Last Updated on August 24, 2010 2:27 pm by Anthony Rome
Defensive ROY Odds
Two top 5 picks from April’s draft are favored to win the 2010 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, but are there a sleeper or two in the mix as well?
In the last 10 years, the Defensive Rookie of the Year has been given to a linebacker nine times, including in each of the last seven years. Brian Cushing of the Houston Texans won it last year, while Jerod Mayo of the New England Patriots won it in the 2009 and Patrick Willis of the San Francisco 49ers won it in 2008.
But despite this trend, the two favorites to win this year’s Defensive ROY award are not linebackers.
Oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com have made Detroit Lions’ defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and Kansas City Chiefs’ safety Eric Berry +450 on the money line, respectively, to win the 2010 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. Suh was taken with the second overall pick in April’s draft, while Berry was the fifth overall selection.
But considering the success that linebackers have had winning the award over the years, it stands to reason that Brandon Spikes (+1500), Rolando McClain (+1200) and/or Sean Weatherspoon (+1200) are more valuable.
McClain and Weatherspoon are especially intriguing because they could make an impact right away for their respective teams. McClain is expected to start in the middle for the Oakland Raiders in Week 1, which should mean that he’ll have a ton of opportunities to make plays.
Weatherspoon isn’t slated to start right away, but he has already turned heads in Atlanta and he could leapfrog Stephen Nicholas or Mike Peterson on the Falcons’ depth chart soon. Weatherspoon has a ton of playmaking talent and could be a force not only as a tackler, but also in coverage and as a pass-rusher.
For a complete list of odds for the 2010-11 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award, see below.
2010-11 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Odds
Brandon Graham +1500
Brandon Spikes +1500
Carlos Dunlap +1400
Derrick Morgan +1400
Devin McCourty +1400
Earl Thomas +750
Eric Berry +450
Gerald McCoy +750
Jason Pierre Paul +2000
Jerry Hughes +1400
Joe Haden +1400
Kyle Wilson +1200
Ndamukong Suh +450
Rolando McClain +1200
Sean Weatherspoon +1200
Sergio Kindle +1200
Taylor Mays +1500
Terrence Cody +1500
Tyson Alualu +1500
zx Field (Any Other Player) +550
Posted: 8/24/10 2:30PM ET