Ohio State 2023 NFL Draft Prospects: Stroud, Smith-Njigba, Johnson Jr.

The 2023 NFL Draft is finally upon us, and the speculation surrounding it has been one of the most exciting and unpredictable in quite a few years. Per usual, the top college programs have some of the highest valued prospects, which includes the Ohio State Buckeyes. One of the first players off the board could be QB CJ Stroud, while WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba and OL Paris Johnson Jr. could be the first ones selected at their respective positions.

With the Carolina Panthers on the clock with the #1 overall pick, our experts have provided their predictions for those three Ohio State draft prospects to go along with a $150 FanDuel Sportsbook promo offer.

JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA DRAFT POSITION PREDICTION: Under 12.5 (+250 at FanDuel Sportsbook)

Click here to sign up at FanDuel for a ‘Bet $5, Get $150’ promo in time to utilize our Ohio State draft prospects projections, or any other available market.

Ohio State Draft Prospects: 2023 NFL Draft

The QB position is often the top discussion topic when it comes to the NFL Draft, and 2023 is no different. We’ve seen Stroud as the favorite to be the #1 overall pick, and recently we’ve seen him even possibly being the fourth QB taken. It’s been quite a fluid situation, but what about the other top Ohio State draft prospects?

We didn’t get to see Smith-Njigba on the field hardly at all in 2022, but he was already projected to be a great NFL receiver after his 2021 season. As for Johnson, it looks to be between him and Peter Skoronski of Northwestern for the first offensive lineman taken. We have a preview for each of the top Ohio State draft prospects with a focus on a best bet involving Smith-Njigba.

QB CJ Stroud Draft Odds, Projections & Predictions

With the QB position arguably the most coveted in all of sports, it’s only fitting that we begin there with our Ohio State draft prospects. Following the 2022 college football season, most draft experts projected Alabama’s Bryce Young to be the #1 overall pick, followed by Stroud.

After the NFL Combine and pro days, Stroud was the preferred QB. He has the size that Young lacks and can make all the throws. Since then, there has been a bit of a lull in seeing him throw, and it looks like it’s back to Young being the favorite. With the word being the Houston Texans may be looking on the defensive side of the ball at #2, we may see Stroud drop a bit further.

Our experts are predicting he’ll be selected at #4 overall by the Indianapolis Colts, which comes with +210 odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. They’re looking to replace Matt Ryan, and after a few years with older veterans at the tail end of their career, this is the perfect opportunity to start fresh with one of the top Ohio State draft prospects in Stroud.

WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba Draft Odds, Projections & Predictions

Perhaps the best athlete of the Ohio State draft prospects available this year is Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Buckeye WR Marvin Harrison Jr. may earn that title next year, but for the 2023 NFL Draft, it’s all about Smith-Njigba. Despite being injured for virtually all of 2022, his talent is undeniable.

He’d have been a top pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, and he looks destined to be the first WR off the board this year. Perhaps his best attribute is his ability to create separation to go along with his soft hands. Seeing his draft position over/under set at 12.5 seems like the perfect spot for a best bet involving the top Ohio State draft prospects.

The over, meaning pick #13 or higher, is set as the massive favorite at -360 odds. That’s primarily due to the Green Bay Packers having the #13 overall pick after trading Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets. While they would love Smith-Njigba, there’s plenty of teams ahead of them that would also enjoy the elite WR on their squad.

At #12 sits the Texans. If they indeed draft a QB at #2 overall, such as Stroud, they’ll certainly want to pair him with an outside weapon. How perfect would it be to see Stroud and Smith-Njigba drafted by the same team? Even ahead of Houston are the Tennessee Titans, who are in the WR market.

The Packers could even feel the pressure from those teams and trade up to get him, which also means Smith-Njigba would be selected before pick #12. With that in mind, the under 12.5 with incredible +250 odds at FanDuel Sportsbook is our favorite way to attack the Ohio State draft prospects in the betting market.

OL Paris Johnson Jr. Draft Odds, Projections & Predictions

If you’d like to target the last of the Ohio State draft prospects projected for the first round, we’ve got you covered there as well. Most mock drafts have Paris Johnson Jr. selected before Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski, and we’d agree with that assessment.

The furthest we could see him dropped is #15 to the Jets, as they’d love to add a great offensive lineman in front of the newly acquired Rodgers. However, he could also go as high as #3 to the Arizona Cardinals. QB Kyler Murray has expressed he would love the team to draft a lineman to protect him.

Our prediction involving Johnson is for him to be drafted at #7 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders. They’ll have a newly acquired QB as well in Jimmy Garoppolo, so some protection would go a long way. For him to be a top-10 pick comes with a great +350 price at FanDuel Sportsbook.

How to Get $150 for Betting on Ohio State 2023 NFL Draft Prospects at FanDuel Sportsbook

No matter which of the top Ohio State draft prospects you’d like to target, or even if you want to focus on something else, now is the time to join FanDuel Sportsbook. Right now, all new members can claim a guaranteed $150 bonus without even needing to enter a FanDuel promo code.

All that is needed is a $5+ bet on any available market, and win or lose, FanDuel will award you $150 worth of bonus bets. That’s right, you’re guaranteed 30 times your wager amount without even placing a winning bet. Don’t let such a great promotion pass you by and create a new account at FanDuel ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.

If you or a loved one has questions or needs to talk to a professional about gambling, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit 1800gambler.net for more information.