With the hype, uncertainty and anticipation heating up ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft, let's break down the top wide receivers in this year's class. Below, we continue our NFL odds series with a prediction for the number of wide receivers taken in the first round.

While this year's class isn't exactly chock-full of superstars, it's a really solid and deep position group that offers plenty of value and upside in each round, based on my evaluations on film and in person at the Senior Bowl. With that said, let's take a look at which wide receivers will hear their name called in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Despite missing most of last season with a nagging hamstring injury, Jaxon Smith-Njigba is fully expected to be the top wide receiver off the board, with the Packers and Texans leading as his most likely landing spots. As pointed out by Ian Hartitz, Smith-Njigba went nuclear in his last five fully healthy games with the Buckeyes, hauling in a combined 60 receptions for 958 yards and six touchdowns.

There are questions about his ability to win consistently down the field with below-average top-end speed and whether he'll be able to operate on the outside with success, given he played from the slot over 83 percent of the time at Ohio State. But the 6-1, 196-pound acrobatic catch artist exudes exceptional short-area quickness, elite body control and has a PHD in route running.

One of my favorite prospects in this year's class at any position, Zay Flowers had some frustrating drops in college and isn't a finished product as a route runner (though he shows flashes of brilliance), but he possesses strong ball skills with top-end speed. The 5-9, 182-pound receiver plays bigger than his size and posted an impressive 58.3 percent contested catch rate despite being keyed in on by opposing defenses as the primary playmaker at Boston College.

Drawing comparisons to the likes of Antonio Brown, Percy Harvin, and Steve Smith Sr. (from the man himself), Flowers also boasts tremendous balance and body control and is incredibly dynamite after the catch. He plays with a high level of energy, confidence, and versatility and is already calling his shot at the next level, asking the Chiefs trade up to get him.

If you're really looking for a prototypical height-weight-speed physical specimen at the position, Jordan Addison probably isn't your guy. But the 5-11, 173-pound receiver has been extremely productive over the last two seasons, hauling in 159 receptions for 2,468 yards and 25 touchdowns at USC and Pittsburgh, where he won the Biletnikoff Award.

Addison is a very versatile receiver and proficient, nuanced route runner who finds consistent separation. He's also dangerous in the open field with underrated YAC skills and has drawn comparisons to the likes of DeVonta Smith and Tyler Lockett.

Quentin Johnston seems to be the biggest boom-or-bust receiver in this year's class. At 6-3, 208 pounds, he's also the only height-weight-speed receiver that's projected to land in the first round. Johnston is a long-striding vertical threat with an impressive catch radius, and he averaged 18.8 yards per catch in three years at TCU.

Here are the 2023 NFL Draft odds, courtesy of FanDuel.

2023 NFL Draft Odds: Total Number of First Round Wide Receivers

Over 3.5 (-188)

Under 3.5 (+136)

Why Under 3.5 Wide Receivers Get Drafted

Tennessee's widely regarded as the first team that could realistically take a wide receiver with its first-round pick, but you wouldn't know it based on the betting odds, which are much higher for the team to use on a quarterback (+100) and an offensive lineman (+125), along with a defensive lineman (+700), than on a receiver (+1200).

The Jets reportedly have their sights set on JSN at No. 15 but he'll likely be off the board and the team is far more likely to use its first-round pick on an offensive lineman (-250) and defensive lineman (+340).

Pittsburgh could opt to reunite Kenny Pickett with Jordan Addison with the No. 17 overall pick, but after acquiring Allen Robinson in a low-risk, high-reward trade with the Rams, the odds are much better that they'll select an offensive lineman (-115) or a cornerback (+150) over another wide receiver (+2900).

Buffalo's also in the conversation for taking a wide receiver (+390) towards the end of the first round, but the team seems more likely to address the other side of the ball, given its odds of taking a defensive lineman (+150) and linebacker (+300).

There are several other teams that have much better odds of using their first-round pick on a wide receiver, but any of them could go in a different direction depending on how the board shakes out, and they may opt to wait for some of the high-upside day two prospects at the position and strong value that will be there Friday evening.

Why Over 3.5 Wide Receivers Get Drafted

Despite all of the smoke and mirrors, the Texans still have a good chance of winding up with C.J. Stroud and pairing him with one of his top collegiate receivers in Jaxon Smith-Njigba, which is a growing trend around the league (see: Tagovailoa-Waddle in Miami, Burrow-Chase in Cincinnati, Hurts-Smith in Philly, and however briefly, Carr-Adams in Vegas).

But it wouldn't be surprising to see Houston get jumped by Green Bay, who just moved up from the No. 15 to No. 13 pick as part of the Aaron Rodgers trade package. The Packers are expected to be choosing between a tight end (+170), wide receiver (+230), and defensive lineman (+300) with their first pick in the 2023 draft.

JSN will be long gone by the time the Chargers go on the clock with the No. 21 overall pick, but there's a very real chance that Zay Flowers and Jordan Addison are both available and strongly considered for a Chargers team that's clearly favored to take a wide receiver (-135) with their first pick, followed by a tight end (+210).

The same can be said of the Ravens, who are slightly favored to take a cornerback (-125) over a receiver (+170). Those odds are essentially flipped at the next pick with the Vikings, who are slightly favored to take a receiver (+175) over a cornerback (+200). The Giants are just as likely to take a receiver (+160) as a cornerback (+160) with the No. 25 pick.

Meanwhile, it's wide open for the Chiefs, as the defending Super Bowl champions are expected to be taking a receiver (+175), offensive lineman (+175) or defensive lineman (+175) with the final pick in the first round.

Final Total Number of Wide Receivers Taken Prediction & Pick

It's tempting to go against the grain in an unpredictable draft, but there are simply too many receiver-needy teams looking for plug-and-play, high-impact prospects at the position in the back half of the first round for there to be fewer than four receivers taken.

Final Total Number of Wide Receivers Taken Prediction & Pick: Over: 3.5 (-188)