NFL Rookie of the Year Award 2014-15: Picks, Projected Odds for Top Candidates

The NFL Rookie of the Year Award seems about as obvious as Marcus Mariota's Heisman Trophy. 

That is a bit of an overstatement with so many first-year players taking the league by storm right now, but the leaders seem cut-and-dry at this point.

Perhaps the best crop of rookie wideouts in league history headlines this particular class. On the defensive side of things, bone-crushing forces already keep seasoned quarterbacks up at night in the weeks leading up to encounters with the new faces.

Below, let's project the top three finishers for both pieces of hardware and assign projected odds as to how Las Vegas will feel about both races.

Offensive Rookie of the Year Predictions

1. Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1 odds)

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The gap between Mike Evans and Odell Beckham Jr. is minuscule, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers star is a touchdown machine who (for now) touts an obvious lead.

Few players in the league at this point in time are so productive when it matters most. Out of 111 targets on the season, the Texas A&M product has brought in 59 for 948 yards and 11 touchdowns.

High character rounds out what Evans brings to the table, as Greg Auman of The Tampa Bay Times illustrates:

Keep in mind that Evans does his damage as a member of the two-win Buccaneers, a team with a carousel at quarterback. His ability to transcend the environment around him will have him in further hardware discussions in the coming years.

For now, he will settle with this award.

2. Odell Beckham Jr., WR, New York Giants (4-1 odds)

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The discussion around this award would be different if Beckham had appeared in more than 10 games to this point. 

In those games, Beckham has made his mark with 71 grabs for 972 yards and nine touchdowns. Granted, he has a better quarterback (Eli Manning) than Evans, but three games with a minimum of two scores speak volumes to his talent level.

Beckham is a critical piece of the New York Giants offense with Victor Cruz out of the picture. For the former LSU standout, only health can stop him from being one of the best in the league.

3. Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Carolina Panthers (8-1 odds)

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Believe it or not, Kelvin Benjamin is not far behind the top two, either. 

The Carolina Panthers star has 67 receptions for 952 yards and nine scores on the year despite acting as the No. 1 wideout and getting the opposing team's best each time out.

The only knock on Benjamin at this point is that a notable portion of his gaudy stats comes in garbage time. Take a Week 10, 45-21 loss to Philadelphia for example. It stands as Benjamin's only multi-touchdown performance of the season, but both came in the final quarter with the game already decided.

In time, Benjamin will be able to play consistent football over the course of four frames.

Honorable Mentions: Joel Bitonio, LG, Cleveland Browns; Zack Martin, RG, Dallas Cowboys; Sammy Watkins, WR, Buffalo Bills; Jordan Matthews, WR, Philadelphia Eagles.

Defensive Rookie of the Year Predictions

1. Khalil Mack, OLB, Oakland Raiders (2-1 odds)

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While not yet a household name, Oakland Raiders linebacker Khalil Mack certainly deserves to be. 

Mack is downright one of the best linebackers in the NFL, period. The former Buffalo star has 68 total tackles, three sacks and one forced fumble on the year. Over at Pro Football Focus (subscription required), he ranks as the No. 2 overall 3-4 outside linebacker in the NFL.

Experts such as Bleacher Report's Matt Miller seem to hesitate little when asked who gets the hardware:

Mack does it all. He stuffs the run. Rushing the passer is a strength, as is dropping into coverage. Few complete linebackers hit the NFL and play as such right away.

Mack has done just that and will be honored for it.

2. Aaron Donald, DT, St. Louis Rams (4-1 odds)

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Aaron Donald is exactly as advertised—a Geno Atkins clone who excels at rushing the passer.

Inordinate pressure up the middle is one of the rarest forms of heat defenses can put on quarterbacks, so St. Louis got a good one with Donald. He has 39 tackles, one forced fumble and eight sacks on the year to date.

Over at PFF, Donald ranks as the best defensive tackle in the league. The only thing that prevents him from getting the nod over Mack is the fact he specializes in one area, as opposed to Mack's multi-faceted approach.

3. C.J. Mosley, ILB, Baltimore Ravens (6-1 odds)

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Baltimore Ravens linebacker C.J. Mosley is in the midst of quite a debut, too.

Mosley is an absolute force in the middle of the Baltimore defense, having notched 120 tackles, one forced fumble and two interceptions. He also stands in high regard at PFF as the No. 6 overall linebacker.

Like Donald, though, his role somewhat prohibits him from pulling ahead in this particular race. The Ravens will have no complaint about hitting a home run on the former Alabama star, though.

Honorable Mentions: Kyle Fuller, CB, Chicago Bears; Anthony Barr, OLB, Minnesota Vikings.

Stats courtesy of NFL.com. Advanced metrics via Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Odds are author's projections.