NFL Rookie of the Year 2025-26 Odds: Can Hunter Win OROY & DROY?

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Odds

The No. 3 overall and first defensive pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, Abdul Carter (+250), is the clear favorite to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Oddsmakers give him a 28.6% implied chance to capture the award.

Atlanta Falcons’ linebacker Jalen Walker’s (+700) NFL Rookie of the Year odds fall off to a 12.5% implied probability, so Carter is seemingly in the driver’s seat. Interestingly, in an unprecedented move, Hunter (+900) has odds for Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year!

The Jaguars’ athlete has slightly better odds to win on the offensive side of the ball, but there is a chance he wins both. While highly improbable, online bookmakers give him a shot to be the first player in NFL history to win both awards.

Ashton Jeanty (+270)

The Las Vegas Raiders selected Jeanty with the No. 6 overall selection of the 2025 NFL Draft. In a testament to the NFL’s shift back to coveting running backs, Jeanty was high on multiple teams’ draft boards.

Front offices are looking at what a player like Saquon Barkley did for the Philadelphia Eagles and are modeling their offense around running backs again. That’s exactly what the Raiders were thinking when they drafted Jeanty at No. 6. He is a do-it-all running back who the Raiders want to be the focal point of the offense.

Ashton Jeanty was all smiles after he got the call he was headed to Las Vegas 🏄 (via @NFLFilms)#HeyRookie Season Finale airs 9:30 pm ET tonight on ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/kcWjpQF6xP

— NFL (@NFL) April 28, 2025

He will jump in right away and receive the bulk of the offensive workload for the Raiders. The Boise State star proved that he is more than capable of carrying the load of an offense. He is coming off an incredible year in the backfield for the Broncos.

Narrowly breaking Barry Sanders’ single-season rushing title, Jeanty ran for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns on the ground! He averaged a staggering seven yards per carry to put him in Heisman Trophy contention.

Jeanty is a bell cow running back who will be the center of attention out of the gate in Week 1. The Raiders’ offensive line has also shown positive growth over the last year, so he’s one to consider for your NFL Offensive Player of the Year picks!

Cam Ward (+400)

With the first pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Tennessee Titans selected who they are banking on being their franchise quarterback. The Titans haven’t had a franchise signal caller since Steve McNair in the early 2000s.

Vince Young had a couple of good years, and it looked like he was going to be a long-time Titan, but he flamed out quickly and never reached his full potential. The Titans are looking at Ward, who shares some characteristics with McNair, as their savior in Nashville.

Cam Ward Mentality >> pic.twitter.com/uhaqjfrDjS

— SleeperTitans (@SleeperTitanUp) April 30, 2025

The 22-year-old out of the University of Miami skyrocketed to the top of draft boards after a standout collegiate campaign in 2024. Ward passed for 4,313 yards, 39 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions on 67.2% completions. Additionally, Ward showed off his mobility, with 204 yards rushing and 4 touchdowns on the ground.

Ward’s maturity levels are also ahead of some other players at 22 years old. He should develop into a locker room leader on and off the field before long. Will Levis is still in Tennessee, but the Titans didn’t select Ward to sit on the bench.

I don’t anticipate the QB blowing the doors off the league immediately. Nevertheless, expect Ward to progress week-to-week and play like a franchise quarterback by midseason. Voters tend to skew towards quarterbacks for this award, so Ward makes sense here!

Travis Hunter (+750)

Hunter wants to play both sides of the ball in the NFL, and the Jaguars intend to allow him to test the waters! Whether the experiment will continue remains to be seen, but Hunter is too good for an athlete not to see how things play out.

He likely has a flashier impact in his rookie season as a wide receiver. At Colorado, Hunter excelled with 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns on 96 receptions! Part of the reason for Sanders sliding in the draft is that front offices are aware Hunter played a huge role in Colorado’s offensive success.

There are other reasons that prevented Sanders from going higher, but Hunter’s game-changing ability as a receiver made his quarterback look spectacular. He will be able to line up anywhere on the field and give the Jaguars options. Hunter is a tremendous route runner with exceptional hands and speed.

RIDICULOUS TD CATCH 😱

Make that three touchdowns for Travis Hunter tonight 🔥 pic.twitter.com/zzohGx3ybZ

— ESPN (@espn) August 30, 2024

The concern with picking Hunter to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year is that his quarterback is Trevor Lawrence. The QB needs to rediscover his confidence, which I could see happening with a dynamic weapon like Hunter on the field.

In any event, Hunter is the most exciting rookie this season and I can’t wait to watch him!

Abdul Carter (+250)

The first defensive player of the board is favored to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Carter went No. 3 to the New York Giants as that franchise looks to bolster its defense. The pure edge rusher, who has the athleticism to drop back in coverage, was a force at Penn State.

ABDUL CARTER IS A NEW YORK GIANT 🔥 pic.twitter.com/sOkmcJOC9x

— New York Giants (@Giants) April 25, 2025

The Giants were tied for ninth in the NFL, with an average of 2.6 sacks per game. Adding Carter to a defense that already has a solid foundation is a huge boost to this team. The front office couldn’t pass on the opportunity to add a pass rusher that can elevate the Giants’ defense to new levels!

Carter recorded an incredible 12 sacks and 24 tackles for a loss in his final year at Penn State. He racked up 43 solo tackles and chipped in with 25 assists. Look for Carter to make an instant impact and have his name called early and often in the backfield.

The odds for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year give Carter a significant advantage, and I can’t disagree — he’s the obvious frontrunner!

Jalon Walker (+700)

Walker dropped to the Atlanta Falcons with the No. 15 overall pick in April. The Georgia linebacker was mocked as high as seven or eight earlier in the year, so the Falcons are hoping they got a steal.

He is a versatile, well-rounded linebacker who can be described as a jack of all trades. Walker takes his angles well as a tackler and doesn’t miss many opportunities in the open field. Additionally, he can be put on tight ends or pick up running backs out of the backfield with relative ease.

The Definition Of Someone Who Can Do It All, Jalon Walker. #GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/A2WewSR32C

— Dawg Muse 🏆 (@UGAFanatic0) April 28, 2025

Walker’s ceiling is sky high, and if everything goes perfectly, he could develop into the next Micah Parsons. That being said, Walker needs time to gain experience before reaching his full potential. Also, Walker’s numbers are unlikely to jump off the page compared to Carter’s stats.

While Walker can rush the quarterback, he isn’t an elite edge rusher like Carter. Last year at Georgia, Walker tallied 6.5 sacks and 11 tackles for a loss. He also notched 37 solo tackles. A lot of what Walker does won’t show up on the stat sheet, so I expect Carter to be more attractive to voters!

Travis Hunter (+900)

In an NFL first, one player is among the favorites to win both DROY and OROY! Hunter’s current 2025-26 NFL Defensive Player of the Year betting odds suggest that there is a decent chance of him winning both.

Hunter made plays on both sides of the ball in college. It was impossible to keep him off the field on either side. In 2024, Hunter compiled 4 interceptions, 11 passes defended, and 25 solo tackles. He is a ball hawk with a knack for coming up with big plays.

WHAT AN INTERCEPTION BY TRAVIS HUNTER

He makes the play and hits the Heisman pose 🔥@CUBuffsFootball pic.twitter.com/cF3MLeOpuM

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 28, 2024

However, I believe the Jaguars are ultimately going to settle on giving him more work on offense. Lawrence needs help, so I don’t see how the Jaguars can take him off the field. When it comes to defense, expect Hunter to be on the field for certain formations or as a second-team cornerback.

Even if Hunter is an every-down cornerback, he faces an uphill battle to overtake Carter as the top choice!