Quentin Johnston Favored as First WR to Be Drafted in NFL Draft Odds
By Robert Duff in NFL Football
Published:
- Quentin Johnston of TCU is the +110 favorite to be the first wide receiver off the board at the 2023 NFL Draft
- Jordan Addison (+265), Jaxon Smith-Njigba (+330), Jalin Hyatt (+550) and Zay Flowers (+800) are the only other WRs with odds shorter than +5000 in the NFL Draft odds
- Four of the top 12 picks in the 2022 draft were WRs. Will Quentin Johnston be the first WR chosen this year?
TCU Horned Frogs wide receiver Quentin Johnston figures to be selected in the top 10 of the NFL Draft. Last year, there were four wideouts taken through the first 12 picks of the draft.
If the pundits and the mock drafts are to be believed, Johnston will be the only WR afforded such lofty status in 2023. Oddsmakers are certainly believing that Johnston will be taken sooner rather than later on Day 1. According to the NFL Draft odds, he’s the +110 favorite to be the first WR selected in the 2023 NFL Draft.
2023 First WR Pick NFL Draft Odds
| Players (School) | Odds |
|---|---|
| Quentin Johnston (TCU) | +110 |
| Jordan Addison (USC) | +265 |
| Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Ohio State) | +330 |
| Jalin Hyatt (Tennessee) | +550 |
| Zay Flowers (Boston College) | +800 |
| Josh Downs (North Carolina) | +5000 |
| Kayshon Boutte (LSU) | +5000 |
| Rome Odunze (Washington) | +8000 |
| Xavier Hutchinson (Iowa State) | +8000 |
| Rashee Rice (SMU) | +8000 |
| Parker Washington (Penn State) | +8000 |
| Nathaniel Dell (Houston) | +8000 |
| Cedric Tillman (Tennessee) | +8000 |
| AT Perry (Wake Forest) | +8000 |
| Jonathan Mingo (Mississippi) | +10000 |
| Andrei Iosivas (Princeton) | +10000 |
Beyond Johnston, USC’s Jordan Addison (+265), Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba (+3430), Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt (+550) and Zay Flowers (+800) of Boston College are the only other wideouts being offered at odds that are shorter than +5000. Most NFL mock drafts are listing Johnston as the only WR going among the top 10 picks. Odds from February 28 at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Johnston Is Long, Lean, and Means Business
At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Johnston offers to his quarterback a long, vertical threat. Once he snares the ball, what separates Johnston from the pack is his ability to separate from the pack. His YAC numbers are impressive. Johnston’s longest reception went for 76 yards.
TCU WR Quentin Johnston (6-4, 215) clocks 21.0 mph. #ReelSpeed pic.twitter.com/XYSkvXgwUC
— Reel Analytics (@RAanalytics) January 1, 2023
His 17.8 yards per catch ranked 24th in the NCAA. Johnston averaged 27.2 yards per catch in the CFP semifinal win over Michigan and 34.8 YPC in the Big-12 title game vs Kansas State.
Stats-wise, Johnston might not appear to be an overwhelming presence. He was 22nd in the nation last year in receiving yardage (1,069), tied for 67th in catches (60) and tied for 83rd in TD receptions (six). But Johnston was just one of many weapons in a deep TCU WR room. And his numbers were also bogged down by playing in a run-first offense.
Injuries Slowed Smith-Njigba
Entering the 2022 NCAA season, the consensus was the Buckeyes wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba was the best receiver in the country. However, injuries limited him to just three games.
It was going to be his first season as the go-to WR at Ohio State, so scouts don’t really have any measurables to show how Smith-Njigba fared as the main target against elite coverage schemes. Also worrisome is that his injuries were hamstring strains. Those have a way of reoccurring. That could cause NFL teams to shy away from him.
Addison’s Numbers Fell Off
Jordan Addison was the 2021 Biletnikoff Award winner. At Pitt, he made 100 catches for 1,593 yards and 17 TDs. Transferring to pass-happy USC for the 2022 season, big things were expected. But big things didn’t unfold.
WR Jordan Addison always stepped up to the challenge. 💯 @Espn_Jordan
📺: 2023 #NFLCombine begins Thursday on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/dJ4ElVYnjN
— NFL (@NFL) February 27, 2023
For the Trojans, Addison made 59 catches for 875 yards and eight TDs. Scouts worry about his lack of foot speed. At 6 feet and 175 pounds, he won’t physically dominate.
More than any top-ranked WR, Addison needs to put on a show at the NFL Draft Combine in order to move the needle. If he doesn’t, look for his stock to slide on draft day.
In NFL Draft, Johnston Will Prove That Size Matters
One factor that Johnston has in his corner is that he’s built for the NFL. He’s a big receiver who especially stands out among a crop of draft-eligible WR who are for the most part smaller in stature.
As the old saying goes, you can’t coach big. And Johnston also brings a reputation for working hard to get better. And at every stage of his development, he did get better. He’ll be the first wideout off the board on draft day.
Pick: Quentin Johnston (TCU) +110
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Sports Writer
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
