Three days, seven rounds, and 259 picks later, the 2021 NFL Draft has officially concluded. The highly anticipated draft brought tons of excitement and uncertainty, as fans would soon find out which players would be representing their favorite teams for the foreseeable future. For this article, I will give my take on which players have the best chance at winning Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Year, respectively. Before I begin, however, I do want to mention how great it was, as a fan, to watch the draft on TV with a live audience in attendance. I’m not going to lie, I missed hearing the boos toward Commissioner Roger Goodell, as well as seeing the fans boo their team’s draft picks seconds after being announced. For once, things felt normal again, and the NFL and their fans made it happen, which was great to see. Okay, now onto the fun stuff!
Offensive Rookie of the Year odds:
- Trevor Lawrence (+300)
- Justin Fields (+600)
- Trey Lance (+600)
- Zach Wilson (+700)
- Najee Harris (+1000)
- Ja’Marr Chase (+1100)
- Kyle Pitts (+1100)
- Mac Jones (+1200)
- DeVonta Smith (+1400)
- Jaylen Waddle (+1600)
- Travis Etienne Jr. (+2500)
- Trey Sermon (+2500)
- Michael Carter (+3300)
- Kadarius Toney (+3300)
- Javonte Williams (+3300)
- Rashod Bateman (+4000)
- Elijah Moore (+4000)
- Terrace Marshall Jr. (+5000)
- Rondale Moore (+6000)
The name that pops out the most is obviously number one overall pick, Trevor Lawrence, at +300. He is the best QB prospect in this year’s class, and will be the opening day starter for a Jaguars team that has been searching for its franchise QB for quite some time. I, like many fans, like to watch and understand the game from an X’s and O’s viewpoint. Betting, however, adds a new way of thinking and encourages you to make bolder, and less safer, choices for a higher pay out. I would not blame you if you took Lawrence (or even Justin Fields, if he starts) as your Offensive Rookie of the Year, especially now that there is a 17 game schedule and the potential to see increased stats. If you look at the past five years, three QBs have taken home the honors, but I think we will see, for the first time since 1961, a Tight End take home Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
My choice this year, for Offensive Rookie of the Year, is TE Kyle Pitts of the Atlanta Falcons at +1100. Pitts comes into an offense that already features Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley, both of whom command plenty of attention from defenses. On top of that, new Head Coach Arthur Smith loves to utilize two Tight End sets, so having potential one-on-one looks against Pitts only increases his value and production. Pitts is so athletic and a solid route runner that I can see him being split out wide to encourage more advantageous matchups. Again, we are looking for good value here, not necessarily the safest choice, which makes Pitts so intriguing.
If I had to give a dark horse candidate for Offensive Rookie of the Year, it would have to be Javonte Williams of the Denver Broncos at +3300. He was drafted 35th overall in this year’s draft out of North Carolina as insurance to RB Melvin Gordon III. Gordon III is in the final year of his contract, but he has dealt with some injury issues. Williams could ultimately take his job and give the rushing attack a boost, which ranked 13th in the NFL in 2020. This would be more of a dart through, but certainly one I would be willing to take due to the opportunity for him to become a featured back in this offense. Stay tuned for my thoughts on odds for Defensive Rookie of the Year!
