2026 NFL Futures: Defensive Rookie of the Year September Betting Odds & Picks
All betting odds provided by Betway.
| Player (Team) | DROY September Odds | DROY April Odds |
| Rueben Bain Jr., Edge (TB) | +450 | +600 |
| David Bailey, Edge (NYJ) | +500 | +450 |
| Caleb Downs, S (DAL) | +700 | +750 |
| Sonny Styles, MLB (WAS) | +750 | +650 |
| Arvell Reese, Edge, (NYG) | +850 | +600 |
| Mansoor Delane, CB (KC) | +1,000 | +850 |
| Akheem Mensidor, DL (LAC) | +1,400 | +1,600 |
| Jacob Rodriguez, LB (MIA) | +1,500 | +3,000 |
| Malachi Lawrence, Edge (DAL) | +2,500 | +2,000 |
| Dillon Thieneman, S (CHI) | +2,800 | +2,200 |
| C.J. Allen, LB (IND) | +3,300 | +3,000 |
| Keldric Faulk, Edge (TEN) | +3,500 | +2,800 |
| Peter Woods, DL (KC) | +4,000 | N/A |
| T.J. Parker, Edge (BUF) | +4,000 | N/A |
| Cashius Howell, Edge (CIN) | +4,500 | N/A |
| Emmanuel Mcneil-Warren, S (CLE) | +5,000 | +3,500 |
Odds Movement
Back in April the top guy on the odds board was the first defensive player taken in the 2026 NFL Draft: the Jets’ David Bailey (+500). Now, he’s fallen behind Buccaneers edge Rueben Bain Jr. (+450). And we can’t say we disagree there.
The Cowboys’ Caleb Downs (+700), the Chargers’ Akheem Mensidor (+1,400), and Miami’s Jacob Rodriguez (+1,500) were the only other guys to see their odds shorten over the course of the summer.
Nearly everyone else saw their odds rise in the meantime. Arvell Reese (+850), Mansoor Delane (+1,000), Malachi Lawrence (+2,500), and Dillon Thieneman (+2,800) were among the top contenders that saw a big jump there.
Our Best Bet On the Board: Sonny Styles, LB, Washington Commanders (+750)
We like Bain, but we don’t love how much his odds have fallen. On the other hand, Commanders middle linebacker Sonny Styles was another guy that saw his odds leap from April to September. They used to be +650, but now they’re at +750. And we’re a-okay with that.
Styles, a No. 7 overall pick that won a National Championship with that dominant Ohio State defense in 2024, is set up to be a massive contributor for a questionable Commanders team in 2026.
He’s going to lead the team in tackles, and if his college career was anything to go on, he’s going to get involved in a myriad of other ways with tackles for loss, sacks, and takeaways. Washington may not be good, but this kid is going to be.
And middle linebackers on awful teams can definitely win this award: Carson Schwesinger did just that with the hapless Browns last year. The last two middle linebackers before Schwesinger to win this award were Shaq Leonard for the Colts in 2018 and Luke Kuechley for the Panthers in 2012. That’s good company, but we think Styles will show he deserves it.
Long Short Dart Throw: Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Miami Dolphins (+1,500)
A much longer shot, but one we think is just as worthwhile, is a bet on Miami’s Jacob Rodriguez. He was insanely good for Texas Tech last year, earning Unanimous All-American honours on top of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (best defensive player), the Butkus Award (best linebacker), the Lombardi Award (embodying the spirit of Vince Lombardi), and the Chuck Bednarik Award (best defensive player).
This guy is a stud. And somehow they got him in the second round. He and his marvelous mustache–one that would make even Tom Selleck do a double-take–are already trusted by the Dolphins too: they just cut Tyrel Dodson, a guy who started 16 games and had 129 tackles last year. That’s why his odds dropped from +3,000 in April to +1,500 now.
Rodriguez can do it all–last year he had a sack, four picks, 11.0 TFLs, an NCAA-leading seven forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries, one returned for a TD–and his team is putting him in a position to succeed right away.
