Opening Defensive Rookie of the Year Odds & Predictions

• Kalshi has released odds for the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year winner
• This award has been dominated in recent years by players able to pressure the QB
• Read below for the latest NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year odds and my best bet

The NFL draft is still two weeks away, but that hasn’t stopped the books from sharing their early picks for Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Not surprisingly, it’s the guys who can pressure the pivot and defend the pass that are getting top billing, before even knowing what situation they’re walking into.

Have a look at the incoming NFL players with the best odds at earning Defensive Rookie of the Year honours, and some of my best picks below.

Opening NFL Defensive Player of the Year Odds

Prediction Markets

NFL DPOY 2026 Odds

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Kalshi

Arvell Reese

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Sonny Styles

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David Bailey

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Mansoor Delane

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Rueben Bain Jr.

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Caleb Downs

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Jermod McCoy

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CJ Allen

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Dillon Thieneman

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Emmanuel McNeil-Warren

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Predict

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This year’s NFL DROY, Browns LB Carson Schwesinger, is a slight departure from the last decade of winners.

Schwesinger is a tackling machine, and was solid for the Browns, but he won this award only because it was a down year for impact defenders at the premium spots.

That’s not the case for 2026.

Previous NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Winners

Edge rushers Arvell Reese of Ohio State, Rueben Bain Jr at Miami, TJ Parker at Clemson and David Bailey at Texas Tech all project to provide immediate dividends for whatever team drafts them.

While getting after the QB is one coveted skill, a cover corner that can shut down half a field for a defensive coordinator is a boon.

In 2026, the guys garnering that type of hype include LSU’s Mansoor Delane, Avieon Terrell from Clemson. Jermod McCoy out of Tennessee and Malik Muhammad out of Texas, in the right situation, could also shine.

Downs Projects as Outlier

Perhaps the best overall talent in the draft is Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.

There hasn’t been a safety that has claimed the DROY award since 1990, when Mark Carrier of the Chicago Bears took home the hardware, but there’s a real chance that Downs is that impactful.

In terms of ball skills and IQ, the emergence of Ravens’ safety Kyle Hamilton — who works as the centerpiece of that defense — is a favorable comp.

If a defense is able to use the multiple talents of Downs all over the field, he could be in the mix for this award.

Best Bet for NFL DROY in 2026

It’s hard to make a pick, as there are immense scenarios in play, including how a player fits into a scheme, whether they start or are slowly developed under a position group that’s already stacked, and if injuries derail their season.

But, in the end, it’s hard to stray from who the award generally leans to.

There are a dearth of guys that can get after the quarterback, and seven of the last 10 winners of this award are guys known as sack artists.

The most pro-ready for me looks like Bain Jr. He finished the year with 9.5 sacks with the Hurricanes as they ran all the way to the National Championship game.

There are other guys that had more sacks, including Bailey, who tied for the national lead at 14.5 sacks, but Bain always seemed to be crushing game plans. On top of sacks, he also lived in the backfield, recording 15.5 tackles for loss.

Ideally, he’s opposite another guy that can rush the passer, but Bain looks like a player that can do a lot of heavy lifting himself.

• Pick: Reuben Bain Jr.