NFL Odds: Looking At The Top Defensive Rookies

As an NFL betting player, I tend to think that it’s tougher to come into the league as a defensive rookie than an offensive rookie, especially with rules that favor offensive players (quarterback hits-to the-head, and the five-yard rule against cornerbacks, to name a couple).  Here’s a look at the top five rookies to get picked within the first two rounds, and it’s no surprise that most of the list went early.

Ndamukong Suh, Detroit (2^nd pick)

NCAA football betting players will tell you, there wasn’t a better single-game performance in college football last year than Suh in the Big 12 title game against Texas, a game that Nebraska had no business even getting to.  The defensive tackle is as good against the run as he is against the pass, and he never stops moving.  He’s going to be a handful for a long, long time.

Gerald McCoy, Tampa Bay (3^rd pick)

Strangely, in the long run, I think McCoy will be the better player than Suh, although both will pan out.  McCoy, like Suh, is a very balanced defensive tackle and he reminds us a lot of Warren Sapp, who is McCoy’s idol and a Tampa Bay legend. Coach Raheem Morris was in the organization when Sapp was coming along, and he surely has some ways to get the most out of McCoy.

Eric Berry, Kansas City (5^th pick)

When NFL preseason">betting on NFL preseason , one player that you have to keep an eye on is Berry, the safety who is the perfect hybrid of a strong and free safety.  He can play center field or get up close to the line to help stop runs, and unlike a lot of safeties that are already playing in the pros—ahem, LaRon Landry, ahem—he knows when to do both.  Kansas City is on the ascent, and Berry will be a major part of that.

Rolando McClain, Oakland (8^th pick)

McClain’s mix of intelligence and power automatically make him the best linebacker the Raiders have had in ages, it’s just a matter of surrounding him with talent.  He’s not afraid of complex schemes either, as Alabama coach Nick Saban is known as one of the premier defensive minds in college football. And encouragingly, McClain picked up everything Saban threw at him.

Brandon Spikes, New England (62^nd pick)

Spikes fell in the draft due to character issues, but the former Florida linebacker just has a nose for the ball and was the leader of one of the best defenses in the nation for three years. He’s also adept at recovering fumbles and returning them for touchdowns.  He’s in the perfect place for him in New England, and there will be no pressure on him, but online betting players will see Spikes starting for the Patriots at some point this year.