Oddsmakers at Caesars Sportsbook believe the Detroit Lions and the Miami Dolphins are the two most likely landing sports for Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Caesars has the Lions and Dolphins as co-favorites at -110 to land Tagovailoa, who is recovering from a hip injury he suffered in mid-November. Detroit owns the third pick in April’s NFL draft, with Miami at No. 5.
Lions general manager Bob Quinn has denied that the team is shopping veteran starting quarterback Matthew Stafford, but ESPN football analyst Mel Kiper Jr. has Tagovailoa pegged to go to Detroit at No. 3.
The Los Angeles Chargers (5-2), Cincinnati Bengals (7-1), Carolina Panthers (7-1) and Jacksonville Jaguars (9-1) are next on Caesars’ odds to draft Tagovailoa, who could return to football activities in March. Sources told ESPN that recent test results showed his hip has healed and he has good range of motion.
On Tuesday, Caesars also released an over/under on the number of quarterbacks to be drafted in the first round. The line opened at 4.5, with the vigorish shaded toward the under at -150. Kiper has four quarterbacks in his current first-round mock draft.
LSU quarterback Joe Burrow is the overwhelming favorite to go No. 1 to the Bengals. DraftKings sportsbook has Burrow listed at -10,000 to go first overall.
Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert and Washington quarterback Jacob Eason also are currently in Kiper’s mock first round. Utah State’s Jordan Love, Georgia’s Jake Fromm and Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts are other quarterbacks who could receive early consideration.
The NFL draft will be April 23-25 in Las Vegas.