It is way too early to be assigning odds for 2024 end-of-season awards, but that isn’t stopping the Vegas oddsmakers from doing it anyway. Following the 2024 NFL Draft, and based on the player’s skill level and landing spot, they have released their Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year odds. Steelers third-round pick Payton Wilson makes the cut for the top-10 on defense, per FanDuel Sportsbook via CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan.
| Dallas Turner (Minnesota Vikings) | +500 |
| Laiatu Latu (Indianapolis Colts) | +650 |
| Jared Verse (Los Angeles Rams) | +1000 |
| Quinyon Mitchell (Philadelphia Eagles) | +1100 |
| Terrion Arnold (Detroit Lions) | +1100 |
| Byron Murphy II (Seattle Seahawks) | +1200 |
| Chop Robinson (Miami Dolphins) | +1600 |
| Payton Wilson (Pittsburgh Steelers) | +2500 |
| Cooper DeJean (Philadelphia Eagles) | +2500 |
| Nate Wiggins (Baltimore Ravens) | +2500 |
Wilson is tied for the eighth-highest odds with Baltimore Ravens CB Nate Wiggins and Philadelphia Eagles CB Cooper DeJean, both of whom were linked to the Steelers throughout the pre-draft process. Leading the list was a trio of edge rushers in Dallas Turner, Laiatu Latu, and Jared Verse. Wilson is the only off-ball linebacker on the list, despite being the sixth ILB off the board.
He was also drafted the latest of anybody on this list by a good margin. The only other player not drafted in the first round on this list is DeJean, and he went at No. 40 overall to the Eagles. That makes a 58-pick gap between Wilson and the next lowest drafted player on the list. Great value for the Steelers. It was a rough year for defense in the draft overall, with the first round featuring 14-straight offensive players before Latu became the first defensive player off the board. Just nine defensive players were drafted in the first round.
The last player to win Defensive Rookie of the Year for the Steelers was Kendrell Bell in 2001, though Joey Porter Jr. received six vote points last year to tie for the fifth-most in the voting.
It is currently unclear how much Wilson will see the field in his rookie season. Elandon Roberts and Patrick Queen are likely to open the season as the starting tandem, and Cole Holcomb could make his way back from injury at some point to further complicate things.
That being said, the ILB group was ravaged by injuries last season, so Wilson could just as easily find himself in a starting role at some point. He has the experience at the college level to make a quick transition and can be an-every down linebacker with his sideline-to-sideline speed and coverage skills.
It wouldn’t be the first time he has won a significant accolade in his football career. He was a consensus first-team All-American last year and took home the Bednarik and Butkus awards given to the best defensive player and linebacker in college football, respectively.
One NFL Network analyst already claimed the Steelers drafted both the offensive and defensive rookies of the year with Payton and Roman Wilson. WR Roman Wilson was not listed in the top 10 on offense, for what it’s worth.
It would appear Vegas isn’t overly concerns with Wilson’s health concerns, at least in the short term.
