2025-26 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Odds & Picks
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Scott Kacsmar
- October 14, 2025
Following Week 6, the NFL’s 2025 Defensive Rookie of the Year (DROY) award is largely shaping up to be a 3-player race. New York’s Abdul Carter has been the favorite all along, and he still holds the edge at +175 NFL DROY betting odds while Jihaad Campbell (Eagles) and Carson Schwesinger (Browns) aren’t that far behind.
No pun intended, but edge rushers usually have the edge to win DROY. But with no one from the 2025 class having more than 2.0 sacks after Week 6, it’s a race where the off-ball linebackers have a good shot. But maybe there is an edge rusher we need to pay attention to with real longshot value. Let’s look at the best value picks for the NFL DROY award based on the past and with an eye towards the rest of the season production.
2025-26 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award Players to Watch
Based on the current NFL DROY odds, we have identified 3 of our favorite players to watch who can win the award this season. We’ve included their best odds from BetOnline.
| Player | Team | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Abdul Carter | Giants | +175 |
| Jihaad Campbell | Eagles | +200 |
| Carson Schwesinger | Browns | +350 |
| Mykel Williams | 49ers | +1600 |
| Jalon Walker | Falcons | +2200 |
| Malaki Starks | Ravens | +3300 |
| Derrick Harmon | Steelers | +3300 |
It’s a very close race at the top of the odds right now, but there’s still enough of the season left that we should consider a long shot too. Let’s take a closer look at the top contenders and what makes each one a potential winner.
New York Giants’ Abdul Carter (+175)
Abdul Carter opened as the preseason favorite to win DROY, which makes sense since the No. 2 pick was the top defender off the draft board in April. He was supposed to be the best pass rusher in this class, and he joined a defense that already has a capable rusher in Brian Burns, who should draw double teams and more attention.
Reputation and situation have powered Carter to stay on top of the rankings, and you can also blame an underwhelming defensive rookie class for keeping him there through mid-October despite 0.5 sacks. That half-sack also came in Week 1, but Carter got a lot of praise for 5 hurries in an upset win over the Chargers and Justin Herbert.
With odds like +175 and such little individual production for Carter, this is not the time to invest in betting on him to win the award. There should be better options that stand out over the next 11 games.
Philadelphia Eagles’ Jihaad Campbell (+195)
The bad news for linebacker Jihaad Campbell is that the Eagles are starting to fade a bit defensively after back-to-back losses to the Broncos and Giants. The good news is his main competition, Abdul Carter, had a very quiet game last Thursday night while Campbell racked up 7 tackles in his team’s defeat.
Campbell ranks 4th in his draft class with 22 tackles this season, and he has an interception against Baker Mayfield in a win over Tampa. With linebacker Nakobe Dean returning to action for the Eagles last week – he only played special teams snaps – we’ll see if that cuts into any of Campbell’s playing time or production in Vic Fangio’s linebacker corps.
Campbell presents slightly better value than Carter right now, but neither is close to a lock to win DROY despite being the only players with odds better than +300 right now. The numbers just aren’t there yet that usually win this award for a rookie.
Pittsburgh Steelers’ Derrick Harmon (+3300)
Pittsburgh’s first-round rookie Derrick Harmon got off to a slow start as injury cost him the first 2 games, which was a bummer since he didn’t get a chance to sack Justin Fields with the Jets in Week 1. But since debuting in Week 3, Harmon has played 3 games and has already made his impact felt playing alongside T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward.
Harmon has 2.0 sacks, 4 QB hits, a pass defensed, and he’s registered a couple of pressures in each game he’s played. The Steelers have the talent around him and a chance to field a competent defense in their pursuit of the AFC North title for Harmon to shine more in the upcoming prime-time games.
It’s also nice to have Watt and Heyward there to draw attention from you. At these odds, Harmon is a great value bet as he’ll only climb as the weeks go by and the lack of challengers to Carter and Campbell drive up his odds. Get him while you can at +3300.
What We’ve Covered and Next Steps
If the Giants are going to start winning more with rookie Jaxson Dart at quarterback, that could help Abdul Carter get more pass-rushing opportunities. But he’ll have a tough matchup this week with Denver’s strong offensive line.
With the Eagles potentially facing Carson Wentz and the Vikings this week, or J.J. McCarthy, it’s a game where Jihaad Campbell could add to his interception totals by finding another pick or creating a big splash play.
The Steelers are in prime time for the first time this season against Joe Flacco and the Bengals, so maybe Derrick Harmon can properly introduce himself to the world and show he’s very much in this race by producing big against that offensive line and old quarterback.
If you want to bet on these players to win DROY, or make bets on other NFL awards for 2025, you can make a new offshore sportsbook account and take advantage of their odds today before they change drastically, as this is an open competition with no one running away with it yet.
Where to Bet on NFL DROY Odds
It’s always a good idea to price shop the odds at different offshore sportsbooks, especially when you are betting on volatile futures markets like NFL awards (DROY, MVP, Coach of the Year, etc.).
If you’re looking for the best value on NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year odds, BetOnline consistently offers competitive futures prices. Always compare lines before placing your wager to ensure you’re getting the top number.
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
