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They say defense wins championships, and in the NFL, building a strong defense is rooted in drafting good players on that side of the ball. Who drafted the best defensive player this year?
Defensive Rookie of the Year (DROY) award betting odds are out via BetMGM Sportsbook, and they tab three edge rushers as the favorites to win this year's honor. That would follow the trend of recent DROY winners, seven of the last 10 of whom play off the edge, either as a defensive end or outside linebacker.
While the Defensive Rookie of the Year winner does not always turn out to be the best defender in a given draft class, winning the award sets a strong baseline of expectations for young and emerging players. Notable recent winners include Aaron Donald, Micah Parsons and Will Anderson.
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Here's what the odds are saying for this year's DROY race ahead of the start of training camp and preseason action:
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award odds 2026
Odds via BetMGM Sportsbook as of Tuesday, July 21:
1. Edge David Bailey, New York Jets: (+500)
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft was also the first defensive player to come off the board. Bailey is coming off of a season in which he led all of FBS with 14.5 sacks in his 14 games. Heading into his rookie year, he joins a Jets pass-rush attack that didn't feature any players with double-digit sacks last year. Will McDonald led the team with eight sacks. New York traded former first-rounder Jermaine Johnson II to the Titans for nose tackle T'Vondre Sweat in the offseason, opening a spot for Bailey to start on the defensive front.
2. Edge Rueben Bain Jr., Tampa Bay Buccaneers: (+550)
Bain's spot as one of the top favorites heading into 2026 is a bit of a surprise. He was the No. 15 pick in the 2026 draft and the sixth defensive player off of the board. After a strong collegiate career that ended with a 9.5-sack season, the Miami (Fla.) product lost some draft stock when his combine measurements revealed below-average arm length. Despite that potential setback, Bain is in a spot to start on the Bucs' defense opposite Yaya Diaby, and he could excel if the arm-length issue isn't actually an issue at the pro level given his good bend and pass-rush arsenal.
3. Edge/LB Arvell Reese, New York Giants: (+750)
Reese was touted as one of the best defenders in the 2026 draft class, but he's a notable step behind Bailey and Bain in betting odds to win DROY. That may be explained by a couple of factors. For one, Reese's ability to be a full-time edge rusher is largely a projection. The Ohio State product played a majority of his snaps in the box rather than on the defensive line, per Pro Football Focus, but he has the skills to rush the passer more often.
Another factor is New York's crowded edge position. Not only do the Giants have veterans Brian Burns (fresh off of a 16.5-sack season) and Kayvon Thibodeaux, they also have second-year Abdul Carter, the No. 3 overall pick in last year's draft. If Reese winds up playing more inside linebacker than outside, his statistical impact may be lower than other rookies vying for DROY.
T-4. CB Mansoor Delane, Kansas City Chiefs: (+850)
Next up is the top cornerback to come off of the board in this year's draft. Delane headed to the Chiefs with the No. 6 overall pick after Kansas City traded up with the Browns. The LSU product has an inside lane to a starting job in his first season after the Chiefs traded away Trent McDuffie and let Jaylen Watson walk in free agency. Delane is coming off of his best year yet. After three strong years at Virginia Tech, his lone year at LSU featured two interceptions and seven pass breakups, per PFF. His 40% reception percentage and 31.3 passer rating allowed when targeted were both career lows. Kansas City will need Delane to step up in its defense in Year 1 with big shoes to fill. He'll look to become the first cornerback to win the DROY award since Sauce Gardner in 2022.
T-4. LB Sonny Styles, Washington Commanders: (+850)
Styles skyrocketed up draft boards after an outstanding performance at the NFL combine in February, but the Ohio State product had already shown off his Swiss Army knife-like versatility on tape. Styles is an excellent run defender and sure tackler, but he can also rush the passer when asked and, as a converted safety, play well in off-ball coverage. The seventh overall pick is projected to start alongside free agent newcomer Leo Chenal in the Commanders' defense as a rookie, and it will be up to head coach Dan Quinn to maximize all of Styles' skills on that side of the ball.
T-4. S Caleb Downs, Dallas Cowboys: (+850)
Rounding out the trio of top-flight talent out of Ohio State is the top safety from the 2026 draft class. Downs was asked to line up all over the defense during his three-year college career, and he succeeded from pretty much everywhere. In 2025, he played 44 snaps lined up on the defensive line, 241 snaps in the box as an extra defender over the middle, 240 snaps as a deep free safety, 146 snaps in the slot and nine as an outside corner, per PFF. He's a strong tackler and is excellent in coverage. Given how poor the Cowboys' defense played last year, Downs could be a massive boost to that unit.
7. Edge Akheem Mesidor, Los Angeles Chargers: (+1300)
The Chargers invested in their pass-rush early in the 2026 draft after finishing 16th in the NFL with a 37% pass-rush win rate last year, per ESPN. In a division that features Patrick Mahomes and 2026 No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza, putting pressure on the opposing passer is at an even higher premium. Mesidor had 12.5 sacks playing opposite Bain with Miami (Fla.) in 2025, which led the ACC. He's not currently a projected starter with veteran Khalil Mack and fourth-year Tuli Tuipulotu in front of him on the depth chart, but Mesidor should carve out a role for himself as a rookie.
T-8. Edge Malachi Lawrence, Dallas Cowboys: (+2000)
Lawrence is the last of the 2026 first-round picks to crack the top 10 in betting odds for this year's DROY winner. As with Downs, the UCF product could represent a significant upgrade to a Cowboys defense that was in sore need of dynamic play-makers in 2025. Lawrence racked up 20 sacks in his four seasons with the Knights, and his 11 tackles for a loss in 2025 were a career high.
T-8. LB Jacob Rodriguez, Miami Dolphins: (+2000)
Playing behind David Bailey, Rodriguez was an incredibly valuable asset for the Red Raiders' defense in 2025. The senior linebacker received a 94.8 PFF grade for his run defense and a 92.3 coverage grade as well. Rodriguez's seven forced fumbles led FBS in 2025. He should be expected to become a centerpiece of Miami's rebuilding defense. Notably, NFL analyst Lance Zierlein's player comparison for Rodriguez was 2025 DROY winner Carson Schwesinger.
10. LB CJ Allen, Indianapolis Colts: (+2500)
Rounding out the top 10 is the Colts' second-round pick who is currently projected to start at MIKE in his first season. Allen was an All-American in his final season at Georgia after a season that included 88 total tackles, eight tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks, four passes defensed and two forced fumbles. An excellent tackler and run defender, Allen hopes to lead Indianapolis' defense to a more successful 2026 outing after 2025 saw the Colts' defense allow the 14th-highest rushing success rate (41.6%).
11. Edge Keldric Faulk, Tennessee Titans: (+3000)
T-12. S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Cleveland Browns: (+4000)
T-12. CB D'Angelo Ponds, New York Jets: (+4000)
T-14. LB Anthony Hill Jr., Tennessee Titans: (+5000)
T-14. Edge T.J. Parker, Buffalo Bills: (+5000)
T-14. CB Colton Hood, New York Giants: (+5000)
T-14. CB Chris Johnson, Miami Dolphins: (+5000)
T-14. Edge Cashius Howell, Cincinnati Bengals: (+5000)
T-14. DT Peter Woods, Kansas City Chiefs: (+5000)
T-14. Edge R Mason Thomas, Kansas City Chiefs: (+5000)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year race is wide open. Here are the top contenders
