2015 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Odds

The offensive guys always steal all the headlines, but the recent history of youngsters to win Defensive Rookie of the Year honors is a whose who of studs. Since 2006, DeMeco Ryans, Patrick Willis, Ndamukong Suh, Von Miller, Luke Kuechly, Sheldon Richardson, and Aaron Donald have all seized the prize. Sheldon Richardson’s off the field issues aside, that is an impressive list of star defenders. Sure, Willis retired this offseason, but prior to his chronic toe injury, he was on his way to a Hall of Fame career. The point is, the winner of DROY is usually a player to watch for years to come. Keeping this in mind, here are the odds for 2015 Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Eric Kendricks +400 – The former UCLA Bruin is making noise in Vikings camp. Kendricks is battling Audie Cole for the starting Mike spot, but his natural instincts and penchant for not repeating mistakes makes him a good bet to at the very least start a handful of games and rack a bunch of tackles.

Stephone Anthony +400 – Anthony has been entrenched atop the Saints Mike depth chart since early in training camp. His athleticism is off the charts and coaches have raved about his work ethic. Rob Ryan’s defense was awful in 2014, so the pressure on Anthony will be high from the jump.

Leonard Williams +600 – With Sheldon Richardson staring down a four-game suspension, as well as a cloudy future, the selection of Williams at No. 6 overall could prove to be a bigger steal than it was on Draft night. He brings versatility to play both end and tackle, and possesses solid pass-rushing skills.

Vic Beasley +900 – Through two preseason games, Beasley has looked like a keeper. He’s a bit one-dimensional and undersized, so his ability to play the run will likely warrant how many snaps he gets in Dan Quinn’s aggressive scheme. The opportunities will be there though, especially since he’s entrenched to start Week 1.

Randy Gregory +1400 – Like Beasley, Gregory is a lean pass-rusher with an explosive first step. He’ll likely be moved all over the front seven to take advantage of mismatches, which should increase his chances for getting sacks. However, strong, athletic linemen will push around his slight frame once they get their hands on him.

Shaq Thompson +1600 – Another undersized defender? There appears to be a theme among this year’s draft class of defenders. Thompson has excellent lateral quickness and a bounty of athletic talent. Playing beside Kuechly and Thomas Davis won’t hurt either.

Marcus Peters +2500 – It’s not easy to win DROY playing cornerback. The last guy to do it was Charles Woodson way back in 1998. This doesn’t bode well for Peters, who slid in the Draft due to a questionable attitude. That said, Peters is penciled in to start at corner for Kansas City and has a golden opportunity to prove his doubters wrong.

Trae Waynes +3300 – If Peters’ prospects are slim, Waynes are even worse. He won’t be a starter to start the season, but incumbent Terence Newman is 36 years old. Waynes’ pedigree as a disciplined press coverage corner could lead to him receiving significant snaps.