Will Anderson Jr. 2023 NFL Draft odds: Alabama pass-rusher now heavy favorite to be second overall pick by Houston Texans

If you believe the oddsmakers, the No. 1 overall pick by the Carolina Panthers Thursday night in the 2023 NFL Draft will be Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, so the drama starts at No. 2 with the Houston Texans. They badly need a quarterback – Davis Mills isn't the answer – but might not be enamored with anyone except for Young and could instead focus on defense. On Monday, Alabama pass-rusher Will Anderson was +500 to be the second pick. Tuesday that number was +250. Now he's -500 at Caesars Sportsbook.

Anderson has been compared to former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2014 draft by the Raiders. Anderson finished second in Alabama history behind Hall of Famer Derrick Thomas in career sacks with 34.5 and in tackles for loss with 62. Anderson is the only player to win the Nagurski Trophy twice. He also won the Bednarik Award in 2022 and was a two-time consensus All-American and two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year.

Anderson is ranked as the No. 1 overall player on the CBS Sports Big Board. Houston was in the bottom half of the NFL last year with 39 sacks and hired DeMeco Ryans as head coach to fix that defense. He was a former Texans linebacker and most recently the defensive coordinator with the 49ers.

Texas Tech pass-rusher Tyree Wilson (now +400), Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud (+400), Kentucky QB Will Levis (+400) and Young (+2000) also have been favored at one point to be the second overall pick. No one knows Texans football better than long-time former Houston Chronicle Hall of Fame writer John McClain. He claimed this week on Houston sports talk radio that the team will take Levis:

"(Houston) has no indecision whatsoever, those are national media reports," said McClain, who recently retired. "They know what they're going to do, they've just put a tight lid on it. ... I just can't believe [Texans general manager] Nick Caserio would pass up on a quarterback to take an edge rusher."

If McClain is mistaken, Houston could look for a QB at No. 12 overall if it doesn't trade up from that spot. It's possible that Stroud, Levis or Anthony Richardson are still there at No. 12, if not likely. SportsLine draft expert RJ White has mocked Anderson second to Houston and has the Texans trading up with Atlanta to No. 8 and taking Levis.

FanDuel offers a prop on the exact order of the first three picks and the +190 favorite is Young first, Anderson second and Wilson third (Arizona holds that spot).

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