NFL Draft 2023 Odds: Who will the Chicago Bears 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. 

The Chicago Bears made the first big splash of the 2023 NFL Draft, trading the first overall selection to the Panthers for pick No. 9. Along with the swapping of first-round picks, Chicago also received the 61st overall pick in this year's draft, a 2024 first-round pick, and a 2025 second-round selection, giving second-year general manager Ryan Poles ample draft capital to retool his roster. Last but certainly not least, Carolina shipped out their best wide receiver, D.J. Moore, giving Chicago its new No. 1 pass-catching option for third-year quarterback Justin Fields.

As it currently stands, Chicago owns 10 picks in the 2023 NFL Draft. After a strong free agency period that most notably included the signings of linebackers T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds, defensive linemen Andrew Billings and DeMarcus Walker, and offensive lineman Nate Davis, the Bears could be a strong draft class away from contending this season in what appears to be a wide-open NFC North.

Which position group will the Bears target with the ninth 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.

Chicago Bears 2023 NFL Draft Specials: Position of team's first drafted player

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook 

Per DraftKings Sportsbook, the betting market's expecting the Bears to select an offensive lineman (-180) with the ninth overall pick, which makes sense given their group of blockers allowed the third-most sacks last season (58). At pick No. 9, Chicago will likely draft the first offensive lineman in the class, which could result in the Bears selecting Ohio State OT Paris Johnson Jr. or Northwestern OT Peter Skoronski.

Both Skoronski and Johnson Jr. are pegged with -125 odds (implied probability: 55.6 percent) to be the first offensive lineman selected in the 2023 NFL Draft, so it's a virtual toss-up on which tackle hears his name called first. 

Chicago could draft a defensive lineman or EDGE (+200) at No. 9, and in this case, Pittsburgh DT Calijah Kancey or Georgia's Jalen Carter fit the bill of a plug-and-play, day-one starter. Chicago's defense could use another sound run stuffer who can also get to quarterbacks, so don't be surprised if the Bears go this route, either.

With the Bears acquiring D.J. Moore from Carolina and trading for Chase Claypool at last season's trade deadline, it's unlikely the Bears opt to select a wide receiver (+900). Ohio State's Jaxon Smith-Njigba would pair nicely with ex-Buckeye Justin Fields, but with Chicago needing to upgrade several position groups, look for the Bears to focus their attention on a wide receiver in the succeeding rounds.

Chicago did end last season ranking in the bottom-third of the league in coverage grade per PFF (60.8), which could also result in the Bears looking toward a cornerback (+1000). At least one of Oregon's Christian Gonzalez or Illinois' Devon Witherspoon is likely on the board at pick nine, making cornerback an intriguing bet at 10-1.

While the Bears parted ways with running back David Montgomery this offseason, don't expect them to select a running back (+2500) at No. 9. The Bears RB room is likely set heading into training camp after inking RBs D'Onta Foreman and Travis Homer to free-agent deals to complement the team's projected RB1, Khalil Herbert.

The same goes for safety (+6000), tight end (+10000), quarterback (+10000), and linebacker (+10000), as those position groups all have proven starters and reliable reserves on their projected 53-man roster. 

Betting advice: It won't result in the heftiest of payouts, but we're thinking the Bears continue to shore up their offensive line (-180) at pick No. 9, drafting either Johnson Jr. or Skoronski with their first pick of the draft. Selecting a corner is also a possibility, so a smaller wager on cornerback (+1000) is our recommended approach to betting on the position of the Bears' first-round pick.