Featured Image: Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (7) scores a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Glendale, Ariz. (Photo Credit/Rick Scuteri-AP Photo)

The draft is on the horizon, and we’re in the midst of the NFL offseason. Sounds like the perfect time to predict the NFL awards for the 2026-2027 NFL season.  

Coach of the Year: John Harbaugh 

The trend with the Coach of the Year award is…new.  

A majority of the time, the NFL Coach of the Year is either a first-year or second-year coach on that team. Five of the last nine winners of the award were in that time frame with the team. 

This year’s winner was Mike Vrabel, who was in his first year with the New England Patriots. Vrabel took the Patriots from the fourth-worst team in the NFL to the Superbowl. However, Vrable had prior experience as the former head coach for the Tennessee Titans. 

I think this year is a similar situation. Harbaugh, who was fired from the Baltimore Ravens in the same offseason, comes to New York and gets to transform the culture of a team that hasn’t been able to find success in recent history.  

Protector of the Year: Laremy Tunsil 

I’ll be honest, there is no precedent for Protector of the Year. Last season was the first ever season with a Protector of the Year award winner—Joe Thuney. Thuney protected the blindside of rising star QB Caleb Williams for his 2026 campaign. The combination of elite pass protection and the complete rise in success for the Chicago Bears seemed to be the perfect storm for Thuney to be the pick. 

This year I could see a similar situation. After a down year, the Commanders are trying to bounce back to the success they found with a rookie QB in Jayden Daniels. The bounce back to success is the hardest part of this pick. Tunsil, any year, is the best pass protector in the NFL. 

Tunsil had the second-best pass protection grade in the NFL last season, despite the inconsistency of his quarterback. If the Commanders find success, Tunsil will default to the top of the Protector of the Year list. 

Comeback Player of the Year: Patrick Mahomes 

I was exploring my options to pick from for this season’s Comeback Player of the Year award until Mahomes’ name popped up. 

As long as he plays a decent portion of the season, Mahomes will win this award. The big question is: when will he make his return? Mahomes is aiming to be ready for the first game of the season. However, I’d wager the Chiefs would like to be conscious of the health of their franchise quarterback.  

I believe, as long as Mahomes plays close to ten games, he will win the award. 

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Caleb Downs 

If the option was a school to win Defensive Rookie of the Year, then I’d put all of my life savings on an Ohio State defender winning this award. 

Caleb Downs has been talked up as the most pro-ready defensive prospect in the 2026 class and, if you take a second to watch him, you’d understand. Downs is the best tackling safety we’ve seen since Derwin James coming into a league that is asking more from safeties in the box.  

Downs is built for this version of the league, and he’ll also likely be drafted to a better team in the 7-14 draft pick range. 

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Jeremiyah Love 

Similar to Downs, Love is considered the most pro-ready and best offensive prospect in this draft.  

This could become a situation similar to Ashton Jeanty last season, but I heavily doubt it. Jeanty joined the Raiders, and the Raiders subsequently became the worst run-blocking team in the NFL. Teams at the top of the NFL draft, like the Giants, Titans and Cardinals, are the most likely candidates to take Love, and each one has a solid offensive line to put him behind. 

Combine Love’s rushing ability with his pass catching ability, and it’s hard not to see him winning this award. 

Defensive Player of the Year: Myles Garrett 

It’s been eight years since we had a back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year and I think this is the year to make that happen. 

I wouldn’t expect Garrett to recreate the record-breaking year he just put up, but if he even comes close, it’d be hard to keep his trophy case from adding another piece. It’ll be hard to replace legendary coordinator Jim Schwartz, but new DC Mike Rutenberger has experience working with pass rushers—I think he’ll be fine.  

Offensive Player of the Year: Bijan Robinson 

Robinson has always been under the wing of defensive coaches, and Arthur Smith. In that time, Robinson has been one of the most electric players in the NFL. 

Now, after back-to-back seasons with nearly 2,000 total yards, Robinson gets his chance under an offensive focused head coach in Kevin Stefanski. Stefanski’s offense allows Robinson to get a massive offensive load and finally get that OPOY that he’s always felt bound to get.  

MVP: Josh Allen 

The math to reach this conclusion is very simple. Allen has the least obstacles in his path to the MVP.  

Allen is currently the odds-on favorite to win the MVP, but as you go down the list, his competitors continuously run into problems that Allen simply won’t have to deal with. Lamar Jackson can’t stay healthy, Drake Maye will have a harder schedule next season, Joe Burrow can’t stay healthy and Justin Herbert’s line can’t stay healthy. 

The biggest challenge Allen faces is his wide receiver core and a inexperienced head coach in Joe Brady. The wide receiver core, hopefully, should be addressed in the draft, and Brady seems to have a connection with Allen that should, at least offensively, result in a seamless transition for Allen’s production.