NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year 2024: Jared Verse Starting to Run Away with DROTY Honors

• Will Anderson Jr. won Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2023.

• With no defensive players selected in the first 14 picks of the 2024 NFL Draft, Defensive Player of the Year figures to be wide open.

• Laiatu Latu of the Colts was the favorite to win Defensive Rookie of the Year heading into the 2024 season.

Year after year, the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award is one of the most unpredictable in the NFL. Of course, the top defensive players selected in the draft have high expectations. But you never know who is going to stand out the most during the season. You don’t even know what position the top defensive rookie will play. Past winners of Defensive Rookie of the Year have come from all three levels of the defense, including defensive end Will Anderson Jr., who won the award last season.

Jared Verse of the Rams didn’t begin the season as the betting favorite for Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2024. However, he’s been the clubhouse leader virtually since the season kicked off. According to FanDuel, he is the clear frontrunner for the award. It’s been like that for several weeks, although his lead over the other contenders seems to grow a little more every week.

That being said, the NFL season is only a little past the midway point. There are a lot of games left to play and a lot can happen in a race like this. Just last season, Verse’s teammate Kobie Turner came out of nowhere during the final month of the season and made a strong push for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. That’s why it’s a good idea to take a closer look at Verse and all of the other contenders before placing a bet on Defensive Rookie of the Year.

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Odds 2024

Odds taken from FanDuel Sportsbook. Head over to FanDuel and place your bets: Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets if Your Bet Wins.

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Predictions

There are so many different directions for the Defensive Rookie of the Year race to go. Let’s take a look at where the current list of favorites stand and give you our pick for Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2024.

Jared Verse - Defensive End, Rams (-430) at FanDuel

Verse was already the clear leader for Defensive Rookie of the Year despite a low sack total. However, the sacks are finally starting to come with Verse collecting 3.5 over his last three games. A strong performance in primetime on Monday night in Week 10 against the Dolphins also helped Verse’s case for DROTY honors. Over the past two weeks, his odds have moved from -120 to -430, giving him a substantial lead over his competitors. If he continues to collect sacks, it will become hard for anybody else to match what he’s accomplished this season and steal Defensive Rookie of the Year away from him.

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Laiatu Latu - Defensive End, Colts (+1400) at FanDuel

In a way, you have to commend Latu for consistently having the second-shortest odds for Defensive Rookie of the Year. However, those odds are growing longer by the week, moving from +660 after Week 8 to +1400 after Week 10. To his credit, Latu had a strong performance in Week 10, albeit in a losing effort. The Colts feel as if he’s bound to break out sooner or later. But with just two sacks and two forced fumbles, Latu needs to bust out of his shell sooner rather than later if he’s going to push Verse for DROTY during the second half of the season.

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Quinyon Mitchell - Cornerback, Eagles (+1900) at FanDuel

Mitchell continues to be third in the Defensive Rookie of the Year hierarchy behind Verse and Latu. His odds have slipped a little over the past two weeks, but he’s still hanging around the conversation. After all, he’s become an important part of the Philadelphia defense despite lacking an interception on his resume. Mitchell has a huge opportunity in Week 11, as he faces Washington’s Terry McLaurin on Thursday night. If Mitchell can showcase himself in that game in front of a big audience, it could help to make him more of a serious contender for Defensive Rookie of the Year.

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Kamari Lassiter - Cornerback, Texans (+2200) at FanDuel

Lassiter is another cornerback who could still be considered a sleeper for Defensive Rookie of the Year. He got off to a fast start this season, only to miss time with an injury. But since coming back, Lassiter has continued to shine. He had the best game of his young career in Week 10 when he had two interceptions and two defended passes against the Lions. Unfortunately, he left that game with a possible concussion. Obviously, the road to Defensive Rookie of the Year is already a long one and will get longer if Lassiter misses more time. But there’s no denying he’s made a strong impression when he’s been on the field.

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Cooper DeJean - Cornerback, Eagles (+2500) at FanDuel

As if one great rookie corner wasn’t enough, the Eagles have two. DeJean has been a little overshadowed by Mitchell thus far. But he’s still something to watch closely given the way he’s played over the past month or so. Like Mitchell, he’s yet to record the first interception of his NFL career. However, he’s playing the slot corner position with the consistency of a seasoned veteran. DeJean is also contributing as a punt returner, which certainly can’t hurt his standing in the Defensive Rookie of the Year race.

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Who Will Win Defensive Rookie of the Year - My Pick

Jared Verse (-430) at FanDuel

For the time being, Verse is still the best option for any Defensive Rookie of the Year bet. With -430 odds, he’s close to the point of having no value whatsoever. The problem is that there doesn’t appear to be any other serious contender. Players like Mitchell and Lassiter still have a chance but have a lot of work to do. Meanwhile, Verse seems to be getting better with each week, making it more difficult for anyone else to challenge him. He’s not yet a sure thing to win Defensive Rookie of the Year, but Verse is getting close, so even if the payout isn’t huge, he’s still the best bet.

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Who Won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2023?

Will Anderson Jr. of the Texans won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2023. While Jalen Carter and a few other standout players made it an interesting race throughout the season, Anderson edged out the competition.

Defensive Rookie of the Year History

Defensive Rookie of the Year has been awarded by the AP since 1967. A panel of 50 sportswriters votes to decide the winner with many past winners going on to have great careers in the NFL.

Past Defensive Rookie of the Year Winners

How to Choose the Best Sportsbook for Betting on Defensive Rookie of the Year

Before you place a bet on NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, make sure you’re using the right sportsbook. Every online sportsbook has different odds, different features, and different promos. This requires a little bit of research before finding the sportsbook that’s right for you.

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How to Read Defensive Rookie of the Year Odds

Barring a heavy favorite, every candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year will be assigned plus (+) odds. This means that the profit will be greater than the wager if that player wins. For example, if you get $100 on a player with +550 odds, you will profit $550. Of course, if one player is the clear favorite late in the season, he may have negative (-) odds. For instance, if a player has -400 odds, you will need to wager $400 in order to make a $100 profit.