NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year 2025: Abdul Carter Is Early Leader in a Wide-Open Race

• Abdul Carter of the Giants is the early frontrunner to be Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2025.

• Even with a handful of defensive players drafted ahead of him, Jalon Walker of the Falcons has the second-shortest odds to be DROTY.

• There is lingering uncertainty about whether Travis Hunter will have as prominent a role with the Jaguars defensively as a cornerback as he will as a wide receiver on offense. 

While offensive awards in the NFL tend to get most of the attention, Defensive Rookie of the Year is an award that shouldn’t be overlooked. There is always a crop of defensive rookies at all three levels who are hungry to start their career on the right foot. In fact, many past recipients of Defensive Player of the Year have gone on to become bona fide stars in the NFL. For bettors, accurately predicting the DROTY winner can also be rather lucrative, which is why it’s worth taking a closer look at this award.

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Odds 2025

Odds taken from FanDuel Sportsbook. Click on the odds below to go straight to FanDuel and place a bet on Defensive Rookie of the Year: Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets if Your Bet Wins.

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Predictions

Most of the top-10 picks in this year’s draft were offensive players, which has led to a wide-open race for Defensive Rookie of the Year. As the third-overall pick, Abdul Carter of the Giants is the clear favorite. He was a proven pass-rusher in college and will step into the starting lineup right away, allowing him to stand out right away. Meanwhile, the Falcons have two rookie pass rushers who are projected to be starters right away in Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. Even with other defensive players drafted ahead of them, the opportunity to start right away should benefit both. Walker, in particular, has a lot of hype around him, as he has the second-shortest odds to be DROTY behind Carter.

Travis Hunter figures to be a factor in this race, as he was the second overall pick. However, Hunter is going to be playing both wide receiver and cornerback for the Jaguars. It remains to be seen whether he’ll earn a starting spot at cornerback and if he can handle playing both sides of the ball in the NFL. Meanwhile, defensive ends Mykel Williams and Shemar Stewart are also rookies to watch, as both were top-20 picks. Williams, in particular, plays for a strong San Francisco defense and has a chance to shine with opposing teams focusing on Nick Bosa on the other side of the line.

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Defensive Rookie of the Year Winner - My Pick

Mykel Williams (+1000) at FanDuel

With this long before the regular season, the safest pick is the favorite. However, Williams might have the most value of any Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate. Despite not collecting a lot of sacks in college, Williams has a chance to be a standout player with a lot of talented players on San Francisco’s defense playing around him.

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How to Bet on NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year

Defensive Rookie of the Year might be the NFL’s most unpredictable and wide-open award. Most of the top draft selections are on the offensive side of the ball, so there is rarely an obvious preseason favorite for DROTY, creating a level playing field. Historically, this award hasn’t been dominated by a specific position. While Defensive Player of the Year tends to favor pass rushers, cornerbacks, middle linebackers, and defensive linemen are all viable candidates for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.

Also, unlike other awards, DROTY isn’t necessarily driven by the player with the best stats. Defensive rookies rarely put up eye-catching numbers. Instead, the winner of this award often goes to the player who made the biggest impact on the field, regardless of their numbers. Obviously, that’s quite subjective, making it tough to project who will win this award until the end of the season. Often, the best bet for Defensive Rookie of the Year is a player who will have an opportunity to play a lot of snaps during his rookie season and a player who plays for a defense that needs help. Typically, those players have the best chance to stand out and garner serious consideration for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.

How to Read NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Odds

With so many potential contenders, you will likely find Defensive Rookie of the Year candidates with plus (+) odds. This indicates a significant profit if you can accurately predict the winner. For example, a $100 bet on a player with +600 odds means a profit of $600. Later in the season, there might be an obvious favorite with negative (-) odds. This means the bet is safe but comes with a smaller payout. For instance, if a player has -300 odds, you will need to wager $300 in order to make a $100 profit.

Where to Bet on NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year

There are several online sportsbooks where you can bet on the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Among those options, FanDuel Sportsbook is one of the best. FanDuel is one of the NFL’s official betting partners, which is why you can always find a huge selection of NFL betting options. This includes postseason awards like Defensive Rookie of the Year.

FanDuel is also a great platform for novice bettors and new users. If you sign up for a FanDuel account, you will have access to a welcome offer: Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets if Your Bet Wins. You don’t need a promo code for this offer. You just have to win a $5 bet as your first wager with FanDuel to receive bonus bets.

Defensive Rookie of the Year History

Defensive Rookie of the Year has been awarded by the AP since 1967. A panel of 50 sportswriters votes to decide the winner with many past winners going on to have great careers in the NFL.

Past Defensive Rookie of the Year Winners