The 2026 NFL Draft is in the books, which means sportsbooks across the country have released betting odds to win both Offensive Rookie of the Year and Defensive Rookie of the Year.
In a draft class that’s loaded with defensive talent, it’s anyone’s guess who’s going to win the award at the end of the 2026 campaign.
The first defensive player taken, David Bailey, is one of the two co-favorites to win the award, but you might be surprised to find out that the other player tied with the same odds wasn’t selected until pick No. 15.
Let’s take a look at the full list of odds.
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Odds
Rueben Bain Jr. +500David Bailey +500Arvell Reese +850Caleb Downs +850Mansoor Delane +900Sonny Styles +1000Akheem Mesidor +1300CJ Allen +1900Jacob Rodriguez +2200Dillon Thieneman +2200Malachi Lawrence +2700Keldric Faulk +3300D’Angelo Ponds +4000Cashius Howell +4500Emmanuel McNeil-Warren +4500T.J. Parker +5000Chris Johnson +5000Colton Hood +5000Anthony Hill Jr. +6000Peter Woods +6000Bryce Boettcher +7500Jake Golday +7500Jermod McCoy +7500Gabe Jacas +7500Caleb Banks +7500Avieon Terrell +7500R Mason Thomas +7500Treydan Stukes +7500Will Lee III +10000Derrick Moore +10000Keionte Scott +10000Malik Muhammad +10000Zion Young +10000Chandler Rivers +10000Devin Moore +10000Max Llewellyn +10000Tacario Davis +10000Anthony Lucas +10000Vincent Anthony Jr. +10000A.J. Haulcy +10000Josiah Trotter +10000Kamari Ramsey +10000Daylen Everette +10000Kayden McDonald +10000Brandon Cisse +10000Caden Curry +10000Dani Dennis-Sutton +10000Rueben Bain Jr. and David Bailey Set as Cofavorites
Rueben Bain Jr. may not have been selected until the No. 15 pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he’s expected to make an immediate impact in the NFC South. Not only is he one of the most explosive rookie pass-rushers, but he went to a Buccaneers team that has weapons that will take the pressure off Bain. Vita Vea is a handful for any offensive line, so teams likely won’t have the tools to double-team Bain Jr. coming off the edge.
David Bailey entered the draft as the best defensive player in the class, according to plenty of experts. He’ll immediately become the centerpiece of a New York Jets defense that needs a ton of help. He’ll play on the opposite side of Will McDonald IV, who had eight sacks last season, so Bailey won’t be without help on the defensive front.
In a division that includes Josh Allen and Drake Maye, having an elite pass rush is imperative for the Jets.
Other top names on the odds list include Arvell Reese (+850), Caleb Downs (+850), Mansoor Delane (+900), and Sonny Styles (+1000).
It’s worth noting that the winner of the award last year was Carson Schwesinger, a second-round pick of the Cleveland Browns. That could mean this is an award that you may find some value in further down the odds list.
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