Who Should You Bet on to Be the Third Pick in This Year's NFL Draft?

Fans of football have their sights set on the 2024 NFL Draft with the NFL Combine slated to take place in the coming days. Mock drafts are flooding social media and the entire internet, and FanDuel Sportsbook is offering plenty of interesting markets in the NFL Draft odds section.

Among the markets available, fans can bet on who will be taken with certain early first-round picks. The No. 1 overall pick seems like a foregone conclusion that it will be Caleb Williams, indicated by him having -1600 odds to be the first player taken.

There is some intrigue surrounding the second-overall pick in this year's draft as Drake Maye (-125) and Jayden Daniels (+135) seem like the consensus favorites to be selected after Williams. With that in mind, who could be the third player selected in this year's draft?

Let's take a look at the latest odds for the No. 3 pick of the 2024 NFL Draft and discuss the top contenders to hear their name called.

NFL Draft No. 3 Pick Odds

Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU (+170)

At the moment, the New England Patriots are the team who hold the third-overall pick in this year's draft. With Bill Belichick and the Patriots going their separate ways -- and Jerod Mayo replacing him at head coach -- expectations are for the Patriots to move on from Mac Jones at quarterback.

Seeing that Williams is likely going to be the first player selected -- whether it be the Chicago Bears or another team who trades up -- the second and third picks could be determined by who teams prefer between Daniels or Maye. Daniels is coming off his final season at LSU where he threw for 3,812 yards, 40 passing touchdowns, and only four interceptions while also adding 1,134 rushing yards and another 10 touchdowns en route to winning the Heisman Trophy.

Having a quarterback who can create with his legs and generate off-script plays is invaluable in today's league. The dynamic signal-caller has accumulated a massive fanbase following his stellar year in 2023, with some people even considering Daniels their top quarterback prospect -- even over Williams.

Daniels is tied with Maye for the top odds (+170) to be the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft given that quarterbacks are expected to be the first three picks. Even if the reports that the Patriots could elect to trade back from the third-overall pick are true, odds are that a team is moving up to take either Daniels or Maye.

Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina (+170)

The other top quarterback prospect who is favored to be the third-overall selection in this year's draft is Maye. Maye was a two-year starter for North Carolina, and his mixture of arm strength and mobility is something that has molded him into an enticing quarterback for NFL teams to target.

After tossing 4,321 yards and 38 touchdowns in 2022, Maye produced only 3,608 yards and 24 touchdowns in 2023. Standing at 6-foot-5, Maye possesses the desired size for a franchise signal-caller, and the fact he won't turn 22 years old until August increases his value upon entering the league.

Many mock drafts have either Maye or Daniels going second behind Williams regardless if a team makes a trade between now and the start of the draft. Once again, whether Maye or Daniels is the No. 3 pick is dependent on how teams view the two prospects in the pre-draft process.

There is certainly a scenario where the Bears take Williams and the Washington Commanders prefer Daniels with the No. 2 pick, which would leave Maye to be the most likely choice at No. 3. At the same time, there is a chance that a team is extremely interested in one of the premier non-quarterback prospects.

Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State (+270)

If you were to ask everyone about who the first non-quarterback prospect to be taken in the draft could be, many would answer with Marvin Harrison Jr. out of Ohio State. The fact that Harrison isn't considered a longshot to be the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft goes to show just how positively scouts and teams around the NFL view the talented wideout.

Even with the top-three consensus quarterbacks expected to be the first three players drafted, Harrison is sitting at +1600 odds to be the No. 2 pick. When it comes to the No. 3 overall selection, the former Buckeye boasts the third-shortest odds (+270) to be the third prospect to walk the stage.

According to PFF, Harrison registered the fifth-most yards per route run (3.44) and the 23rd-most yards per reception (18.1) among receivers with 50-plus targets in 2023. The well-rounded wideout tallied back-to-back seasons of 1,211-plus receiving yards and at least 14 receiving touchdowns to finish his collegiate career.

There are a few teams near the top of the first round that could desperately use a true No. 1 option in the passing game, and Harrison has the makeup of being an immediate key contributor. While the Arizona Cardinals are the favorites to land Harrison at -190, the Patriots -- who currently have the third pick -- have the second-shortest odds (+370) to take the premier pass-catcher.

J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan (+850)

Many believe the first three quarterbacks to go off of the board in this year's draft -- in any order -- are Williams, Maye, and Daniels. At the same time, one quarterback prospect who has drawn some buzz in the pre-draft process is J.J. McCarthy out of Michigan.

What makes McCarthy such a polarizing prospect is the fact that he wasn't asked to put the ball in the air much throughout his 28 starts for the Wolverines. Despite coming off a National Championship victory in 2023, McCarthy had the 53rd-most passing attempts (333) in college football this past season.

Even though he rarely threw the ball often in games, the 21-year-old incoming rookie flashed plenty of potential in creating plays out of structure. McCarthy also posted the highest completion percentage (63.4%), the fourth-most yards per attempt (9.5), and the fifth-most passing touchdowns (8) among college quarterbacks with 100-plus pressured drop backs in 2023.

Ahead of the draft, the Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, and Atlanta Falcons are all tied for the shortest odds (+500) to be the team who selects McCarthy. The chances of McCarthy climbing into the top-three picks seems improbable, but he still has the fourth-shortest odds (+850) to be the No. 3 pick.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.