Caleb Wilfinger
With the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles set for an NFC East showdown on Thursday Night Football kickoff on September 4, the 2025 NFL regular season is almost here. With the season rapidly approaching, our team at Pickswise is diving headlong into its coverage for upcoming campaign. Our analysis and projections for the NFL futures market continue with a look at the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. A season ago, this award went to Jared Verse, and I was all over Verse at +1100 odds to take down this honor. Will another defensive lineman capture this award once again? Let’s take a look at the latest NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year odds and my NFL DROY best bet to make right now.
2025 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year odds
Odds reflect best numbers available at bet365 Sportsbook and/or DraftKings at time of publishing.
- Abdul Carter +250
- Travis Hunter +800
- Jalon Walker +1000
- Mykel Williams +1400
- Jihaad Campbell +1400
- Mason Graham +1600
- James Pearce Jr. +1800
- Malakai Starks +2000
- Shemar Stewart +2500
- Will Johnson +2500
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year best bet: Mykel Williams (+1400)
Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing
While some defensive rookies find themselves in good situations in starting roles where they can make an impact, there isn’t much value on Abdul Carter at his current price of around +250 in the market. In contrast, snagging Mykel Williams at +1400 is a much better play given the price and playing time he should receive. The former Georgia Bulldog standout had a terrific 2024 season on the college gridiron and he’ll enter San Francisco in a perfect spot for him to succeed, especially with Robert Salah returning to the 49ers as the defensive coordinator.
Given the losses that the 49ers sustained in the offseason, Williams will likely be starting from Day 1 on this roster, especially since he’s been receiving rave reviews in training camp from Salah and the rest of this 49ers defensive staff. I’m expecting plenty of snaps for the rookie as part of a team that is looking to make a playoff push in a fairly open NFC West this season. The 11th overall pick often played his best against elite competition in the SEC and we should see a fairly seamless transition into success at the professional level under Salah and company in San Francisco. With that in mind, we can expect a big rookie year from Williams in a role that should enable him to get plenty of attention throughout the campaign.
Make sure you also find out our NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year predictions, including a +2500 longshot!
