NFL Draft 2023 Odds: Who will the Kansas City Chiefs draft with their first-round pick?

Coinciding with the rise of legal sports betting in the U.S., the NFL Draft has evolved into one of the more entertaining weekends of the year now that fans and bettors alike can wager on an endless selection of prop bets and futures. From betting on who will be the draft's first overall pick to what specific position group your favorite team will draft in the first round, there are numerous ways to get action down on the 2023 NFL Draft to make the three-day event a bit more intriguing.

Unlike making an informed spread bet on a given Sunday, NFL Draft betting is all information based. Finding out a team's specific needs based on last season's weaknesses and off-season moves is a good starting point for extracting potential value from the betting market. 

Fresh off their second Super Bowl in four seasons, the Chiefs own the final selection of the first round in the 2023 NFL Draft at pick No. 31 (remember, Miami had to forfeit its first-round selection). General Manager Brett Veach has thrived with his approach to assembling draft classes, and another well-rounded group plays a crucial role in the Chiefs' path to repeating as champions. 

So far this offseason, Kansas City's lost several key contributors to last season's Super Bowl core. Most notably, the Chiefs said goodbye to a couple of key defensive linemen (Frank Clark, Khalen Saunders), offensive linemen (Orlando Brown Jr., Andrew Wylie), and wide receivers (JuJu Smith-Schuster, Mecole Hardman). They signed a couple of replacements in offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor and defensive end Charles Omenihu, but the Chiefs need to finish the offseason strong with an impactful draft class.

Which position group will the Chiefs target with the 31st overall pick in the 2023 draft? Let's look at DraftKings Sportsbook's updated odds on the position of the team's first drafted player.

Kansas City Chiefs 2023 NFL Draft Specials: Position of team's first drafted player

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook 

Per DraftKings Sportsbook, it's likely the Chiefs continue to fill out their defensive line, drafting an interior lineman or EDGE (+150). Clark's departure could result in the Chiefs looking toward one of this year's better pass rushers at the tail end of the first round. Yes, Omenihu should make an impact this season -- and last season's first-round pick George Karlaftis is looking to build on a strong rookie campaign -- but it never hurts to bolster your pass-rushing depth with another talented piece. 

If Kansas City leans toward an EDGE, Iowa State's Will McDonald, LSU's BJ Ojulari, and Northwestern's Adetomiwa Adebawore profile as potential fits at pick 31. If they opt for an interior lineman, Michigan's Mazi Smith, Clemson's Bryan Bresee, and Baylor's Siaki Ika could also make for a strong addition. 

Best spin in the class… Will McDonald is a fun pass rusher pic.twitter.com/Dkz14pqlzg

— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) February 7, 2023

Kansas City could also draft another offensive lineman to help replace the losses of Wylie and Brown Jr., and in this instance, Ohio State's Dawand Jones, Tennessee's Darnell Wright, and Oklahoma's Anton Harrison may end up donning the red and gold.

With Smith-Schuster and Hardman no longer on the sidelines, there's a chance Kansas City swipes a wide receiver (+475) at the end of the first round. However, the Chiefs could wait until the second round to find another weapon for Patrick Mahomes as they did last season when they selected Skyy Moore 54th overall. If Kansas City is eager to get another receiving threat with the last pick of the first round, Tennessee's Jalin Hyatt or North Carolina's Josh Downs could be their man.

The Chiefs could certainly look to draft another tight end (+1000) to pair alongside Travis Kelce, but it's unlikely they look that way in the first round. With Noah Gray, Jody Fortson, and Blake Bell still on the roster, expect the Chiefs to wait until the later rounds before potentially snagging another tight end. The same goes for running back (+3000), with 2022 seventh-round wonder Isiah Pacheco in line for a bigger workload this season. 

Kansas City has ample depth in the secondary, but wagering a couple of bucks on Kansas City selecting a cornerback (+3500) could be worth a sprinkle. South Carolina's Cam Smith and Mississippi State's Emmanuel Forbes are two of the top cornerback prospects outside of Oregon's Christian Gonzalez and Illinois' Devon Witherspoon, who are likely to be off the board at pick 31.

Betting advice: We'll side with the chalk and bet on the Chiefs' selecting a Defensive Lineman/EDGE (+150) at pick 31. We'll also sprinkle a bit on Kansas City drafting a cornerback (+3500), as we feel its odds to select a corner should be closer to the 15-1 range.