Trevon Diggs Now a Top 3 Contender in NFL DPOY Odds

• The odds of Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs winning the NFL Defensive Player of the Year have shortened to +900
• He was at +6500 entering Week 4 and +2000 at the start of week 5 of the NFL season
• With six interceptions, Diggs has turned heads already and is leading a much improved Cowboys defensive unit

Trevon Diggs has had a blistering start to the campaign, intercepting at least one pass in all five of the Cowboys games. In the deep history of such a proud franchise, no player has ever accomplished the feat since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger.

The 2020 second round selection out of Alabama had three picks last season (all in the final five games), and has continued his amazing form to lead America’s team to a solid 4-and-1 record.

Oddsmakers are taking notice. The betting line on Diggs in the NFL DPOY odds has shortened to +900, behind only Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald.

NFL DPOY Odds

Odds as of October 11th at DraftKings

Diggs was listed at odds of +6500 entering Week 4 of the season, and +2000 to begin week 5.

Diggs Is On A Massive Heater

In Sunday’s 44-20 win over the New York Giants, Diggs intercepted backup quarterback Mike Glennon on a deep ball. That gives him six picks on the season.

Diggs has accounted for over half of the Cowboys ten interceptions on the campaign. Only the Buffalo Bills and New Orleans Saints (9 apiece), have more INT’s than Diggs does by himself.

FIFTH STRAIGHT GAME WITH AN INT 🤯

Incredible @TrevonDiggs (via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/n3u1efNgn0

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 10, 2021

Diggs is playing a huge role in leading the Cowboys to the second most takeaways (12), behind only to the Buffalo Bills, who have 15. For comparison, in 16 games last season, Dallas had just over double the amount they have this year, with 23.

Sunday marked the ninth consecutive game that America’s Team caused multiple turnovers, the longest active streak in the NFL.

Most coverage snaps without allowing a TD this season

Trevon Diggs – 205 🔒 pic.twitter.com/LEqYQtndA7

— PFF (@PFF) October 11, 2021

Dallas Set To Face Turnover Prone Teams

This coming Sunday, the Cowboys will be up against a rookie quarterback in Mac Jones that has already thrown five interception in his first five contests. The Patriots as a team have coughed up the ball the third most in the league, matched with the likes of the New York Jets. Diggs has to be licking his chops for that matchup, and next month, he’ll face a stern test against the Chiefs. Surprisingly, however, they’re tied for most turnovers in the league, with Patrick Mahomes being intercepted six times.

Bro @TrevonDiggs is DPOY right now! Keep eating!

— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) October 10, 2021

Though he’s unlikely to keep racking up INT’s, he has his eyes set on the record for most passes picked off in a season. At his current clip, he’d finish with a whopping 19 passes snagged away. That would dwarf the all-time record for a single season, set by Night Train Lane way back in 1952, when he had 14.

History Not On Diggs’ Side

Defensive backs own the fewest NFL DPOY awards for all defensive positions. In fact, only five cornerbacks have ever won the award, the most recent being Stephon Gilmore of the Patriots in 2019. The way to make it happen is to do what Diggs’ is doing, which immediately opens up the eyes of voters.

Since the merger, there isn't a single player with more INT through the first 5 games of the season than Trevon Diggs (6). pic.twitter.com/AlMhz581W8

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) October 10, 2021

Gilmore finished that fantastic 2019 season with 53 tackles, 20 passes defended, and a league-leading six interceptions. He returned two of them for touchdowns.

Cornerbacks To Win DPOY

Before that, Charles Woodson won the award back in 2009, when he had nine picks (three for TD’s), and four forced fumbles. Then you have to go way back nearly 30 years ago for another corner to pick up the award.

Diggs is shadowing each team’s top receiver, which will give him plenty more opportunities to create turnovers since teams will want to get their best playmaker his touches. What’s also going for him is that he plays for Dallas, who will always garner a ton of attention, as they often play in prime time and they’re having a great start to the season.

Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs was hurt at first when Nick Saban wanted to move him from WR to CB at Alabama. Diggs was in tears. He now thanks Saban for making that move pic.twitter.com/hDCJ5fJlE4

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) October 11, 2021

Historically, however, it’s just not an award that is often won by cornerbacks, so it’s hard to go all-in with him, figuring he’ll regress to the mean slightly and not continue to rack up interceptions.