Aidan Hutchinson, Micah Parsons, and Myles Garrett open as early favorites for 2025 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Here’s how the odds shape up.
The 2025 NFL season is still months away, but futures bettors are already circling a few familiar names in the Defensive Player of the Year market. The list of early favorites features dominant edge rushers with elite resumes and compelling narratives, starting with Aidan Hutchinson, whose 2024 season ended abruptly due to injury, and Micah Parsons, who returns to full health after an ankle issue of his own.
Historically, pass rushers dominate this award, and early odds reflect that trend once again. Let’s break down the top candidates, what makes each one a strong bet—or a potential liability—and where bettors are placing their money heading into training camp.
Aidan Hutchinson (+650): A Comeback Season in the Making
Aidan Hutchinson was well on his way to DPOY honors last year before a fractured tibia ended his season in Week 6. At the time of his injury, he led the league in sacks and was anchoring a Detroit Lions defense that had playoff aspirations. Without him, the Lions sputtered defensively down the stretch.
Entering 2025 fully healthy, Hutchinson is already generating significant betting interest, leading all DPOY candidates in both ticket percentage (24.3%) and handle (28.4%). He’s also the book’s biggest liability. The logic is clear: if Hutchinson picks up where he left off, he won’t just flirt with double-digit sacks—he could dominate the league in that category.
The Lions remain one of the NFC’s rising contenders, and a high-visibility role on a contending team only helps Hutchinson’s case. If he clears 15 sacks and improves his forced fumble totals, voters could see him as a redemption story—and a DPOY frontrunner from the jump.
Just a reminder Aidan Hutchinson had 4.5 sacks in a game last season 😤
Who is excited to see him back on the field? ✋@aidanhutch97 | @lions pic.twitter.com/RwjhhGG6F2
— NFL (@NFL) May 22, 2025
Micah Parsons (+750): The Most Complete Defender in Football
If versatility were the sole criterion for Defensive Player of the Year, Micah Parsons would already have one—or maybe two—trophies on his shelf. Despite missing four games in 2024, the Cowboys star racked up 12 sacks in 13 games and remains arguably the most dynamic defender in football.
Parsons is a unique case: he doesn’t just rush the passer. He drops into coverage. He forces fumbles. He plays every snap with a ferocity that defies traditional positional roles. That all-encompassing impact makes him a favorite among both analysts and voters. But there’s also the question of voter fatigue. After finishing in the Top 3 for DPOY in each of his first three seasons, there’s a growing sense that Parsons needs a monster year—something in the realm of 16+ sacks and a few turnovers, to secure the win finally.
If Dallas stays in the playoff hunt and Parsons avoids injury, the narrative is already written. This could be the year he breaks through.
Micah Parsons: Beast, insane athlete, just goes zoom at a elite level. Also much better run defender then given credit for. So fast and fluid and explosive. Probably the best slanter in the league 🧐. Insanely agile and crazy lateral movement. Can run around OL punches. pic.twitter.com/x2qaI6DbZc
— JJ Pegues Cross Chop💅🏽💪🏾💯👀 (@TheCasualNFLFan) June 28, 2025
Myles Garrett (+850): A Contract, A Statement, A Shot at History
When Myles Garrett signed a record-setting extension to stay in Cleveland—$40 million annually, $123 million guaranteed—it sent a message: the Browns believe he’s still in his prime. And so does the betting market.
Garrett opened slightly behind Hutchinson and Parsons, but his odds quickly shortened following the extension. After back-to-back years with 14+ sacks, Garrett remains one of the most consistent edge disruptors in the league. Cleveland’s defense has leaned on him heavily, and with more talent around him in 2025, Garrett may finally be freed up for even more one-on-one situations.
If he posts another double-digit sack season and the Browns hover around .500 or better, voters will have to consider Garrett’s impact. There’s no off-switch with him, and that relentless motor, paired with newfound contract security, makes him a serious threat in this race.
In the history of the NFL, there is just ONE player who put up 14+ sacks in 4 consecutive seasons.
MYLES. GARRETT. 🐐 pic.twitter.com/ZAvjKTUiay
— Nick Karns (@karnsies817) June 27, 2025
What the Odds and History Tell Us About 2025
As usual, this year’s Defensive Player of the Year race is driven largely by sack totals, and the opening odds reflect that. Eight of the last ten winners have posted 11 or more sacks in their winning campaigns, and pass rushers dominate the board once again.
Historical trends to note:
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Defensive backs rarely win (none have won twice).
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Voter sentiment doesn’t always tie success to team defense: 4 of the last 10 winners played on defenses outside the Top 10.
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Star power and narrative often matter more than raw metrics, especially for a player like Parsons.
Expect this race to shift throughout the season, but for now, the edge rushers are, once again, the safest bets.
