Bills Tremaine Edmunds a Popular 2018 NFL DROY Bet

• Bills’ ILB Tremaine Edmunds has been impressing this preseason and now has the third-best odds at winning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
• Can the 20-year-old become the first ILB to win since Luke Kuechly in 2012?
• What other players could offer some value to win the award?

Odds to win the 2018 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award opened with Bills’ inside linebacker Tremaine Edmunds seeing average odds of +800. He has since seen his odds shorten, making him the third-favorite to win the award. Edmunds’ average odds now stand at +730, only behind Roquan Smith (+500) and Bradley Chubb (+310).

Average Odds to Win 2018 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year

Edmunds was the Bills’ first round (16th overall) selection in the 2018 NFL Draft. He was a 2017 All-ACC selection and at 6’5″ and 253 lbs, has good size, length and speed (4.54 second 40-time) for the position.

He’s young but has received rave reviews from Bills’ veterans including LeSean McCoy, who said he’d be one of the best players in the league in two years, as well as from Lorenzo Alexander.

“He’s very humble and hard-working,” said Alexander. “He has a presence about himself that’s probably a bit more mature than most 20-year-olds.”

2018 NFL DROY Odds

Edmunds was drafted alongside his brother Terrell, who was chosen 22nd overall by Pittsburgh.

Two brothers. Two first-round picks.#TremaineEdmunds #TerrellEdmunds pic.twitter.com/t16LLMwFw5

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) April 27, 2018

Will Edmunds Have Have the Opportunity to Shine?

Edmunds is pencilled in as a starter on the Bills’ depth chart so he should see immediate action. If the Bills are to have success it will likely come from the strength of their defense. Not much is expected of Buffalo, as evidenced by their 2018 win total of only six.

Even at six, the Under has heavy juice at -175.

However, playing on a poor team may not hamper his chances of winning the award as only four times in the past ten seasons has the recipient played for a team with a record above .500.

If the Bills are as bad as the bookies project and record under six wins, he would be only the second player in that time frame to win the award from a team with so few victories. Joey Bosa won in 2016 as a member of the then 5-11 San Diego Chargers.

What Would it Take for Edmunds to Win 2018 NFL DROY?

It’s been a few seasons since the last inside linebacker took home the award. The position rarely records the sort of flashy stats like sacks and interceptions which could sway voters. That being said, in the past 15 years inside linebackers have won the award the most of any defensive position (six times).

In the past 15 years inside linebackers have won the award the most of any defensive position.

Luke Kuechly did so in 2012 with the Panthers, though he not only led all rookies in tackles, he led the entire league in combined tackles with 164. He added ten defended passes, two INTs and three recovered fumbles as well.

Tremaine Edmunds’ College Career Stats

Is Edmunds the next Kuechly? Edmunds’ three years at Virginia Tech were impressive, but they pale in comparison to Kuechly’s college career at Boston College. Kuechly recorded 532 total tackles compared to Edmunds’ 213.

Who’s the Best 2018 NFL DROY Bet?

Edmunds’ 108 total tackles ranked outside the top 20 in the NCAA last year, so it’s unlikely he’ll post league-leading type numbers in the NFL. Bears’ draft pick Roquan Smith at the same position ranked seventh in all of college football with 137 in 2017.

I’m going to look a few spots down the odds chart and just one spot below Edmunds on the draft board to 17th overall pick Derwin James at +1400. Defending against the pass is becoming more important and a defensive back has won this award two of the past three seasons.

Derwin James not wasting ANY time: Picks off Drew Brees three snaps into his first preseason startpic.twitter.com/bGxldVihqp

— NFLonCBS (@NFLonCBS) August 26, 2018

James will likely see plenty of playing time with the Chargers already well into their annual parade to the infirmary. Their secondary has already lost S Jaylen Watkins and CB Jason Verrett for the year. James will also have the opportunity to shine in what is expected to be a very competitive Chargers team this year.