Washington’s Jamin Davis Sees DROY Odds Improve Significantly, Now a Top 3 Contender
- Washington Football Team linebacker Jamin Davis is now the third betting choice to be NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year at odds of +800
- Davis was showing a betting line of +1675 as recently as April 30
- Washington’s Chase Young was 2020 NFL DROY. No team has ever won the award in successive seasons
Is linebacker Jamin Davis about to make NFL history for the Washington Football Team this season? There’s a growing belief among the oddsmakers that this could be the case.
Last season, Washington edge rusher Chase Young was the runaway winner of the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. Davis is steadily gaining a head of steam and is moving in with the top contenders for this year’s NFL DROY.
As recently as April 30, bettors could access a betting line of +1675 on Davis to win the award. On May 3, he was still at +1525 in the 2021 NFL DROY odds.
Suddenly, though the betting line on Davis is shortening considerably. Currently, he’s the third betting choice for NFL DROY at odds of +800.
2021 NFL DROY Odds
| Player (Team) | Odds |
|---|---|
| Micah Parsons (Cowboys) | +500 |
| Jaelan Phillips (Dolphins) | +700 |
| Jamin Davis (Washington) | +800 |
| Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (Browns) | +800 |
| Kwity Paye (Colts) | +1000 |
| Zaven Collins (Cardinals) | +1200 |
| Jaycee Horn (Panthers) | +1400 |
| Patrick Surtain II (Broncos) | +1400 |
| Gregory Rousseau (Bills) | +1600 |
| Greg Newsome II (Browns) | +2000 |
| Azeez Ojulari (Giants) | +2000 |
| Jayson Oweh (Ravens) | +2000 |
Odds as of June 17 at DraftKings.
The shortest odds on Davis are +600 at FOX Bet. The longest odds are +1400 at PointsBet.
Just one of the past eight NFL DROY winners were linebackers.
Davis Set Up to Succeed
Defending NFC East champions Washington are coming back this season with the NFL’s #4 defense. That is providing Davis with the opportunity to step directly into a first-rate unit.
He’ll be playing behind one of the league’s most stout defensive fronts. That should create an environment where Davis will be in position to make plenty of big plays.
Ron Rivera, a guest speaker at Joe Gibbs’ Youth For Tomorrow gala this morning, said he brought in Luke Kuechly to speak to his linebackers over Memorial Day weekend.
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) June 12, 2021
Davis is lining up mostly at the MIKE position. However, he’s displaying the ability to play effectively at any of the three linebacker positions in the Washington 4-3 defense. He’s an athletic linebacker with the speed to get from sideline to sideline in rapid fashion.
The Washington coaching staff, both head coach Ron Rivera and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, are speaking confidently about Davis. They’re impressed with his football IQ. Already, Davis is calling huddles, setting the fronts and helping with checks at the line of scrimmage. Like Young, Davis is serious in his approach.
#WFT LB Cole Holcomb on serving as a mentor for rookie Jamin Davis:
“It felt like it was yesterday when I was that kid. It’s nice having him, and I try as much as possible to bring him along, help him out, help him learn the way, and help him through this process.” pic.twitter.com/zQPQc3O2bS
— All-Pro Reels (@allproreels) June 11, 2021
It won’t hurt the development of Davis that both Rivera and Del Rio were NFL linebackers. As an added bonus, Rivera has called upon one of his former players, All-Pro linebacker Luke Kuechly, to help mentor the team’s linebackers during the club’s recent OTAs. Kuechly was NFL DROY in 2012 and NFL DPOY in 2013.
Year of the Linebacker
Since Kuechly’s win in 2012, Darius Leonard of the Indianapolis Colts is the only linebacker to be named NFL DROY. The betting odds suggest that will be changing this year.
The top four players in this betting market and five of the top six in the odds are linebackers. Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys remains the betting favorite at +500. But the Cowboys are going to have to step up their game if he’s to win the NFL DROY.
Jamin Davis Rookie Defensive Player of The Year
— Cornelius Kidwell (@Corneli91173861) June 13, 2021
The last four winners of the award all were part of teams that qualified for the NFL postseason. That bodes well for Davis, Jaelan Phillips of the Miami Dolphins (+700) and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah of the Cleveland Browns (+800). All of their teams figure to be playoff contenders.
A Wide Open Race
This isn’t going to be 2020, when Young proved to be the Secretariat of the NFL DROY race. He led the betting odds from wire to wire . There was little doubt he would win in the end.
There’s no super stud among this year’s draft class. However, there are a number of talented individuals who will be able to make a case for themselves to win the award.
What an AMAZING experience. Thank you again ! @JimmieJohnson @CarvanaRacing https://t.co/BB2KtIbytS
— Jamin Davis (@jamindavis25) June 13, 2021
Consider the situation Davis is coming into in Washington. Then look at the impact made by Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Josh Allen, the last first-round defender before Davis to come out of Kentucky.
It makes sense that his odds are shortening. Get on the Davis train before the ticket isn’t worth the price of admission.
Pick: Jamin Davis (Washington) +800
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
