The carousel keeps chugging along. After Aidan Hutchinson took over as the betting favorite to win the 2022-23 Defensive Rookie of the Year heading into Week 4 of the NFL season, a new face has taken the top spot.
Devin Lloyd and Jacksonville Jaguars teammate Travon Walker are helping change the narrative for the floundering franchise, at least on the defensive side of the ball, and are sitting first and third, respectively in the latest Defensive Rookie of the Year betting odds entering Week 5 of the NFL season.
2022 NFL Defensive ROY odds
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Devin Lloyd | +250 |
| Aidan Hutchinson | +550 |
| Travon Walker | +800 |
| George Karlaftis | +1,200 |
| Kayvon Thibodeaux | +1,200 |
| Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner | +1,600 |
| Jordan Davis | +2,000 |
| Jalen Pitre | +2,000 |
| Malcolm Rodriguez | +2,000 |
| Quay Walker | +2,500 |
| Jermaine Johnson II | +2,500 |
| Tariq Woolen | +2,500 |
| Kyle Hamilton | +4,000 |
| Jaquan Brisker | +4,000 |
| Derek Stingley Jr. | +4,000 |
| Trent McDuffie | +4,000 |
| Kaiir Elam | +4,000 |
| Roger McCreary | +5,000 |
Odds courtesy of FanDuel, as of October 4, 2022.
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NFL Defensive ROY Favorites
Devin Lloyd (+250)
While teammate Travon Walker stole the show in Week 1 with a sack and interception, fellow Jacksonville Jaguars rookie sensation Devin Lloyd finds himself above his teammate — and everyone else, for that matter — at +250 after the first four games of the season.
After grabbing an interception in consecutive games, Lloyd flew all over the field with 14 tackles (four solos, 10 assists) against the Eagles.
Aidan Hutchinson (+500)
After spending a fair bit of the pre-draft process as the betting favorite to go first, former Michigan pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson got to stay home as he was the No. 2 pick to the Detroit Lions.
Although the former Wolverine being silenced in Minnesota during Week 3's loss, Hutchinson bounced back with five tackles against the Seahawks in Week 4.
He showed his true potential with a three-sack performance in Week 2 against the Washington Commanders. With the hat trick, Hutchinson set a new Detroit Lions' single-game rookie record for most sacks in a game.
Hutchinson will remain among the Defensive Rookie of the Year favorites if his strong production for the Wolverines translates from Ann Arbour to Detroit.
Travon Walker (+800)
The Jags may have lost to the Eagles in Week 4 but Walker was still a force with five tackles and 1.5 stuffs. With Jacksonville at 2-2, Walker will be a major reason for the team's success this year and beyond.
NFL Defensive ROY betting trends
• Of the last 32 winners of the NFL DROY Award, an incredible 29 were drafted in the first round. Of the three winners that weren't first-rounders (DeMeco Ryans, Kendrell Bell and Darius Leonard), all were still selected within the Top-40 picks.
• Seven of the last 16 DROY winners played linebacker. Two others (Von Miller and Shawne Merriman) were listed at LB but would count as edge players in modern NFL defensive schemes. That said, that number is heavily inflated by four straight DROY-winning linebackers from 2006 to 2009. Over the last eight years, only two LB's have taken home the award.
• Four of the last six DROY winners played college ball for Ohio State. Three of those (the Bosa brothers and Chase Young) were edge rushers.
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year history
A quick look at the NFL DROY winners since 2004, the position they played and where they were drafted.
| Year | NFL DROY Award Winner | Position | Drafted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Micah Parsons | LB | Round 1, pick 12 |
| 2020 | Chase Young | EDGE | Round 1, pick 2 |
| 2019 | Nick Bosa | EDGE | Round 1, pick 2 |
| 2018 | Darius Leonard | LB | Round 2, pick 36 |
| 2017 | Marshon Lattimore | CB | Round 1, pick 11 |
| 2016 | Joey Bosa | EDGE | Round 1, pick 3 |
| 2015 | Marcus Peters | CB | Round 1, pick 18 |
| 2014 | Aaron Donald | DL | Round 1, pick 13 |
| 2013 | Sheldon Richardson | DL | Round 1, pick 13 |
| 2012 | Luke Keuchly | LB | Round 1, pick 9 |
| 2011 | Von Miller | EDGE | Round 1, pick 2 |
| 2010 | Ndamukong Suh | DL | Round 1, pick 2 |
| 2009 | Brian Cushing | LB | Round 1, pick 15 |
| 2008 | Jerod Mayo | LB | Round 1, pick 10 |
| 2007 | Patrick Willis | LB | Round 1, pick 11 |
| 2006 | DeMeco Ryans | LB | Round 2, pick 33 |
| 2005 | Shawne Merriman | EDGE | Round 1, pick 12 |
| 2004 | Jonathan Vilma | LB | Round 1, pick 12 |
NFL DROY Odds FAQs
Jacksonville Jaguars LB Devin Lloyd is the current favorite to win DROY at +250.
Cowboys' linebacker Micah Parsons took home the honors after finishing with a 13-sack season in Dallas.
