Now that the 2020 NFL Draft is over, DraftKings has released their odds for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Javon Kinlaw, who the 49ers selected in the first round with the No. 14 pick, is tied for the eighth-best odds at +2500.
Washington’s Chase Young is the favorite at +200 ($100 bet wins $200), followed by Arizona Cardinals linebacker Isaiah Simmons (+500) and Baltimore Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen (+900).
Despite the books considering Kinlaw a long shot, he is worth taking a flier on.
Five of the last 10 winners of the Defensive Rookie of the Year award have been defensive lineman, including last year’s winner, 49ers star Nick Bosa.
Three of those have been interior defensive lineman. Ndamukong Suh won with the Detroit Lions 2010, Sheldon Richardson won with the New York Jets in 2013, and Aaron Donald won with the St. Louis Rams in 2014.
San Francisco 49ers
What makes betting on Kinlaw so intriguing is the value combined with the situation. He has elite talent surrounding him.
Bosa is the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year and was a Pro Bowler. By the end of the season, he was facing double teams.
Injuries marred Dee Ford’s 2019 season, but in 2018 he was a Pro Bowler as well. And he still managed to rack up 6.5 sacks last season in just 11 games.
Arik Armstead was an alternate for the Pro Bowl and registered 10 sacks himself.
[49ERS INSIDER PODCAST: Listen to the latest episode]
If Bosa, Ford and Armstead are all healthy, all of the focus will be on them. The trio combined for 25.5 sacks last season.
It should open up plenty of opportunities for Kinlaw to capitalize in 1-on-1 situations. And it's hard to envision offensive lineman easily stopping the 6-foot-5, 324-pound product from South Carolina.
In Washington, Chase Young will be surrounded by three other first-round picks on the line, but as an entire unit, Washington’s defense is not in the same class as San Francisco.
Simmons should rack up plenty of stats, but four of the last five winners have been on a playoff team, and the Cardinals are not expected to make the postseason in 2020.
[RELATED: Drafting Kinlaw was 49ers D-Line coach's obsession]
The 49ers will return all but one starter to a defense that ranked second overall in yards allowed and first in pass defense in 2019. And Kinlaw will be replacing that one spot.
A $100 bet netting you $2500 is too hard to pass up.