The 2025 NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds are loaded with big names. The likes of TJ Watt, Micah Parsons and Maxx Crosby speckle the board, with the extraterrestial talent of Cleveland Browns pass-rusher Myles Garrett and Detroit Lions edge Aidan Hutchinson the current favorites.
As the old adage goes, defense wins championships, with the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl victory standing as the latest example. Below are the latest NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds, with my best bets. Or you can check out the latest NFL Offensive POY odds here.
NFL Defensive Player Of The Year Odds For 2025-26
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Myles Garrett | +700 |
| Aidan Hutchinson | +700 |
| T.J. Watt | +750 |
| Micah Parsons | +900 |
| Maxx Crosby | +1100 |
| Will Anderson Jr. | +1200 |
| Nick Bosa | +1500 |
| Jalen Carter | +1800 |
| Jared Verse | +2200 |
| Patrick Surtain | +2500 |
Odds as of February 25th, at BetMGM
Denver Broncos corner Patrick Surtain II won the NFL Defensive Player of the year award in 2024, despite sitting at +2500 on the odds board in early November. Interestingly, Surtain is +2500 in the latest odds to win back-to-back DPOY awards.
DPOY Best Bet: Will Anderson Jr. +1200
Garrett is never a bad bet to take home the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award, as he's more than likely to finish with the most sacks or near the top of the list once again in 2025. However, the current Browns' pass-rusher has recently requested a trade, and without knowing his ultimate destination, I'm not ready to wager on his 2025 outlook. In that same vein, I was all over Lions' passing-rushing extraordinaire Aidan Hutchinson to win DPOY last season. However, coming off a major leg injury, I'm less excited to back the Michigan product.
Instead, let's roll with the ascending talent of Houston Texans edge Will Anderson Jr. The Alabama product racked up 12 sacks last season, and finished with eight quarterback hits. If he's able to turn a few more of those hits into sacks next season, Anderson will have a runway straight to the NFL Honors stage.
Will Anderson Jr had a 60 pressure & 14.5 sack year 2 for the Texans in just 16 games including the playoffs.
â Jacob (@TexansJacob) February 6, 2025
DPOTY coming soon đ€đ» pic.twitter.com/J8st634Kkw
Moreover, the Texans defense has been built to maximize Anderson Jr's pass-rushing prowess. With bookend rusher Danielle Hunter also an elite player, and Derek Stingley in the back-end to lockdown opposing receivers, the sky is the limit for Houston's stop-unit. When betting NFL award futures, I'm looking for a young talent on the rise. Will Anderson fits the mold.
DPOY Value Bet: Kyle Hamilton +5000
Ravens defensive dynamo Kyle Hamilton also fits the mold as a young, ascending talent. Baltimore moved Hamilton into a traditional safety roll in 2024, and he changed the entire trajectory of their defense. From Week 10 on, Baltimore's defense ranked in the top-five in EPA per play, success rate, and turnovers, with the Notre Dame product playing a key role.
Nick Caserio is still a war criminal for overthinking Kyle Hamilton at 13th overall in 2022 pic.twitter.com/9BOfLeJDj3
â John Crumpler (@JohnCrumplerMD) December 27, 2024
As such, Hamilton finished third in PFF's safety grade's with a 90.1 rating. He was third in run defense, and pass-rush grade, while sitting fifth in coverage among 170 qualified safeties. The Notre Dame product finished with 80 tackles, two sacks, 12 pressures and one interception, but his impact transcends traditional box scores. Hamilton is a certified stud, and has the ability to climb the NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds board quickly. Get your wagers in while you still can.
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Last 10 Defensive Player of the Year Winners
| Year | Player | Team | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Denver Broncos | Pat Surtain II | CB |
| 2023 | Myles Garrett | Cleveland Browns | DE |
| 2022 | Nick Bosa | San Francisco 49ers | DE |
| 2021 | T.J. Watt | Pittsburgh Steelers | LB |
| 2020 | Aaron Donald | Los Angeles Rams | DT |
| 2019 | Stephon Gilmore | New England Patriots | CB |
| 2018 | Aaron Donald | Los Angeles Rams | DT |
| 2017 | Aaron Donald | Los Angeles Rams | DT |
| 2016 | Khalil Mack | Oakland Raiders* | DE |
| 2015 | J.J. Watt | Houston Texans | DT |
*now the Las Vegas Raiders.
Our previous 10 DPOY winners have a few familiar faces⊠Donald and the J.J. Watt make up 50% of this list! With the older Watt and Donald's retirements in recent years, maybe T.J. can take up the mantle.
Who Has Won the Most NFL DPOY Awards?
| Player | Awards Won | Position | Team | Winning Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence Taylor | 3 | Linebacker | New York Giants | 1981 - 1982, 1986 |
| J.J. Watt | 3 | Defensive End | Houston Texans | 2012, 2014 - 2015 |
| Aaron Donald | 3 | Defensive Tackle | Los Angeles Rams | 2017 - 2018, 2020 |
| Joe Greene | 2 | Defensive Tackle | Pittsburgh Steelers | 1972, 1974 |
| Mike Singletary | 2 | Linebacker | Chicago Bears | 1985, 1988 |
| Bruce Smith | 2 | Defensive End | Buffalo Bills | 1990, 1996 |
| Reggie Smith | 2 | Defensive End | Philadelphia Eagles / Green Bay Packers | 1987, 1998 |
| Ray Lewis | 2 | Linebacker | Baltimore Ravens | 2000, 2003 |
Where only two running backs have won three awards for Offensive Player of the Year, the DPOY award boasts three stalwart defenders in Donald, Watt, and Taylor. All three of these players earned the award in back-to-back seasons.
For all their accolades, none of these players brought their team to a Super Bowl in the same year they won DPOY.
NFL Teams With the Most DPOY Winners
| Team | Awards Won | Most Recent DPOY Winner |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 8 | OLB - T.J. Watt (2021) |
| Baltimore Ravens | 4 | OLB - Terrell Suggs (2011) |
| New York Giants | 4 | DE - Michael Strahan (2001) |
| Houston Texans | 3 | DE - J.J. Watt (2015) |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 3 | LB - Derrick Brooks (2002) |
| Buffalo Bills | 3 | DE - Bruce Smith (1996) |
| Miami Dolphins | 3 | DE - Jason Taylor (2006) |
| San Francisco 49ers | 3 | DE - Nick Bosa (2022) |
| Los Angeles Rams | 3 | DT - Aaron Donald (2020) |
| Chicago Bears | 3 | LB - Brian Urlacher (2005) |
The Steelers donât even make this close â their long-standing reputation as defensive juggernauts is well-earned, doubling the Ravens and Giantsâ collection of DPOY award winners.
Teams That Have Never Had A DPOY
While the Steelers seemingly churn out DPOYs every season, there are several teams that have never had a player win the award:
Defensive Player of the Year Betting Trends and Notes
- Four of the previous ten winners led the league in sacks during their DPOY season - Nick Bosa, Aaron Donald, and J.J. Watt (twice).
- Out of the previous ten winners, Aaron Donald (2020) and J.J. Watt (2015) are the only two players to have favorited odds before the start of the season,
- The five most recent DPOY winners represent the longest span the award has gone to a different player each year since J.J. Watt won his first award in 2012.
- Players can still stand a chance at winning even if their teamâs performance is subpar â four of the last nine winners played on a defense that was ranked lower than the top ten.
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NFL Defensive POY Betting FAQ
Can I bet on the NFL Defensive Player of the Year?
Yes, you can bet on the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, plus a number of other NFL futures like Offensive Rookie of the Year and Defensive Rookie of the Year. But before you wager on these awards, be sure to sign up for a betting account with an online sportsbook.
Who is the favorite to win the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year?
TJ Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers is the current betting favorite at -350 odds to win the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Micah Parsons, Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett are next up on the list in DPOY odds.
Who won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2020?
Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald won the award in 2020. With 13.5 sacks, Donald was a dominant force for the Rams, and won his third Defensive Player of the Year award in four years. This season, Donald will try to become the first player to ever win the award four times.
