Jalen Carter Arrest Warrant Results In Sportsbooks Yanking NFL Draft Odds For First Defensive Player Taken

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Jalen Carter, the former Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman and favorite to be the first defensive player taken in the 2023 NFL Draft, was issued an arrest warrant Wednesday for his alleged involvement in a fatal car crash on Jan. 15.

It's a sad story that my OutKick colleagues, and credentialed reporters, will cover as new details emerge. Since I'm OutKick's full-time sports bettor, I'm steering clear of the news part of this story.

And unfortunately my brain sucks because I immediately went to the sportsbooks to see how the Jalen Carter arrest warrant news affected the 2023 NFL Draft odds.

Georgia Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart congratulates Georgia Bulldogs DL Jalen Carter during the G-Day intrasquad spring game at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia.

Georgia Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart congratulates Georgia Bulldogs DL Jalen Carter during the G-Day spring game at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia. (John Adams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Apparently, until more details come out, oddsmakers have pulled the odds for "1st defensive player selected in the 2023 NFL Draft". In fact, as of Wednesday morning, no sportsbooks are taking bets in this market.

Jalen Carter's odds for "1st defensive player taken in the 2023 NFL Draft" before the arrest warrant

Once the dust settles, oddsmakers will most likely re-list this market with former Alabama pass rusher Will Anderson as the new favorite.

You can still bet Carter to be the 1st pick of the 2023 NFL Draft at +1600. My betting advice on Jalen Carter's odds to be the 1st player drafted is "Don't".

Even before this news broke, I was leaning towards betting Anderson to be the 1st defensive player off the board based on a couple of reasons.

Alabama pass rusher Will Anderson at the Allstate Sugar Bowl vs. the Kansas State Wildcats at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

Alabama pass rusher Will Anderson at the Allstate Sugar Bowl vs. the Kansas State Wildcats at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. (Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

The Jacksonville Jaguars drafted former Georgia DL Travon Walker with last year's 1st pick, passing on former Michigan pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson.

The Detroit Lions ended up scooping Hutchinson up with the 2nd pick. Hutchinson finished 2nd for the 2022 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and Walker wasn't in the top-three.

Jacksonville taking a tools-y Jalen Carter 1st over Hutchinson who had better college production backfired. At least for their rookie seasons. My thought process was NFL teams would do the opposite of last season.

Essentially, Hutchinson outplaying Walker in 2022 would make Anderson at plus-odds a better wager than Carter, if that makes sense.

Also, Anderson has been mocked as the top defensive player to enter the 2023 NFL Draft for years and pass rusher is a premium position in the NFL.

Since there are no odds currently for "1st defensive player drafted" all I can give you is a betting lean. If Anderson is -200 or lower (towards even-money odds), then BET WILL ANDERSON.