Five of the previous six Defensive Rookie of the Year award winners have been pass rushers. There are high expectations for this year's winner, with Jared Verse and Will Anderson Jr. holding the latest crowns. Approximately 10 of the 32 first-round selections in the 2025 NFL Draft are EDGEs or interior defensive linemen.
With OTAs occurring around the league and training camp looming, FanDuel's NFL futures prop betting landscape for the 2025 Defensive Rookie of the Year honor has taken shape. The top options shake out as follows:
- Abdul Carter (+250)
- Jalon Walker (+700)
- Mykel Williams (+1000)
- Travis Hunter (+1000)
- Shemar Stewart (+1200)
- Mason Graham (+1200)
- Mike Green (+1500)
- Jihaad Campbell (+1500)
- James Pearce Jr. (+1600)
- Jahdae Barron (+2000)
- Malaki Starks (+2000)
THE FAVORITE AND MY PICK: Abdul Carter
Abdul Carter was the first full-time defender (Travis Hunter notwithstanding) drafted. The New York Giants' third overall pick was among the draft's easiest evaluations. Carter projects to make an immediate impact on Shane Bowen's defense as an effective pass rusher and full-time member of the front seven.
Carter is joining an outstanding defensive line that already featured Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns, and Kayvon Thibodeaux before his arrival. He’ll take advantage of the surrounding pieces. The sheer depth alone should ensure Carter faces one-on-one matchups with regularity. The former Penn State standout possesses the athleticism, urgency, instincts, and playmaking ability to flirt with double-digit sacks as a rookie.
The No. 1 CONTENDER: Jalon Walker
Jalon Walker was expected to be a top-10 pick. The versatile defender ended up sliding further than pre-draft chatter thought, with the Atlanta Falcons selecting Walker at No. 15 overall. Despite the temporary disappointment, the fit was right, with a defensive-minded head coach in Raheem Morris who's searching for pass rushers to better execute his aggressive scheme.
The Falcons have a ton of underperforming EDGEs on the roster, with Arnold Ebiketie and Bralen Trice failing to make the desired impact to date (Trice tore his ACL during the preseason). Morris' defense finished 31st in sacks last year with 31.0. Walker should play significant snaps right away as a flexible front-seven defender.
A WORTHY UNDERDOG: James Pearce Jr.
Fellow Falcons first-round pass rusher James Pearce Jr. possesses the ninth-best odds at +1600. That makes him a tempting flyer. General manager Terry Fontenot was absolutely smitten with Pearce Jr. throughout the pre-draft process. Fontenot parted with a future first-round pick in a draft-day deal with the Los Angeles Rams in order to move back into the first round for the athletic pass rusher at No. 26 overall.
Pearce Jr. is a more straightforward evaluation than his first-round running mate Walker is, who played a lot of off-ball linebacker at Georgia. Pearce Jr. is a quick-accelerating edge rusher with first-step explosiveness and fluid change of direction. He recorded 17.5 sacks during his final two seasons at Tennessee and had one of the nation's best pass-rush win rates. He could be the Falcons' most effective rusher in 2025.
