NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Betting: The Case for Devon Witherspoon in 20233

With the fifth overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks picked Devon Witherspoon -- a well-rounded cornerback who can hang with today's NFL receivers.

Witherspoon was a consensus All-American in his final year at Illinois. That season, Witherspoon contributed 41 total tackles, 14 passes defended and 3 interceptions. His efforts were good enough to earn him the Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year award, given annually to the Big Ten's best player in the secondary.

Under the guidance of head coach Pete Carroll, Witherspoon is arriving to a favorable situation for a young cornerback. Of course, the "Legion of Boom" era still resonates in the Pacific Northwest, and Seattle prides itself on having a strong defensive backfield.

Last season's DROY winner -- Sauce Gardner of the New York Jets -- is a similar style of cornerback to Witherspoon. Additionally, corners have won this award in three of the past eight seasons; Marshon Lattimore and Marcus Peters are the other two cornerbacks to bring home the honors over that span.

The NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year odds at FanDuel Sportsbook have Witherspoon listed at +1000 to win the award, giving him the fourth-shortest odds in the market (and the best odds of all eligible defensive backs). Linebacker/defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (+400) of the Houston Texans is the outright favorite to win the award.

Let's break down Witherspoon's chances.

How to Build a DROY Season

As mentioned, we have seen three DROY campaigns from cornerbacks in recent seasons.

Gardner won the award last year while pacing the NFL in passes defended (20). He also added 2 interceptions and 75 total tackles (3 tackles for a loss) to round out his stat sheet. Before the season was over, it was quite obvious that opposing quarterbacks were looking away from Sauce.

In 2017, Lattimore was named DROY after picking off five passes in his debut season with the New Orleans Saints. He also contributed 18 passes defended, 56 total tackles and 1 forced fumble.

Peters' first year with the Kansas City Chiefs was one of the best rookie seasons in history. En route to DROY honors, Peters ended the 2015 campaign pacing the NFL or tied for the lead in the following areas: interceptions (8), passes defended (26) and pick-sixes (2). He also recorded 60 tackles. Peters' 280 interception yards were more than double that of anyone else in 2015 and resulted in the ninth-best mark in league history.

Based on those seasons, Witherspoon will need to be a ballhawk in coverage and make splash plays if he is to win this award. If Witherspoon can defend 15 to 20 passes while logging 3 or more interceptions, his name should stay in consideration.

What Can Witherspoon Offer?

In the modern era of football, we are seeing an influx of taller defensive backs. Fortunately for Witherspoon, one of those tall defenders will be his running mate: Pro-Bowl cornerback Tariq Woolen. A fellow young star, Woolen towers at a height of 6-foot-4 while using his long wingspan to routinely deny receptions.

Witherspoon stands a few inches shorter than Woolen -- at 6-foot. Still, that is good size for an NFL corner. At his height, Witherspoon will still be longer than some opposing receivers. Frankly, Witherspoon's and Woolen's abilities on the outside should complement each other harmoniously. The tandem truly has a chance to be the second coming of Richard Sherman and Byron Maxwell.

Another reason Witherspoon can be a natural fit in the "Emerald City" is his ability to play fluidly in either man or zone coverage. Over his last two seasons at Illinois, Witherspoon was regarded as a top press corner. Additionally, he displays the discipline, instincts and techniques vital for success in Cover 2 and 3.

Devon Witherspoon's 2023 Outlook

Adding Witherspoon to Seattle's roster immediately gives them one of the better secondaries in football -- assuming Witherspoon hits the ground running. With Woolen at right corner, Witherspoon will likely play opposite him on the left side. That leaves quality veterans Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams as the starting safeties. From there, Coby Bryant -- another young, gifted defensive back -- figures to take on the nickelback duties.

Witherspoon rounds out the secondary nicely, but the Seahawks will need more from their front seven if they wish to be measured in the Legion of Boom's image. However, Bobby Wagner has returned after one season with the rival Los Angeles Rams -- perhaps he can reinvigorate a unit in Seattle that allowed the third-most rushing yards last year.

All the pieces seem to be in place for Witherspoon to have a standout rookie campaign. Alongside star players in the secondary, Witherspoon should be able to shine in the unit. Also, there is a reason Seattle's M.O. has been the defensive backfield since last decade -- Pete Carroll is a proven, top-notch coach of defensive backs.

The Seahawks are flush with young talent, and the rest of the conference should be on watch. If they build some momentum as a team, expect Witherspoon to receive plenty of attention in the DROY market as long as he is doing his part.

Reminder: at FanDuel Sportsbook, Witherspoon is +1000 to be named the 2023-24 NFL AP Defensive Rookie of the Year.

In case you were also wondering, FanDuel Sportsbook currently has the Seahawks listed at +1300 (5th-best odds) to win the NFC this season while also showing Seattle at +3500 odds (tied for 14th-best) to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.