DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR PICKSDEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR PICKS
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MYLES GARRETT
You cannot leave Garrett off this list. He has the strongest DPOTY case in football after setting the NFL's single-season sack record with 23.0 in 2025, adding 33 tackles for loss — the second-highest total in modern history — and winning his second career DPOY while playing for the 5-12 Browns. He now joins a Rams roster that traded significant draft capital to acquire him. At 30 Garrett is showing no signs of decline and another dominant, double-digit-sack campaign feels close to a certainty.
+400
2
NIK BONITTO
Bonitto has quietly become one of the NFL's most dominant pass rushers, posting a career-high 14 sacks last season and finishing fourth in DPOTY voting. He's now recorded 20.5 sacks since the start of 2024 while playing fewer pass-rush snaps than most premier edge rushers, showcasing elite efficiency alongside league-leading pressure totals. I think Denver will have a top-5 defense in the NFL and I have them winning the AFC West, so I need some exposure to them here.
+1400
3
TREY HENDRICKSON
Trey Hendrickson has one of the most dominant recent track records at his position, leading the NFL with 17.5 sacks in 2023 and 2024, finishing runner-up for DPOTY. Injury has limited him to just four sacks in seven games in 2025. Now signed with Baltimore on a four-year, a healthy Hendrickson slots into a talented defense with fresh motivation. His proven ability to consistently pressure quarterbacks at an elite rate makes him a legitimate bounce-back candidate for this award.
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