NFL draft odds: Can any QB challenge Burrow for No. 1?

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It's as much a foregone conclusion as anything can be during the NFL's unpredictable draft season: Joe Burrow will be the first quarterback off the board.

At least, that's what oddsmakers say, pricing the former LSU quarterback as the whopping -6000 favorite to be the first signal-caller drafted, likely to the Bengals at first overall. There's at least one potential threat to Burrow's reign up top, though, in addition to a compelling race to be the second QB taken:

Joe Burrow (-6000)

There isn't much to say here, Joe Burrow will almost certainly be the No. 1 pick. He grades out as one of the safest, most efficient quarterback prospects in the last 20 years, and it'd be shocking if the Bengals passed on the Ohio native. But if they do ...

Tua Tagovailoa (+1500)

Tagovailoa is the only quarterback capable of knocking Burrow out of the No. 1 spot. There's a legitimate case to be made that, even with his hip injury, Tagovailoa is the safest QB with the highest upside in this year's class - it's just not a case that Cincinnati is likely to buy. But crazier things have happened on draft night, especially when quarterbacks are involved.

What about Tagovailoa's odds of being the next passer selected? It depends on what the Dolphins' plans are. Miami is the next QB-needy team on the board at No. 5 and has been linked to Tagovailoa for over a year, but he could slip on draft night due to his checkered medical history. That alone makes him worth fading as the second quarterback drafted.

Justin Herbert (+3000)

Herbert won't be the first passer drafted - you can write that in pen. But could he be second? It's looking increasingly likely as teams decide whether it's worth selecting a medically flagged player when reliable information is hard to come by due to the coronavirus outbreak.

If the Chargers leapfrog the Dolphins and trade up to No. 4, you can bet Herbert's name will be on that card. Miami might even take the strong-armed signal-caller at No. 5 if it doesn't want to assume Tagovailoa's risks. Either outcome spells solid value for Herbert as the second QB drafted (+325), making this the best bet on the entire board.

Jordan Love (+10000)

If Love were to post a video of him throwing the ball 100 yards, he still wouldn't go ahead of Burrow. He likely won't go second, either. But question marks around Tagovailoa's health and Herbert's maturity and instincts could force teams to take a hard look at the toolsy, yet risky, prospect out of Utah State.

It feels like Love's moment to rise the ranks came and went a few weeks ago, but with more than two weeks until the draft, there's plenty of time for Love's upside to woo a team in the top 10. If Herbert falls outside of the top six, the door will be wide open for a team drafting Love as a project QB and the third at the position (+350).

C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.