Nothing impresses Defensive Player of the Year voters more than sacks, which makes pass rushers usually the best bet to take home this award.
A slew of elite pass rushers are the DPOY favorites in 2025 and my NFL picks are betting on one of them to win it. That said, cornerback Patrick Surtain won the award last season and there's great value on another defensive back this year.
Here are the 2025 NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds and my prediction to win it, along with a long shot that pays out at big plus money.
Pick: Aidan Hutchinson (+750 at bet365)
Edge rushers have won eight of the last 15 DPOY awards and Aidan Hutchinson might be the best in the business. The Detroit Lions defensive end was the favorite to win this award last year entering Week 6 before suffering a broken leg.
At the time he led the NFL in sacks (6.5), QB hits (14) and pressures (40) despite Detroit having a bye in Week 5. His 40 pressures over five games were 11 more than the next-leading player at the time.
Hutchinson is fully recovered from his leg injury and has looked dominant in training camp. He will anchor a Detroit defense that should be improved due to a healthy front seven and a revamped secondary.
There are a few reasons why Hutchinson seems like a more likely winner than the other top pass rushers. Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons is in a holdout, Nick Bosa has seen his numbers slip in recent years, and the Cleveland Browns' middling defense could hold back Myles Garrett.
Hutch also has the comeback narrative going for him.
Long Shot: Kyle Hamilton (+5000 at FanDuel)
Kyle Hamilton is the best safety in the NFL and has been rated by multiple publications as a Top-5 defender overall. He racked up 107 tackles with two sacks, two fumbles forced, and an interception last year.
The two-time All-Pro is a versatile defender that will be able to return to his previous Swiss-Army knife role after Baltimore drafted Malaki Starks in the first round.
The Baltimore Ravens had arguably the best defense in the league during the second half of last season. From Week 9 through the end of the regular season, they allowed a league-low 16.9 ppg while posting the best defensive success rate.
Baltimore's defense is once again expected to be among the best in the NFL and being the top defensive player on an elite stop unit can be a trump card in the DPOY race.
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