The two favorites for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award are both edge rushers.
New Minnesota Vikings linebacker Dallas Turner is the favorite at +400 ahead of Indianapolis Colts EDGE Laiatu Latu at +600.
Latu was the first defender taken in the draft as offensive players set a draft record by going in the first 14 picks. The Colts took Latu after he had 13 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss in his second season at UCLA.
Turner was the favorite to be the first defensive player picked for weeks ahead of the draft. He fell to the Vikings at No. 17 after he tallied 22.5 sacks in three seasons at Alabama.
After Turner and Latu, the field is wide open. Los Angeles Rams DE Jared Verse, Philadelphia Eagles CB Quinyon Mitchell and Detroit Lions CB Terrion Arnold are all at +1100.
Verse went No. 19 to the Rams after he had nine sacks in each of his two seasons at Florida State. Verse transferred to FSU ahead of the 2022 season after he broke out with 9.5 sacks at Albany in 2021.
Mitchell was the first defensive back taken when he went to the Eagles at No. 22 and Arnold went two picks later. Both Mitchell and Arnold should be Week 1 starters on the outside for their respective teams.
After that trio, Seattle Seahawks DT Byron Murphy is at +1300 ahead of Eagles DB Cooper DeJean at +1600. Murphy formed one of the best interior duos in the country at Texas a season ago with second-round pick T’Vondre Sweat, while DeJean did it all for Iowa before suffering a season-ending knee injury 10 games into the season. He fell to the Eagles in the second round of the draft.
Defensive Rookie of the Year favorites
Source Agencies
