NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Odds
Table Of Contents:
The NFL season is just around the corner, making this the perfect time to start considering NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year futures. This article will dive deeper into the current NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year odds, which will include the top NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year favorites, while also giving some of the history for this award and how it is awarded on an annual basis.
Current NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year 2025-26 Odds
NFL rookies are ready for the season to get underway so they can begin making an impact and prove to the team that drafted them that they were worth a draft pick. In the table below, we will list the top five NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year favorites. These NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year odds are provided by some of the best NFL betting sites:
| Rank 🎯 | Player 🏈 | Odds 🔢 |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Abdul Carter (New York Giants) | +250 |
| #2 | Jalon Walker (Atlanta Falcons) | +1000 |
| #3 | Travis Hunter (Jacksonville Jaguars) | +1200 |
| #4 | Mike Green (Balitmore Ravens) | +1200 |
| #5 | Jihaad Campbell (Philadelphia Eagles) | +1200 |
🏈 Betting on NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Futures
It is important to point out that plenty of sportsbooks showcase the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year odds. Keeping tabs on the current NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year odds at all the sportsbooks is necessary to ensure that you always find the best lines possible to maximize your value.
On top of shopping around for different lines, each sportsbook also has their own unique welcome offer, which will allow you to bet on NFL Defensive Rookie of the year futures without risk or with the promise of bonus bets if your initial bet loses. The table below will highlight these different sportsbooks and their welcome offers:
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|---|---|---|---|
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🏟️ NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Candidates for 2025-26: Who are the Favorites?
According to our NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year odds table above, there are five players who stick out as the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year favorites. Below we provided these NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year favorites and have included more information about each one.
Abdul Carter NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Odds (+250)
Top of the list of NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year favorites is Abdul Carter with odds of +250 at DraftKings Sportsbook. He was drafted 3rd overall to the New York Giants. Carter was a monster in his final season at Penn State, as the Nittany Lions LB totaled 68 tackles, 24 tackles for a loss and 12 sacks. His defensive presence this season is going to terrorize quarterbacks, which makes him a solid choice to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Jalon Walker NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Odds (+1000)
Second on the list of NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year favorites is Jalon Walker who has odds of +1000 at FanDuel Sportsbook. He was drafted 15th overall to the Atlanta Falcons and should instantly improve their pass rush. In his final season as Georgia, Walker tallied 60 tackles, 11 tackles for a loss and 6.5 sacks. His strength in disrupting the play is effective in pressuring the quarterback, which also makes him a top choice to win the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Travis Hunter NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Odds (+1200)
Travis Hunter is third on the list of NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year favorites with odds of +1200 at Caesars Sportsbook. Hunter is a unique option to win the award, as he also has the third-shortest odds to win the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year after being selected 2nd overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars. During his final season for the Colorado Buffaloes, Hunter tallied 36 tackles, 11 pass deflections and 4 interceptions. He did this while still playing 713 snaps on offense! Overall, Hunter is a once-in-a-lifetime rookie and has a great chance to win the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
Mike Green NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Odds (+1200)
The current NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year odds for Mike Green are also +1200 at BetMGM Sportsbook. He was drafted 59th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft and was selected by the Baltimore Ravens. In his final collegiate season at Marshall, Green recorded 84 total tackles, 23 tackles for loss and 17 sacks. Being on the Ravens could be very beneficial as they have had great defensive players in the past, which could give him the opportunity to win the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
Jihaad Campbell NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Odds (+1200)
The current NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year odds for Jihaad Campbell are +1200 at bet365 Sportsbook. He was drafted 31st overall in the 2024 NFL Draft and was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles, who just won Super Bowl LIX. At Alabama, Campbell had 117 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 5 sacks. He’s also strong in pass coverage, and it will be interesting to see how Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio utilizes Campbell. Joining the Eagles defense will help Campbell shine, and he is another strong contender to win the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
👀 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year 2025-26: Long Shot Candidates to Watch
One of the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year betting long-shots to consider is Malaki Starks, who has odds of +1800. Wilson was also drafted by the Ravens as the 27th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. In his final season at Georgia, Starks had a total of 77 tackles, 4 tackles for a loss, 3 pass deflections and an interception. He is a long shot for a reason as it is tough to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year as a safety, but Starks has enough talent and is in the right defense to get it done.
🤓 How We Make our NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year 2025-26 Predictions
The way we make our NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year betting picks is by looking at NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year candidates stats from their college career. We also take where they got drafted into consideration because that could tell us how good the player in question will be in the NFL.
🤔 How the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year is Decided
The NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year is decided by a group of 50 sports writers throughout the country. Each of these voters has ties to the Associated Press (AP). In past seasons, each member of the panel would have one vote and the player with the most votes would win this award. Recently, this system has changed to allow each voter three votes. The panel members will give votes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place and the player who accumulates the most votes will win the award.
📊 Trends & Statistics for the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year
Some of the trends and stats that could help a player win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year are the following:
- Sacks
- Tackles
- Tackles for Loss
- Pass Deflections
- Interceptions
- Forced Fumbles
- Fumbles Recovered
- Touchdowns
🙂 Teams With the most NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year winners
| Team | No. of Winners |
| New York Jets | 5 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 4 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 4 |
🙁 Teams With Zero NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Winners
The following list of teams have never had a player win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year:
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Minnesota Vikings
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Seattle Seahawks
Past 10 Winners of NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year
| Year | Winner | Team | Position |
| 2024-25 | Jared Verse | Los Angeles Rams | Linebacker |
| 2023-24 | Will Anderson Jr. | Houston Texans | Defensive End |
| 2022-23 | Sauce Garder | New York Jets | Cornerback |
| 2021-22 | Micah Parsons | Dallas Cowboys | Linebacker |
| 2020-21 | Chase Young | Washington Commanders | Defensive End |
| 2019-20 | Nick Bosa | San Francisco 49ers | Defensive End |
| 2018-19 | Shaquille Leanard | Indianapolis Colts | Linebacker |
| 2017-18 | Marshon Lattimore | New Orleans Saints | Cornerback |
| 2016-17 | Joey Bosa | San Diego Chargers | Defensive End |
| 2015-16 | Marcus Peters | Kansas City Chiefs | Cornerback |
The table above shows mixed results in terms of which position is most likely to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Defensive Ends have won the most times over the last 10 years, but Jared Verse most recently won the award as an outside linebacker.
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