Awards aren’t won in the first four weeks of the season, but players can certainly stake their claim early in the year. That’s exactly what Trent McDuffie has done through four games with the Los Angeles Rams, establishing himself as arguably the best cornerback in football.
Despite his stellar start to the year, McDuffie is still getting no love for Defensive Player of the Year based on the latest betting odds. Already a tough award for defensive backs to win, McDuffie remains a long shot after four games.
According to BetMGM, there are 20 players with better odds than McDuffie (+8000) to take home Defensive Player of the Year. He’s tied with Nick Bosa, Myles Garrett and five other players for the 21st-best odds through Week 4.
There are five
defensive backs with equal or better odds than McDuffie at this point, too; Kyle Hamilton, Christian Gonzalez, Quinyon Mitchell and Devon Witherspoon all have better odds at +6600, while Sauce Gardner is tied with McDuffie.
Even Jared Verse (+6600), who has zero sacks and three tackles for a loss, has better odds than McDuffie. It’s historically a pass-rusher’s award, which checks out based on the current odds board. The top six favorites are all edge rushers.
It’s a hard award for cornerbacks to win, with only two taking home the award since 2010: Stephon Gilmore in 2019 and Pat Surtain II in 2024. But if McDuffie keeps playing the way he has, he’ll be tough to ignore when it comes time to vote.
This season, he’s allowed only five catches on 18 targets for a total of 74 yards, no touchdowns, one interception and seven passes defensed. His passer rating allowed in coverage is 21.1, third-best among all cornerbacks. His 27.8% catch rate allowed is the best of any player in the NFL with at least five targets, according to Pro Football Focus.
He leads the NFL in passes defensed and has yet to miss a tackle, too.
Lowest passer rating against among CB this season
— PFF (@PFF) October 7, 2026
James Pierre 2.1
Kristian Fulton 16.7
Trent McDuffie 21.1
Josh Wallace 27.6
Malik Muhammad 41.9 pic.twitter.com/yej7BS838U
When Surtain won the award in 2024, he had four interceptions (one pick-six), one tackle for a loss and 11 passes defensed. But he allowed a catch rate of 72.7% and gave up 396 yards in coverage. McDuffie is well on pace to match or beat all of those numbers.
McDuffie’s competition will get tougher as the season goes on. He still has to face Jaxon Smith-Njigba twice, as well as players such as Ladd McConkey, Terry McLaurin, Rashee Rice, Mike Evans (again), CeeDee Lamb. But there’s no reason to believe he won’t shut down every receiver that lines up across from him.
He’s been the best player on the NFL’s second-ranked defense in terms of total yards allowed. During Surtain’s award-winning season, the Broncos were seventh in yards allowed and the Patriots ranked first in points and yards allowed when Gilmore won in 2019.
Team success plays a role in these awards and fortunately for McDuffie, the Rams have one of the best defenses in football when healthy.
It’s early, but there should not be 20 players with better odds than McDuffie.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Trent McDuffie getting no respect in early Defensive Player of the Year race
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