Packers Among Favorites for NFL Rookie of Year Honors

Here are the early NFL Rookie of the Year odds, plus some real long-shot bets involving Christian Watson and an undrafted free agent.

Author:
Bill Huber
Updated:
May 3, 2022 7:12 AM EDT
Original:
May 2, 2022

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Two Green Bay Packers draft picks are on the short list for NFL Rookie of the Year honors.

For Offensive Rookie of the Year at FanDuel, second-round receiver Christian Watson is +950. That’s tied for the fifth-shortest odds. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett, the first signal-caller off the board, and Atlanta Falcons receiver Drake London, the first pass-catcher to be selected, are the top choices at +600. Receiver Treylon Burks, who will be tasked with replacing A.J. Brown with the Tennessee Titans, is next at +750. New York Jets receiver Garrett Wilson is +850.

Another member of the Jets, running back Breece Hall, joins Watson at +950. Two first-round receivers, Chris Olave of the New Orleans Saints and Jameson Williams of the Detroit Lions, are +1000.

If you really want to take a flier, Packers fourth-round receiver Romeo Doubs and undrafted running back Tyler Goodson are +12000.

At FanDuel, Watson is +7500 to lead the NFL in receiving yards. At PointsBet, Watson is +50000 to win NFL Offensive Player of the Year.

Green Bay used both of its first-round picks on defensive players. Of the two, linebacker Quay Walker, the 22nd pick, has the shorter odds for Defensive Rookie of the Year at FanDuel. In fact, his +850 is tied for fourth on the board. Aidan Hutchinson of the Detroit Lions is +500, Kayvon Thibodeaux of the New York Giants is +550 and Travon Walker of the Jacksonville Jaguars is +600.

New York Jets edge rusher Jermaine Johnson, who went 26th, and Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd, who went 27th, are tied with Quay Walker at +850.

Devonte Wyatt, the other first-round choice at No. 28, is +2300. Outside linebacker Kingsley Enagbare, a fifth-round pick, is +7500.

At DraftKings, Walker is +800, Wyatt is +2200 and Enagbare is +8000.

Introducing the Packers' Undrafted Free Agents

RB B.J. Baylor, Oregon State

Measurables: 5-10, 202. 4.52 40.

Collegiate resume: Baylor redshirted in 2017 and was used sparingly the next three seasons before leading the Pac-12 with 1,337 rushing yards (5.9 average) in 2021. He scored 13 times in 2021 but had only 16 career receptions. Click here for more on Baylor.

RB Tyler Goodson, Iowa

Measurables: 5-9, 197. 4.42 40.

Collegiate resume: Goodson rushed for 2,551 yards and added 70 receptions in three seasons. He was first-team all-Big Ten in 2020, with 762 rushing yards in eight games, and added career highs of 1,151 rushing yards (4.5 average) and 31 receptions in 2021. Click here for more on Goodson.

C Cole Schneider, Central Florida

Measurables: 6-3 1/8, 309. 31 5/8 arms. 5.22 40.

Collegiate resume: Schneider was a four-year starter, with 46 starts at guard and one as a senior. According to Pro Football Focus, he did not allow a sack and was penalized three times as a senior. Among guards with 250 pass-protecting snaps, Schneider ranked No. 1 in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-protecting snap.

G George Moore, Oregon

Measurables: 6-5 3/4, 312. 33 7/8 arms. 5.25 40.

Collegiate resume: Moore spent two years in junior college before redshirting with the Ducks in 2017. After playing off the bench for two seasons, he started seven games at left tackle in 2020. As a sixth-year senior in 2021, he started six games at left tackle and seven at left guard. According to PFF, he allowed zero sacks in 2020 but six in 2021.

OT Jahmir Johnson, Texas A&M

Measurables: 6-4 3/8, 290. 33 7/8 arms. DNP testing.

Collegiate resume: A graduate transfer, Johnson started 11 games at left tackle for the Aggies in 2021. He started his career at Rhode Island in 2016 and Arizona Western in 2017 before spending three years at Tennessee. With the Vols, he started 11 games at left guard in 2018 and five games at left tackle in 2020. According to PFF, he allowed one sack but was penalized 10 times in 2021.

OT Caleb Jones, Indiana

Measurables: 6-8 7/8, 370. 36 arms. 5.59 40.

Collegiate resume: The enormous Jones was a three-year starter at the offensive tackle slots, including 12 games at right tackle as a senior. He allowed seven sacks, according to PFF.

WR Danny Davis, Wisconsin

Measurables: 6-0 3/8, 188. 4.59 40.

Collegiate resume: Davis caught 131 passes for 1,642 yards and 14 touchdowns during his Badgers career. As a senior, he caught 32 balls for 478 yards (14.9 average) and a pair of scores with just one drop, according to PFF.

DL Akial Byers, Missouri

Measurables: 6-2 3/4, 308. 34 arms. 5.66 40.

Collegiate resume: A full-time starter for the first time in 2021, Byers had 1.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for losses among his 23 total tackles during his super-senior season. He had nine tackles for losses in 52 career appearances. PFF credited him with 17 pressures but eight missed tackles.

DL Hauati Pututau, Utah

Measurables: 6-3 1/8, 306. 32 1/4 arms. 5.21 40.

Collegiate resume: Pututau started 12 times in 57 career games. During his super-senior season, he had three sacks and 4.5 TFLs among 18 stops in 14 games (eight starts). Two of his brothers play on the team. PFF credited him with 20 pressures but 10 missed tackles.

LB Caliph Brice, Florida Atlantic

Measurables: 6-1 1/2, 233. 4.50 40.

Collegiate resume: In nine games, Brice had 58 tackles, including 3.5 for losses. He broke up one pass and forced one fumble. A junior-college transfer, his only interception with FAU came in 2019. He missed nine tackles (14.8 percent), according to PFF.

LB Ellis Brooks, Penn State

Measurables: 6-1 3/8, 226. 4.77 40.

Collegiate resume: Brooks broke 100 tackles for the 2021 season (the 23rd player in school history) en route to second-team all-Big Ten and 200 for his career. During his final season, he missed 14 tackles (11.7 percent), according to PFF.

OLB Chauncey Manac, Louisiana

Measurables: 6-2 7/8, 246. 34 1/8 arms. 4.77 40.

Collegiate resume: Manac had a big-time super-senior season with 10.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for losses in 2021. Among edge rushers in this draft class, he ranked 41st with 40 pressures (only two fewer than Boye Mafe and David Ojabo).

CB Raleigh Texada, Baylor

Measurables: 5-10 1/4, 191. 4.40 40.

Collegiate resume: Texada started 37 games during his four seasons. He had one interception and three passes defensed in 2021. According to PFF, he gave up a 63.4 percent completion rate and three touchdowns and was guilty of five penalties. He missed a total of seven tackles the last three seasons.

S Tre Sterling, Oklahoma State

Measurables: 5-11 5/8, 205. 4.70 40

Collegiate resume: Sterling was an honorable mention on the all-Big 12 team as a sophomore and junior. He missed most of his senior season due to injury. In 40 games (22 starts), he finished with 161 tackles, including 22.5 for losses, three sacks and three interceptions. His career missed-tackle rate was 14.3 percent, according to PFF.