Looking at the 2025 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Race

Myles Garrett is the overwhelming favorite to be named the 2025 NFL Defensive Player of the Year per the NFL awards odds. Although Garrett is stuck on a bad Cleveland team that is currently 3-8 and at the bottom of the AFC North, he is putting up incredible numbers.

That has Garrett poised to be named NFL Defensive Player of the Year for the second time in three years, which would put him in illustrious company as only eight other players have earned the honor multiple times. Joe Greene, Ray Lewis, Mike Singletary, Bruce Smith, Lawrence Taylor, and Reggie White have already been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and Aaron Donald and J.J. Watt will both be enshrined in Canton whenever they are eligible.

The -1000 Favorite

T.J. Watt tied Michael Strahan’s sack record en route to being named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2021. Watt ended up with 22.5 sacks that season, yet Myles Garrett is on pace to shatter that number. The Browns’ defensive end has already surpassed the 2024 NFL sack leader (Trey Hendrickson) as Garrett has 18 sacks in just 11 games. 

Garrett doesn’t have much help from his teammates either. Maliek Collins ranks second on the Browns with 6.5 sacks, and no other Cleveland player has more than three sacks on the season. However, rookie Mason Graham has really improved over the last month or so, and that has freed up some more space for Garrett to maneuver.

Currently, Garrett is on pace to beat the record by three whole sacks. If he finishes with 25.5 sacks, there is no way that anyone else is taking this award from him. Garrett has recorded 13 sacks over his last four games and has already set a Browns’ single-season record. Brian Burns has 13 sacks in 12 games to rank second in the league, and only three other players have 10 sacks at this point of the season.

Micah Parsons

After a relatively quiet offseason around the league, Green Bay made a huge splash by trading for Micah Parsons. The star defender and Dallas couldn’t come to terms on a long-term contract, so the Cowboys dealt Parsons to the Packers for two first-round picks and three-time Pro Bowl DT Kenny Clark. Parsons subsequently signed the richest deal for a non-quarterback in NFL history, receiving $136 million in guaranteed money.

The 26-year-old currently ranks in the top five for sacks in the NFL. Parsons is now Green Bay’s first player with 10 or more sacks in a season since Za’Darius Smith finished with 12.5 sacks back in 2020. He has a whopping 60 total pressures through 11 games per Pro Football Focus, and he was instrumental to Green Bay shutting down Minnesota’s offense last week. Parsons had two sacks as the Packers held the Vikings to 145 total yards and forced three turnovers in a 23-6 victory.

Will Anderson Jr.

Houston’s star defensive player is the only other real contender for NFL Defensive Player of the Year, according to the current NFL futures odds. Every other option besides Garrett, Parsons, and Anderson is upwards of 30-1.

General manager Nick Caserio rolled the dice in a big way during the 2023 NFL Draft. Caserio dealt a lot of draft capital to Arizona to acquire the No. 3 overall pick and selected Will Anderson Jr. right after picking C.J. Stroud with the No. 2 overall pick. The Texans hoped that Anderson and Stroud would be the faces of the franchise and Houston’s leaders on either side of the ball, and that has certainly been the case with Anderson.

Anderson has recorded at least one sack in six straight games and has registered a sack in nine of Houston’s 11 games this season. He was phenomenal in the Texans’ upset win over Buffalo on Thursday Night Football last week, recording 2.5 sacks against the notoriously hard-to-tackle Josh Allen. That has ensconced Anderson as one of the contenders for NFL DPOY, and he has a favorable schedule the rest of the way that can work to his advantage. Additionally, he has an excellent pass rusher up front with him in Danielle Hunter.

Nik Bonitto

Denver’s standout linebacker has not been the same since returning from London. Nik Bonitto had eight sacks through his first six games, but he has not recorded a sack in four of his last five games. The Broncos are fantastic on defense though, and they have continued to pick up wins even with Bonitto’s decreased production.

It’s hard to imagine Bonitto winning this award. Denver has won eight straight games, and the Broncos have an even better defender in reigning NFL DPOY Patrick Surtain Jr. 

Aidan Hutchinson

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft was the early favorite to be named the 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Aidan Hutchinson had 7.5 sacks through five games before breaking the tibia and fibula in his left leg. That hurt a Detroit defense that needed his pass-rushing skills, and there was real concern if he had ever been the same.

Hutchinson has shown that he is still an elite pass rusher with 8.5 sacks through 11 games. He is tied for the NFL lead with four forced fumbles, and he has the potential to put on a show with everyone watching when the Green Bay Packers face Detroit on Thanksgiving Day.

Jared Verse

The Los Angeles Rams struck gold when they took two Florida State defenders with their first two picks of the 2024 NFL Draft. Jared Verse was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, and Braden Fiske was selected to the PFWA All-Rookie Team. They helped a defense quickly bounce back after Aaron Donald retired, and that’s why Verse is at least in the conversation for NFL DPOY despite not having great stats. Verse had two sacks in a big win over Tampa Bay last week, which has the Rams in contention for the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC.