Football is a young man’s game. The players who enjoy extended careers are far and few between, and truly special for a good reason.
That’s why the NFL stars who shine at a young age stick out so much. They demonstrate they can be the rare, long-term building blocks all 32 teams covet while building out their rosters. And if we take a closer look at who the league’s best young players are in a given year, it even gives us not-so-subtle hints about pro football’s future.
We’re examining the finest youthful NFL players aged 25 and under with training camps on the horizon. This list aims to set the table for some of the players we think are household names or will be recognizable as such soon enough. It’s a scientific way of gauging the league’s overall health with its essential asset — its players.
We cut off our benchmark for this list at 25 because that is when most second contracts are earned/signed. Unofficially, that age is when players begin to graduate to vested veteran status. Our criteria and respective thought processes considered everything from postseason awards, Pro Bowls and All-Pro selections and even advanced statistics.
Needless to say, the NFL is in great hands with its next wave of young stars.
Quarterback: Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Age: 24
Hurts or Trevor Lawrence? The former is coming off a Super Bowl appearance, while the latter rose dramatically through his sophomore season to justify his hype as a former No. 1 overall pick. Lawrence is less expensive and arguably has more potential, but Hurts proved he can be an elite quarterback in 2022. Surrounded by talent, he emerged as a capable dual-threat quarterback who can throw daggers downfield or devastate defenses with his legs. — Christian D’Andrea
Running back: Dameon Pierce, Houston Texans
Age: 23
In a strange coincidence, there is a bevy of talented veteran tailbacks but few up-and-comers. Though, even with minimal competition, Pierce showed he’s a runaway freight train to be reckoned with as a rookie. Pierce does not go down on first contact and is the ideal bell cow runner for a classic offense. — Robert Zeglinski
Wide receiver: Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
Age: 24
Justin Jefferson is averaging 1,600 receiving yards and eight-plus touchdowns per season. I will repeat that because it bears repeating. Justin Jefferson is averaging 1,600 receiving yards and eight-plus touchdowns per season. — CD
Wide receiver: DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks
Age: 25
Metcalf wasn’t supposed to be polished enough at the next level. Built like a Hulk, he wasn’t supposed to have enough finesse to create separation against the agile defensive backs of the NFL. Projections be darned. Metcalf is one of the league’s best WR1s, an athletic superhuman who can simultaneously take the top off a defense and act as a perfect possession receiver. He is the straw that stirs the drink of the Seattle offense. — RZ
Wide receiver: Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
Age: 23
Injuries limited him a bit in 2022, but Chase remains the most electric big-play threat in the NFL this side of Tyreek Hill. Few players possess the speed, agility and vision to destroy defenses to a similar effect with a screen pass or deep ball. — CD
Tight end: Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons
Age: 22
Pitts’ sophomore slump was more about him being a victim of circumstance. Marcus Mariota couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn with a pass, and Arthur Smith had no desire to subject anyone to even more Mariota. Pitts should return to being a matchup nightmare in a more balanced offense. — RZ
Left tackle: Tristan Wirfs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Age: 24
Donovan Smith’s release means Wirfs will move from the right side to the left. Given his incredible talent, this should not be a problem. He was the lone bright light in the dying constellation that was Tom Brady’s final offensive line. Now he gets to protect Baker Mayfield or Kyle Trask. Have fun! — CD
Left guard: Landon Dickerson, Philadelphia Eagles
Age: 24
On an offensive line loaded with household names, Dickerson manages to stand out from the pack. The young guard’s steady presence in the middle helps give Philadelphia one of the NFL’s top interior offensive lines. — RZ
Center: Creed Humphrey, Kansas City Chiefs
Age: 24
Humphrey finished third in Rookie of the Year voting in 2021, which is absolutely wild for a guy who plays a position as anonymous as center. He followed that up with a Second-Team All-Pro nod in year two. Playing in front of Patrick Mahomes shed a little more light on the former second-round pick, but he’s been thoroughly ready for the spotlight. — CD
Right guard: Trey Smith, Kansas City Chiefs
Age: 24
After the beating Patrick Mahomes took in Super Bowl 55, the Chiefs pulled out all the stops to rebuild the wall in front of him. Smith wasn’t originally an integral part of this plan, quickly becoming a great success story as a sixth-round pick. Today, Smith is one of the better “bodyguards” in football. — RZ
Right tackle: Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions
Age: 22
Sewell has been everything as advertised, holding down a vital position on one of the league’s best offensive lines. While he gets called for too many penalties, his sacks allowed dropped from a pretty-good five as a rookie to a borderline elite two in 2022, per PFF. And he’s only 22. He’s just going to get better. — CD
Edge: Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys
Age: 24
The Cowboys understood they’d get a pass-rushing demon in Parsons when they drafted him. He’s been that and so much more. The edge rusher has 26.5 sacks and 56 quarterback hits in two seasons. Note: Parsons doesn’t turn 25 until next May. (Gulp) — RZ
Defensive tackle: Quinnen Williams, New York Jets
Age: 25
Williams’ potential gave through to production in a breakout 2022, notching career highs in sacks (12), pressures (31) and quarterback hits (28, tied for fourth-most in the NFL). This was a statement. Williams is an interior wrecking ball on the same tier as Chris Jones. That led him to a hefty contract extension this summer. — CD
Defensive tackle: Jeffery Simmons, Tennessee Titans
Age: 25
As defenses shift to a focus on interior pass-rush pressure, wrecking balls like Simmons will be at the forefront of that wave. Thanks to a lightning-quick first step and the build of a semi-truck, Simmons has a worthy place as a game-breaking household name. — RZ
Edge: Jaelan Phillips, Miami Dolphins
Age: 24
Phillips is already a very good player, but the former first-round pick is on the brink of a breakthrough to greatness. His 25 quarterback hits last season tied for 12th-best in the NFL, and his 36 pressures were a top-10 mark. His production goes beyond sack totals — 2023 may be the year he forces us all to take note. — CD
Linebacker: Nick Bolton, Kansas City Chiefs
Age: 23
Kansas City is an offensively-centered team, but even the most prolific attacks need Yeoman defenders like Bolton. The unsung hero of the Chiefs’ defense, the smart and sneaky athletic Bolton has completed his ascent into an elite off-ball linebacker. — RZ
Linebacker: Tremaine Edmunds, Chicago Bears
Age: 25
Edmunds hasn’t been a Pro Bowler since 2020, but 2022 was arguably his finest season despite missing four games. He missed just one tackle in 103 attempts, per Pro Football Reference, and allowed just a 69.9 passer rating in coverage across 60 targets. Chicago, in need of a Roquan Smith replacement, landed one of the best available options. — CD
Linebacker: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Cleveland Browns
Age: 23
What Owusu-Koramoah lacks in prototypical size — he weighs just over 220 pounds — he makes up for by playing with an angry chip on his shoulder. Owusu-Koromoah’s simply motor never stops. Plus, his smaller stature gives him a quickness and agility that have made him an impeccably productive defender for the Browns. — RZ
Cornerback: Patrick Surtain II, Denver Broncos
Age: 23
Surtain actually backslid a little in 2022. His interceptions and passes defensed fell, and his completion rate and passer rating allowed both rose. But he was still good enough to be a first-time All-Pro, suggesting he’s a stud even in a kinda/sorta off year. — CD
Cornerback: Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner
Age: 22
Over a decade after they coined “Revis Island,” Gardner is the Jets’ heir-apparent superstar cornerback. Even as a rookie, Gardner resembled more of a seasoned pro, erasing some of the league’s top playmakers on a weekly basis with ease. Quarterbacks should be terrified at how much more room he has to grow. Gardner is one of the game’s finest young lynchpins — regardless of position. — RZ
Nickel cornerback: Tariq Woolen, Seattle Seahawks
Age: 24
Not a nickel corner, but too talented to exclude. Woolen was supposed to be a project for the Seahawks, a 6-foot-4 raw talent with 4.26-second 40 speed and limited reps at corner for a lower-tier FBS program. Instead, he emerged as a starter and punished opposing quarterbacks for picking on him. He tied for the league high with six interceptions, knocked down 16 more passes and allowed just a 48.7 passer rating in coverage as a rookie. — CD
Free safety: Talanoa Hufanga, San Francisco 49ers
Age: 23
Hufanga burst onto the scene with an infamous blocked punt during the 49ers’ 2022 playoff run. The young safety parlayed that moment into a full-time starting opportunity last year, morphing into a versatile Swiss Army Knife for the vaunted San Francisco defense. He is one of the more intelligent and savvy defenders in professional football. — RZ
Strong safety: Jalen Pitre, Houston Texans
Age: 24
Pitre’s tackling is a work in progress, but as a ballhawk free safety, he’s already ahead of the curve. The second-round rookie had five interceptions and eight passes defensed as a bright spot in a grim Texans defense. He’ll be counted on to be a foundational piece for a rebuilding roster. — CD
