defensive player. Washington has just five total picks in this year's draft after sending a fifth-round pick for wide receiver former 49ers Deebo Samuel Sr. and two mid-round picks for former Texans offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil. That said, a potential move-back for additional picks makes sense in a draft class that is not considered to be strong in the first round. If Washington stays at No. 29, the top edge rusher on its board could be the target.

From RotoBaller

Tyler Lockett Apr 24 3:00pm ET
Tyler Lockett

The Tennessee Titans signed veteran free-agent wide receiver Tyler Lockett to a one-year, $4 million deal on Wednesday. According to Titans insider Paul Kuharsky, the team views him as "primarily a slot who can still threaten downfield and be used on some outside routes." Before this signing, Van Jefferson or Treylon Burks was slated to be Tennessee's No. 2 receiver behind Calvin Ridley following the departure of Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. Lockett brings another veteran presence to the wide receiver room, and he'll presumably catch passes from rookie quarterback Cam Ward in 2025. While Lockett's arrival slightly improves Tennessee's pass-catching group, they are likely to continue to address the position on Day 2 or Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft.

From RotoBaller

Travis Hunter Apr 24 2:40pm ET
Travis Hunter

According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, the Jaguars are the "team to watch" heading into Thursday night's 2025 NFL Draft. Specifically, the team could make the move up for the No. 2 overall pick to land Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter. Jacksonville has also been rumored to be interested in selecting Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, so their draft-night activity is a top storyline to watch. New general manager James Gladstone is heading into his first draft with the organization and could be looking to make a big splash to bring in one of the "blue-chip" prospects in this year's class. If Hunter lands in Duval County, Trevor Lawrence might have one of the top wide receiver duos in the NFL in Brian Thomas Jr. and Hunter.

From RotoBaller

Colston Loveland Apr 24 2:40pm ET
Colston Loveland

Former University of Michigan tight end Colston Loveland is the top tight end on some NFL teams' draft boards and could be the first tight end selected during the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft on Thursday, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Penn State's Tyler Warren has been viewed as the clear TE1 in this class by many, but the other All-Big Ten performer could go off the board before him. Despite playing in run-heavy offenses, Loveland hauled in 101 passes for 1,231 yards and nine touchdowns over the last two seasons. He is a sharper run-router than Warren and could be ready to make an immediate impact as a pass-catcher. The Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets, and Los Angeles Chargers are potential top suitors for him on Day 1.

From RotoBaller

Breece Hall Apr 24 2:20pm ET
Breece Hall

According to NFL insider Josina Anderson's sources, New York Jets running back Breece Hall could be available via trade. Anderson reports that league sources have heard about the potential of his availability "within the last week and a half." The 2022 second-round pick out of Iowa State posted a career-low 4.2 yards per carry last season, and head coach Aaron Glenn has hinted at New York moving to a committee approach in the backfield. With the 2025 NFL Draft set to kick off on Thursday night, Hall could be a trade candidate during Day 2 or Day 3. The 23-year-old has flashed at times during his three-year pro career, but a change of scenery could help or hurt his fantasy football outlook moving forward. Hall has compiled 2,333 rushing yards, 1,292 receiving yards, and 22 total touchdowns in 40 career games.

From RotoBaller

Jayden Higgins Apr 24 2:20pm ET
Jayden Higgins

Iowa State wide receiver Jayden Higgins could be a surprise first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on Thursday, according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero. The upcoming rookie WR draft class remains a mystery, as the class lacks "can't-miss" high-end talent at the top. However, Higgins is a top wide receiver prospect for many after snagging 87 passes for 1,183 yards and nine touchdowns in his final collegiate season. At 6-foot-4 and 214 pounds, Higgins posted a 4.47 forty-yard dash at the 2025 NFL Combine and is one of the better athletes in this year's class. While he already carries plenty of fantasy football intrigue, he will climb rookie rankings and dynasty rookie draft ADP if he is selected in Round 1.

From RotoBaller

James Conner Apr 24 12:30pm ET
James Conner

Arizona Cardinals left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. (knee) said he was "completely" good to go as the team started their offseason program on Tuesday. Despite injuring his knee last year, Johnson finished the 2024 season as a Pro Bowl alternate and was a key piece of Arizona's offensive line as they helped running back James Conner go for over 1,000 yards rushing for the second straight season. The 23-year-old injured his knee in Week 15. Johnson was the sixth overall pick in 2023 out of Ohio State and played his rookie season at right tackle before switching over to the left side last year. 2025 will mark the first time Johnson will play the same position in back-to-back seasons since high school. Johnson started all 17 games at right tackle in his first year in the NFL in 2023 but was limited to 14 starts due to his knee injury a year ago.

From RotoBaller

Derrick Brown Apr 24 12:20pm ET
Derrick Brown

Carolina Panthers Pro Bowl defensive lineman Derrick Brown (knee) said he's doing great in his recovery from a meniscus injury and has been participating in offseason workouts. Brown has been doing what doctors and trainers are telling him and expects to be ready for the start of the 2025 regular season this fall. The 27-year-old defensive end played in just one game for the Panthers in 2024 due to his knee injury after starting 17 games in back-to-back seasons in 2022 and 2023. He was a first-time Pro Bowler in 2023, racking up a career-best 103 tackles (57 solo), two sacks, seven tackles for loss, 15 QB hits, one interception and six pass breakups. Carolina's pass rush will be in a much better place if Brown, the former seventh overall pick in 2020 out of Auburn, can return to his pre-injury form. The same can be said for Brown's value in IDP fantasy leagues if he's 100 percent healthy.

From RotoBaller

Will Levis Apr 24 12:13pm ET
Will Levis

Dynasty | Betting odds for Cam Ward to be taken first overall have moved to -50,000. Dynasty Analysis: Well, that should do it. You would need to wager $50,000 on Ward going first to the Titans to win $100. In other words, this is locked in. Ward will slot in as the starter, pushing Will Levis to the bench should Tennessee choose to keep him and not trade him over the weekend. While many teams are more equipped on offense, Ward will have every chance to succeed with an organization known for relative stability.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Aaron Rodgers Apr 24 12:10pm ET
Aaron Rodgers

Sources tell ESPN's Adam Schefter that the Denver Broncos have fielded calls in recent days from teams interested in potentially moving up to the team's No. 20 overall selection in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft on Thursday night. The Broncos sit one pick in front of the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21. Although the Steelers could still sign free-agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers, they aren't waiting around and could certainly take a QB at No. 21, which means teams like the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants, who are also very firmly in the QB market in the draft, could be looking to trade back into the first round and jump in front of the Steelers to take someone like Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart of Colorado's Shedeur Sanders (if he falls). The Broncos were rumored to be a team looking to trade up in the first round for a running back, but the belief now is Denver feels it can wait to choose from a deep RB class.

From RotoBaller

Travis Hunter Apr 24 12:00pm ET
Travis Hunter

There are questions as to how Colorado wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter will transition to the balance of being both an offensive and defensive player in the NFL, but Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski is confident Hunter will succeed. "Travis is somebody that is uniquely equipped to do both," Stefanski said. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner averaged an FBS-high 111.5 snaps per game the last two years at Colorado, with no other player averaging more than 78 since at least 2015. Many draft analysts believe the 21-year-old is both the top receiver and top cornerback available in the 2025 NFL draft this week. The Brows would certainly use Hunter in more ways than one, and if they don't trade back from No. 2 overall, many believe that Cleveland will add the elite athlete on Thursday night in Round 1.

From RotoBaller

Jaxson Dart Apr 24 12:00pm ET
Jaxson Dart

The Cleveland Browns and New York Giants both like Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart heading into the first round of the 2025 NFL draft on Thursday night, multiple sources told ESPN's Jordan Raanan over the last couple days. Cleveland holds the No. 2 overall pick, while the G-Men have the No. 3 pick. Neither team is going to select Dart that early if they hold onto their early picks in the first round. However, if Dart remains available near the end of the first round, both teams could be looking to trade back into the first round to take Dart as their future franchise signal-caller. The Denver Broncos have reportedly been fielding offers for the No. 20 overall pick, which could be right in the wheelhouse for a team like the Browns or Giants to trade back up into the first round. The Pittsburgh Steelers, who are just as desperate for a QB, sit at No. 21 overall.

From RotoBaller

Cam Ward Apr 24 11:13am ET
Cam Ward

Dynasty | Free agent wide receiver Tyler Lockett signs with the Titans. Dynasty Analysis: The former Seahawk fell behind both DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the pecking order last year and became expendable this Spring. The Titans are a decent landing spot for Lockett on paper since they currently have one of the weaker receiving corps in the league "boasting" the likes of Treylon Burks and Van Jefferson behind alpha receiver Calvin Ridley. This looks like a team prepping to take Miami quarterback Cam Ward tonight and this signing helps. As for Lockett's dynasty value, that's mostly come and gone as he'll likely be an up and down (and aging) WR3 in Tennessee.

From Dynasty League Fantasy