All of the hype around the 2023 National Football League Draft was about the offensive players selected early.
Of course, in a quarterback-driven league, they are going to get the press, along with the wide receivers that have been putting up gaudy numbers in the new NFL.
But guess what?
The players on the other side of the ball are getting paid, too, and are taken with stopping these elite offenses. So which of the players that were just drafted have the best chance to make a huge splash and win the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2023?
Here is a press release from Action Network that talks about the best plays for the award.
Linebacker Will Anderson cost the Houston Texans two first-rounds picks, a second-round pick, and a third-round pick to move up and select him with the third overall pick of the 2023 NFL draft.
Las Vegas oddsmakers think it was worth it. Anderson, the former Alabama pass rusher, is the favorite to become the 2023 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year according to Action Network.
Anderson’s odds to win the award are listed at 3-1, slightly better than former Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter, who is listed at 4-1. Carter, who comes into the league with off-the-field issues, was selected ninth overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in the draft.
Texas Tech defensive lineman Tyree Wilson, selected seventh overall by the Las Vegas Raiders, is the third choice among the oddsmakers at 7-1, while former Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon, selected fifth overall by the Seattle Seahawks, is the fourth choice at 8-1.
Cornerback Christian Gonzalez, of Oregon, who went to New England with the 17th overall pick, rounds out the top five on the odds board at an appealing 12-1.
Here’s the list of the odds for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
| Defensive Rookie of the Year 2023 | |
| Will Anderson | 3/1 |
| Jalen Carter | 4/1 |
| Tyree Wilson | 7/1 |
| Devon Witherspoon | 8/1 |
| Christian Gonzalez | 12/1 |
| Lukas Van Ness | 14/1 |
| Emmanuel Forbes | 16/1 |
| Nolan Smith | 16/1 |
| Brian Branch | 20/1 |
| Deonte Banks | 20/1 |
| Joey Porter Jr. | 20/1 |
| Felix Anudike-Uzomah | 22/1 |
| Myles Murphy | 22/1 |
| Bryan Bresee | 25/1 |
| Drew Sanders | 25/1 |
| Jack Campbell | 25/1 |
| Keion White | 25/1 |
| Mazi Smith | 25/1 |
| Will McDonald IV | 25/1 |
Anderson, the consensus best player in the draft, is a safe bet, but the odds may be too short. Anderson is going to be counted on the revive a dormant Texans pass rush and it may be asking too much of a rookie.
In 2022 a cornerback–Sauce Gardner of the New York Jets–was the easy winner of the Defensive Rookie of the Year award and the same position could walk away with the award again in 2023.
Gonzalez, who could flourish in New England under head coach Bill Belichick, should be an immediate starter for the Patriots and playing in an AFC East where the other three teams — Buffalo, New York and Miami — like to throw the ball he will get his opportunity to make plays. At 12-1, Gonzalez is a good play.
Looking further down the list, another cornerback stands out and that’s former Maryland and current New York Giants CB Deonte Banks. Banks is another rookie who should see a lot of playing time and at 20-1 is a nice value play.
