The race for Defensive Rookie of the Year is absolutely wild this season, and it’s getting even crazier with Arvell Reese now sitting at +100 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook as of November 11 after Week 9. The Giants rookie, drafted with the fifth pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, isn’t just meeting expectations, he’s blowing them out of the water.
Reese Is Leading the Charge
Through nine weeks, Reese is putting up numbers that make you do a double-take. He’s second in the *entire NFL* in solo tackles with 49, and he’s already leading the Giants’ defense in total tackles as a rookie. Let that sink in. This dude is a cornerstone for the G-Men already. He even joined Nick Bosa from 2019 as the only players in the last 25 seasons with at least four sacks, an interception, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery in their first eight career games. We are talking about building a defense around this guy for the next decade.
Bailey’s Unbelievable Season
Don’t let Reese’s rise overshadow what David Bailey is doing out there, though. His slide down the odds board really just shows how insane Reese has been, because Bailey’s season is unbelievable in its own right. This guy was a unanimous All-American at Texas Tech last year, leading Division I with 14.5 sacks and the Big 12 with 19.5 tackles for loss. And he’s brought that energy to the pros as the No. 2 overall pick. Through nine weeks, his 7.5 sacks lead all NFL rookies and the Jets, and that ties him for fourth league-wide. Plus, he’s got 31 quarterback pressures, which leads all rookies, and his five forced fumbles are tied for the NFL lead. Bailey is the only NFL player this season with at least five sacks and five forced fumbles, and the only rookie since 2000 to hit both marks through his first eight career games. What a battle between these two rookies in the Big Apple, truly a two-man race at the top!
Other Rookies Making Noise
It’s not just a two-horse race, though. You’ve got Rodriguez for Miami, who’s been a tackling machine, racking up 10-plus tackles in four of Miami’s nine games this season. His 79 total tackles rank seventh in the NFL through Week 9, and he had a monster game against the Vikings in Week 4 with 18 total tackles, nine solo and nine assisted. He’s also got a forced fumble and an interception to his name. Then there’s Sonny Styles, one of three Ohio State Buckeyes taken in the first seven picks, going at No. 7 overall. Styles introduced himself to the league by bulldozing Saquon Barkley for his first career sack in his NFL debut against the Eagles, finishing that game with four tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, and a quarterback hit. He’s been consistently productive too, with 13 tackles in back-to-back games in Weeks 5 and 6, and hitting that 13-tackle mark again in the Commanders’ Week 9 loss to the Rams. That’s 13 tackles in three of his last four games.
This DROY race is proving to be one of the most exciting battles of the season. With each passing week, these rookies are making their case stronger and stronger. Who’s gonna keep this insane pace? You gotta tune in next week to see who steps up!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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