Odds of Josh Allen Winning 2019 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year as Short as +500 Ahead of Week 1

• The Jaguars selected Josh Allen 7th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft
• Allen has seen his odds to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year improve dramatically after a solid preseason
• Is he a good bet to win the award?

Josh Allen was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars seventh overall in the 2019 NFL Draft.

The linebacker from Kentucky put up impressive college numbers which led to his draft stock skyrocketing. Since the draft, all the 22-year-old has done is continue to impress, and now his NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year odds continue to get shorter, as he is now +500 compared to +1400 in early August.

2019 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Odds

*All odds taken September 5

The Jaguars obviously like what they have in him and plan on using him, but is he the best bet to win?

Is There Value in Josh Allen?

Josh Allen should play a big role in the Jaguars defense, so it is easy to see why his odds have shrunk. Even at +500, the value is still there to bet him. And at the +1000 he’s one of the better bets out there.

Although injuries were a concern for him early, it appears he is over that.

He showed immense promise in the preseason after a slow start. You could credit the slow start to his injury, or Jacksonville fully investing in him as a defensive lineman. But head coach Doug Marrone was very pleased with his star rookie.

“I feel really good about where he is,” Marrone said following a preseason game. “You got to remember, we all didn’t see him that much in OTAs and mandatory minicamp because we rested him [due to a knee contusion]. We didn’t see him practice so we brought him in slowly during camp and all of a sudden today it looked like he stepped up another level, which is what you want to see.”

So, if he can stay healthy, which is a big question mark, he has a ton of value at +500, and a whole lot more at +1000. Get those odds while you can, as I expect them to be even shorter after he racks up a couple sacks in the first few weeks.

Is There a Better Bet?

Right now, Josh Allen is up there for the best bet, but I really like Nick Bosa of the San Francisco 49ers and Devin White of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Although Bush is the favorite, it is hard to bet on him. The Steelers have said they won’t play him as much as they did with Ryan Shazier in his rookie year, as they have Mark Barron to spare him. Pittsburgh expects Barron to start and play quite a few snaps, so it takes away from Bush, which is why I don’t think he is the best bet.

Why I like Nick Bosa is simple: he produces. Even veteran offensive lineman Joe Staley knows just how good he is. In a scrum, he said the rookie reminds him of other elite defensive linemen.

“The things that are unique are his ability to bend the edge, his ability to use his hips to always be moving toward the quarterback,” Staley said. “A lot of guys that win get their sacks — like Von Miller, like Aldon (Smith) when he was getting his sacks, Chandler Jones — they all win on their second move. A lot of guys win with their counter move, their ability to counter quickly and go toward the quarterback. And I think that’s what makes (Bosa) different than a lot of rookies that come in.”

As for White, I think he can play a big role in the Buccaneers defense and has already taken a leadership role on the defense, according to several players. White will get a ton of snaps, which is why he has value at +900.

But I think Bosa, who opened as the heavy favorite, at +900 (along with Allen at his current price) are the two best bets you could make right now.