The rosters are set as we head into rookie training camps, and we’re getting an idea of how teams will look, on paper. There are plenty of new defensive players on teams. Let’s dive into our NFL Futures and add some Defensive Rookie of the Year picks to our portfolio. Here are my top four choices that I’m placing money on. By selecting four, if one hits, you still win a profit.
Top 2026 NFL Defensive Rookie Of The Year Picks
David Bailey, Edge, New York Jets (+500)
The first pick of the draft was always going to be Fernando Mendoza. We all knew that. Is it too chalky to take the second pick in the draft as our first candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year?
He’s not just another high-pick pass rusher. Bailey is a wrecking ball of a player. He brings a first-step quickness that collapses pockets before quarterbacks can even hitch their feet. The Jets are coached by defensive-minded Aaron Glenn. He builds defenses based on calculated aggression, which Bailey should thrive under.
Bailey isn’t going to hop in and immediately make this team a winning football team. However, he will improve their defense and put up a lot of stats. Especially because I feel like the offense may continue to struggle for a bit. At +500, he’s an excellent pick for this award.
Rueben Bain Jr, Edge/OLB, Tampa Bay Bucs +500
The next candidate to win Defensive Rookie of the Year is Rueben Bain Jr. Bain slipped in the draft but landed in a great defensive spot. He’s not the biggest or longest, but he plays with a nonstop motor that wears blockers down.
Todd Bowles’ scheme in Tampa uses a lot of disguised pressures. This lets edge rushers feast on the chaos created. Bain’s college production came against really good competition.
Not to mention, he’s going to be playing with a chip on his shoulder. This was a Top-10 pick that slid. Whether it was due to the story about a mishap he had a couple of years ago or not, Bain isn’t likely to forget the teams that passed on him. With forced fumbles, strip-sacks, and constant pressure on the quarterback, he could find himself in prime position to win Defensive Rookie of the Year at +500.
Arvell Reese, LB/Edge, New York Giants (+650)
Another player who lands in a great spot is the fifth-overall pick in this year’s draft, Arvell Reese. Reese is 6-4 and explosive. He can drop into coverage, blitz, or set the edge. He’s a Micah Parsons-type player who can freelance across the front seven.
John Harbaugh has a proven track record of turning athletic freaks into immediate difference makers. Reese will line up with Brian Burns and Abdul Carter, who already create mismatches up front on their own. Now add in Reese’s flexibility, and this defense could be scary.
Reese has great sideline-to-sideline range. If the defense gels early, Reese could lead the league in tackles for loss among rookies and belongs right in the Defensive Rookie of the Year conversation at +650.
Dillon Thieneman, Safety, Chicago Bears (+2000)
I hear you yelling “homer pick” at me. Yes, I’m a Bears fan. However, when I was looking for a longer shot to add to my Defensive Rookie of the Year portfolio, Dillon Thieneman just stood out.
You may not hear about him a ton at the start of the season, but he’s a sneaky pick who you’ll hear a lot about around midseason. The Bears needed secondary help after losing quite a few players, including Jaquon Brisker, Nashon Wright, CJ Gardner-Johnson, and a few others. Thieneman will come in and be an immediate starter opposite Coby Bryant.
He’s a Swiss Army Knife on defense with 4.35 speed. He never stops pursuing, turning routine runs into negative yards. Keep in mind, this defense led the league in takeaways last year. The player who had the most takeaways in the league, Nashon Wright, is no longer on the team. Thieneman could step in and become a takeaway machine, immediately. At +2000, it was too juicy for me to pass up.
