2026 NFL Futures: Defensive Rookie of the Year Award Winner - NFL Betting Odds & Picks
All betting odds provided by Betway.
| Player (Team) | DROY Odds |
| David Bailey, Edge (NYJ) | +450 |
| Arvell Reese, Edge, (NYG) | +600 |
| Rueben Bain Jr., Edge (TB) | +600 |
| Sonny Styles, MLB (WAS) | +650 |
| Caleb Downs, S (DAL) | +750 |
| Mansoor Delane, CB (KC) | +850 |
| Akheem Mensidor, DL (LAC) | +1,600 |
| Malachi Lawrence, Edge (DAL) | +2,000 |
| Dillon Thieneman, S (CHI) | +2,200 |
| Keldric Faulk, Edge (TEN) | +2,800 |
| C.J. Allen, LB (IND) | +3,000 |
| Jacob Rodriguez, LB (MIA) | +3,000 |
| Chris Johnson, CB (MIA) | +3,300 |
| Colton Hood, CB (NYG) | +3,500 |
| Emmanuel Mcneil-Warren, S (CLE) | +3,500 |
| Jermod McCoy, CB (LV) | +3,500 |
The Favorite: David Bailey, Edge, New York Jets (+450)
It should come as no surprise that the top three favorites on this odds table all play on the edge. Defensive ends and rushing outside linebackers have combined to win seven of the 16 Defensive Rookie of the Year awards handed out since 2010. No other position group has more than three.
The cream of that pass-rushing crop would seem to be former Texas Tech edge and 2025 national sack champ (14.5) David Bailey, who was the first defensive player selected in the draft at No. 2 overall by the New York Jets. At 6’3” and 250 pounds with 4.5 speed and a 35-inch vertical, Bailey is a physical freak and he is as pro ready as anyone in this class.
On top of that, he’s playing for a defensive coach in Aaron Glenn that will put emphasis on his No. 2 overall pick. Not to mention that with New York’s front line of Harrison Philips and T’Vondre Sweat in the middle and Will McDonald IV on the other edge, teams won’t be able to key in on Bailey. That front line isn’t as good as the one in which the next defender taken in this draft landed, however.
The Underdog: Arvell Reese, Edge, New York Giants (+600)
Bailey is coming in at +450 odds, and while those are longer than both Jeremiyah Love (+250) and Fernando Mendoza (+400) on the OROY side, it’s still a little short considering how much of a crap shoot this award is compared to its offensive equivalent. We predicted the Jets would take Bailey over Arvell Reese, but we do think they are very similar when it comes to impact potential and talent level.
And as we intimated, Reese is joining the other New York team, the blue one, after they drafted him at No. 5 overall. And they have been stacking up on the defensive line for years now. They did just trade Dexter Lawrence, which hurts.
But they still have Kayvon Thibodeaux, 2025 No. 3 pick Abdul Carter, and Brian Burns, who was second in the league in sacks last year. Reese is going to see a lot of one-on-ones, and with his athleticism, he can win a lot of those. Reese would be our preference here, but there are a couple of longer shots to consider.
One of our favorite players in this draft overall was Ohio State inside linebacker Sonny Styles, who the Washington Commanders selected No. 7 overall. He has garnered a lot of comparisons to All-World MLB Fred Warner. He can do it all.
And if the Commanders bounce back and become competitive again, Styles is going to be a big reason why and therefore very difficult to ignore. He’s at +650 odds, which isn’t as high as we’d like. But the history of MLBs with this award gives us solace there: three have won since Luke Kuechley in 2012, and from 2000-2009, SEVEN of the 10 DROY winners were inside linebackers.
If you want a really long shot, we give you another Giants rookie, this one a second-round cornerback out of Tennessee named Colton Hood. It could be the case that the star-studded front line of the Giants take each other’s spotlight away, which could result in Hood becoming a leading candidate in this race if John Harbaugh can turn this team around. At +3,500, it’s worth a dart throw.
