The two favorites for Defensive Rookie of the Year are both edge rushers.
New Minnesota Vikings linebacker Dallas Turner is the favorite at +400, ahead of Indianapolis Colts EDGE Laiatu Latu at +600.
Latu was the first defenseman chosen in the draft, as offensive players set a draft record by entering the first 14 picks. The Colts took Latu after he had 13 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss in his second season at UCLA.
Turner was the favorite to be the first defenseman picked weeks before the draft. He fell to the Vikings at No. 17 after recording 22.5 sacks in three seasons at Alabama.
After Turner and Latu, the field is wide open. Los Angeles Rams DE Jared Verse, Philadelphia Eagles CB Quinyon Mitchell and Detroit Lions CB Terrion Arnold are all at +1100.
Verse ranked 19th for the Rams after having nine sacks in each of his two seasons at Florida State. Verse transferred to FSU ahead of the 2022 season after breaking out with 9.5 sacks at Albany in 2021.
Mitchell was the first defenseman picked when he went to the Eagles at No. 22 and Arnold had two picks later. Both Mitchell and Arnold are expected to be Week 1 outfield starters for their respective teams.
After that trio, Seattle Seahawks DT Byron Murphy is at +1300 ahead of Eagles DB Cooper DeJean at +1600. Murphy formed one of the best interior duos in the country at Texas a season ago with second-round pick T’Vondre Sweat, while DeJean did it all for Iowa before suffering a season-ending knee injury 10 games later. He fell to the Eagles in the second round of the draft.
