Kyler Murray is the favorite to go No. 1 in the 2019 NFL Draft

The race to go No. 1 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft is starting to take shape. Kyler Murray has a healthy lead over Nick Bosa in Vegas’ odds.

Kyler Murray didn’t ace his interviews at the Scouting Combine, but that doesn’t seem to be hurting his draft stock. If anything, the former Oklahoma star is gaining momentum when it comes to being the first collegiate player to shake Roger Goodell’s hand in April.

Oddsshark.com has installed Murray as a strong favorite to go No. 1. They’ve got his odds at -400 while his closest competition, Nick Bosa, is all the way back at +225. There’s still time for circumstances to change dramatically ahead of April’s draft, but Murray’s lead appears to be pretty close to unassailable at this point in time.

The odds don’t make any additional commentary on who might take Murray, but it’s safe to assume that the oddsmakers think there’s a strong possibility the Arizona Cardinals will stay put and select a new quarterback. The introduction of Kliff Kingsbury as Arizona’s new head coach clearly didn’t turn out well for Josh Rosen. Last year’s first round selection at quarterback seems to have fallen out of favor overnight with the Cardinals.

Curiously, Murray’s ascension to the top spot might turn out to be great news for the 49ers. San Francisco has the No. 2 selection and desperately needs to add an elite pass rusher to their ranks. Bosa would be a terrific consolation prize for a team that’s struggled to find a Pro Bowl talent at defensive end. Kyle Shanahan and company would love to see Murray go No. 1 so they could choose the top defender on their board with the second-overall selection.

The real question is whether or not any team will be tempted to make a deal with the Cardinals to acquire the No. 1 pick. It’s possible Arizona could roll the dice and try to move down slightly to take Murray at a later point in the draft. That’s an unlikely scenario due to the risk involved, but it’s something Cardinals officials may consider.

There’s still plenty of intrigue left as we approach the 2019 NFL Draft, but the identity of the No. 1 pick is coming into clear focus. It would be a significant surprise at this point if anyone can dislodge Murray from that lofty post.