Coming into the 2025 NFL season, the race for Defensive Participant of the Yr seems to be large open.
Following Aaron Donald’s retirement in 2024, there aren’t any energetic gamers who’ve received Defensive Participant of the Yr honors on a number of events. Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain is the latest winner, doing so in a comparatively shut vote, as he solely earned 25 of the 50 first-place votes.
Nonetheless, he isn’t one of many 10 betting favorites to win the award this 12 months.
Listed below are the ten gamers with the very best odds to win 2025 DPOY, based on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Prime 10 Gamers With Finest Odds to Win NFL Defensive Participant of the Yr
Trey Hendrickson has recorded 35 sacks during the last two years. (Picture by Dylan Buell/Getty Photos)
Hendrickson’s contract state of affairs stays unsettled, portray a cloud of uncertainty over the place and when he’ll play this season. What is for certain? His elite pass-rushing expertise. He has recorded 17.5 sacks in every of the previous two seasons, main the league in sacks in 2024. A four-time Professional Bowler, the 30-year-old is persistently enjoying at a excessive degree.
Jalen Carter had a breakout season in 2024. (Picture by Mitchell Leff/Getty Photos)
Carter had a breakout marketing campaign in 2024 and was one of many most important the reason why the Eagles hoisted the Lombardi Trophy, however might he have a fair higher season in 2025? A top-10 decide within the 2023 NFL Draft, Carter had 42 complete tackles and 4.5 sacks in 2024. He additionally had 53 complete pressures, the ninth-best mark amongst all defensive linemen, per Professional Soccer Focus, so it’s affordable to assume that Defensive Participant of the Yr competition is in Carter’s future.
Nick Bosa has been one of many sport’s finest move rushers since he was drafted. (Picture by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Photos)
The 2022 Defensive Participant of the Yr, Bosa has remained probably the greatest move rushers in soccer. He has recorded 19.5 sacks over the previous two years, together with his play final season being one of many few vibrant spots for the Niners. If San Francisco will get again into title competition in 2025, Bosa would seemingly play a big function in making that occur.
Maxx Crosby has been elite as a move rusher and a run-stopper. (Picture by Ethan Miller/Getty Photos)
Crosby started the wave of edge rushers getting paid this offseason, signing a then-record three-year, $106.5 million extension in March. He has since been usurped by a number of of his friends, however that doesn’t diminish simply how good of a participant Crosby is. Actually, he’s one of many few edge rushers broadly thought-about elite at each speeding the passer and stopping the run. He was ninth in pass-rush win fee (20%) and second in run-stop win fee (37%) amongst all edge rushers in 2024, to associate with 7.5 sacks in simply 12 video games. He recorded a career-high 14.5 sacks in 2023.
Jared Verse received Defensive Rookie of the Yr in 2024. (Picture by Norm Corridor/Getty Photos)
Might Verse change into the primary participant to win Defensive Participant of the Yr after successful Defensive Rookie of the Yr since Luke Kuechly in 2013? Verse ran away with Defensive Rookie of the Yr final season, recording 66 complete tackles together with 4.5 sacks and 77 pressures. His play helped the Rams win the NFC West for the primary time in three years.
Will Anderson had a standout season in his second 12 months within the league. (Picture by Alex Slitz/Getty Photos)
Anderson successful Defensive Participant of the Yr in Yr 3 would appear to be part of his pure ascension within the NFL. Anderson recorded 11.0 sacks final season after successful Defensive Rookie of the Yr in 2023, including 37 complete tackles.
T.J. Watt lately turned the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL historical past. (Picture by Scott Taetsch/Getty Photos)
Watt turned the most recent participant to earn the title of “highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL historical past,” claming that title when he agreed to a three-year, $123 million deal on July 17. His play definitely signifies that he’s deserving, recording no less than 11.0 sacks in six of the previous seven seasons. He tied the file for probably the most sacks in a season in 2021, posting 22.5 in 15 video games to win Defensive Participant of the Yr. He had 11.5 sacks in 2024 however battled accidents down the stretch.
Myles Garrett was among the many handful of edge rushers who received a significant contract this offseason. (Picture by Jason Miller/Getty Photos)
Previous to Watt’s extension, Garrett had the distinction of being the highest-paid non-QB in historical past. Like Watt, Garrett has additionally been one of many league’s finest move rushers lately and has a DPOY award underneath his belt already. The four-time All-Professional has recorded no less than 12.0 sacks in every season since 2020, together with a 14-sack season that helped him win DPOY in 2023. He had a 14-sack season once more in 2024, recording probably the most pressures (83) as nicely.
Micah Parsons has been constant all through the primary 4 years of his profession. (Picture by Cooper Neill/Getty Photos)
Parsons may steal the highest-paid non-QB title from Watt quickly. He has been in search of an extension from the Cowboys this offseason, and whereas he hasn’t gotten one but, it seems that Parsons shall be on the sector when Dallas opens coaching camp. If Parsons is able to go when the season opens, he’ll virtually definitely make a robust case to win Defensive Participant of the Yr. He has recorded no less than 12.0 sacks within the first 4 seasons of his profession, together with final season, when he solely performed 11 video games. He has additionally been within the prime 5 in pressures in every of the final three seasons, main the league as soon as, per PFF.
Aidan Hutchinson was in a robust place to win Defensive Participant of the Yr earlier than struggling a season-ending harm final season. (Picture by Gregory Shamus/Getty Photos)
Hutchinson is coming back from a grotesque leg harm that ended his 2024 season after 5 video games, so asking him to win Defensive Participant of the Yr is perhaps a tall ask. Nonetheless, he appeared like he was going to be in competition for the award previous to fracturing his leg final 12 months. He had 7.5 sacks in 5 video games, giving him 28.5 sacks in 39 profession video games.
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