Bet The Favorite to Win NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year Award

As the start of the NFL season quickly approaches (Sept. 8, Bills at Rams), sports fans are making future bets they hope will pay off months from now.

Picking an award winner is always tough but sometimes one guy stands out.

We’ve already looked at the wide-open race to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. I know many bettors have leaped financially aboard the George Pickens bandwagon and the idea of announcers calling Pickett, as in Kenny, to Pickens could be inevitable in Pittsburgh for the Steelers soon, but I’m still banking on Saints wideout Chris Olave).

So today let’s look at my pick to be named Defensive Rookie of the Year.

And it’s no surprise and not exactly a hot take but Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson looks every bit like the favorite he currently is and sportsbooks across the country, including at DraftKings where Hutchinson, the No. 2 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft, is a slight favorite (+500) over New York Giants rookie edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux (+550), the No. 5 overall pick out of Oregon.

Travon Walker, the No. 1 overall pick out of Georgia, is the third betting choice at +800.

New York Post columnist Steve Serby wrote a piece last Friday accompanied with this headline:

Giants’ Kayvon Thibodeaux will be motivated by draft snubs: Ex-coaches.

That could well be true, but one thing is certain and that’s nobody has ever questioned Hutchinson’s work ethic and motivation, as some have when scouting Thibodeaux.

It’s no surprise that wagerers in The Great Lakes State definitely like the former Michigan Wolverines star to win, with 50 percent of all bets on the DROY award going on Hutchinson.

I’m not the first one to compare Hutchinson to both Bosa brothers, Nick and Joey, both of whom won the same award as rookies, Joey with the Chargers in 2016 and Nick with the Niners in 2019.

Hutchinson is already a fan favorite in Detroit and coaches and players alike have raved at his high-revving “motor” – perfect for that city (his nickname could become The Motor City Menace – trademarked) – and the many ways he can disrupt a team’s offensive game plan and blow up their backfield.

Finally, consider this:

Of the teams that allowed the most sacks in 2021, the Lions play the Bears (No. 1) twice, the Jets (No. 4), the Panthers (No. 5), the Seahawks (No. 8) and the Commanders (No. 10).

I feel like the Lions, while probably only a six- or seven-win team who did finish 30th in the league last season in sacks, will feast on quarterbacks during those games and Hutchinson is going to be leading the attack.

Detroit’s defense should be much improved and Hutchinson will be the cornerstone of that team for years to come. It starts this season with Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.