RADIO
The NFL is largely a young man's league. As the 2023 NFL season nears, the league's talented new generation of players are ready to continue making their mark on the game of football.
As a fan, it's sometimes easy to forget just how young some of the NFL's brightest stars are. In a league where the average player age is 26.05, many of football's best players haven't yet passed 25 years old.
In this article, we'll rank the NFL's 25 best players that are 25 or younger. There's a ton of talent in these rankings, and with so much time left in their careers, a player's position on the list certainly isn't written in stone. With Week 1 of the season just around the corner, let's take a look at the NFL's most dynamic young phenoms.
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1. Justin Jefferson - WR, Minnesota Vikings (Age: 24)
This list contains many legitimate superstars, but Justin Jefferson enters the 2023 NFL season as the brightest of the bunch. The Vikings wide receiver is on a similar career trajectory to another all-timer who played the position in Minnesota...Randy Moss.
Jefferson has already shattered many of Moss' Vikings records and has tied the all-time NFL record for the fastest player to reach 4,000 receiving yards. In a high-octane, pass-heavy offense led by Minnesota head coach Kevin O'Connell, the sky seems to be the limit for Jefferson's future and he's already the best WR in the NFL at just 24 years old.
Justin Jefferson is the youngest player to ever lead the NFL in both catches and yards for a season.
The start to his career has been record-shattering.
Pick 1️⃣ talk with @MikeClayNFL. pic.twitter.com/nBJKj2ANW7
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) August 6, 2023
2. Jalen Hurts - QB, Philadelphia Eagles (Age: 25)
The former Alabama and Oklahoma signal caller entered the NFL in 2020 with lots of questions surrounding how his game would translate to the professional level. Hurts has answered all those concerns and then some by improving every season he's been in the league. The 25-year-old was a legitimate MVP contender last year before a late-season injury dashed those hopes.
He did return to the lineup to lead the Eagles to an NFC Conference title and Super Bowl appearance. Hurts recently agree to a mega contract extension with Philadelphia and is a top-tier franchise quarterback.
3. Micah Parsons - EDGE, Dallas Cowboys (Age: 24)
Parsons has wasted little time making an impression during his two years in the NFL. The 24-year-old has already earned All-Pro honors twice, as well as being the unanimous Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2021. Parsons has posted mind-blowing statistics across his two years in Dallas, already amassing 26.5 sacks and 149 total tackles in his young career. He's one of the NFL's true impact defensive players and makes those around him better.
4. Justin Herbert - QB, Los Angeles Chargers (Age: 25)
The Chargers signal-caller has already proven himself to be a franchise-caliber NFL quarterback, which is reflected in the recent five-year, $262 million contract extension he signed with the Bolts. Herbert has thrown for 25 or more TDs every season he's been in the league and has already tallied 14,089 passing yards in his three-year career. The lanky QB has the physical and mental skill sets needed for long-term NFL success.
5. Trevor Lawrence - QB, Jacksonville Jaguars (Age: 23)
Yes, the top of our rankings are a little QB-centric, but it's tough to overstate just how important talented quarterbacks on rookie deals are to an NFL franchise. After a sluggish rookie campaign in the hellscape that was Urban Meyer's reign in Jacksonville, Lawrence broke out in a big way in the second half of the 2022 season in his first year with new Jags head coach Doug Pederson.
Which of these three QBs will have the best season? pic.twitter.com/kNuytlCgFU
— PFF (@PFF) August 24, 2023
During his second season in Duval, the former No. 1 overall pick doubled his TD output from his rookie season while chopping his INTs in half. Lawrence played well enough down the stretch to lead the Jags to a playoff berth, which could be the first of many.
6. Ja'Marr Chase - WR, Cincinnati Bengals (Age: 23)
The NFL reunion with his LSU quarterback Joe Burrow has been an old-fashioned peanut butter and jelly combo. Chase has looked dominant as a pro, recording over 3,000 yards and 25 TDs across his first two seasons in the NFL. The Bengals have one of the most talented young offenses - and brightest futures - in the league thanks to the dynamic Chase, who has already established himself as one of the best wide receivers in the game at just 23.
7. Nick Bosa - EDGE, San Francisco 49ers (Age: 25)
Nick followed big brother Joey into the NFL and has wasted little time wreaking havoc on opposing quarterbacks. The 25-year-old has been a key cog for a powerful San Francisco 49ers defense. Bosa has totaled 43 sacks across his three full seasons as a pro (he only played in two games during the 2020 season), earning three Pro Bowl nods and First-Team All-Pro honors in 2022.
8. Tristan Wirfs - OT, Tampa Bay Bucs (Age: 24)
We've gotta give the "hog mollies" some love on our 25 under 25 rankings, and that starts with Bucs tackle Tristan Wirfs. The Iowa product wasted little time in showing just how effective he can be on the offensive line, as Wirfs started all 16 games and allowed just one sack during his rookie season while protecting Tom Brady and helping the Bucs to a Super Bowl title. Wirfs has been named to the Pro Bowl in his two subsequent NFL campaigns and will make the move from right tackle to left tackle in the 2023 season.
9. Sauce Gardner - CB, New York Jets (Age: 22)
"Sauce" made quite the impression during his 2022 rookie season by anchoring the defensive secondary for an improving New York Jets defense. Just 22, Gardner is already considered by many to be one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. He'll look to somehow top his Defensive Rookie of the Year-winning season in 2023.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE YOUNG JETS SUPERSTAR SAUCE GARDNER ! 🌟
In His FIRST Season In The NFL... Sauce Did This:
🏈 1ST TEAM ALL-PRO
🏈 DROTY
🏈 PRO BOWL
🏈 RANKED #1 CB BY PLAYERS ON TOP 100
🏈 LEAD THE NFL IN PD's#TakeFlight pic.twitter.com/AEQmkdAqZi— 𝙅𝙀𝙏𝙎 𝙈𝙀𝘿𝙄𝘼🛫 (@NYJets_Media) August 31, 2023
10. CeeDee Lamb - WR, Dallas Cowboys (Age: 24)
The talented wide receiver has increased his production every season since he's been in the league, going from 935 receiving yards during his rookie year, to 1,102 yards in 2021, and 1,359 yards last season. Lamb will look to keep that progression going in 2023, as he'll hope to have Cowboys' QB Dak Prescott healthy for an entire season.
11. Patrick Surtain II - CB, Denver Broncos (Age: 23)
The Broncos cornerback has already established himself as one of the NFL's best defensive players. Surtain earned All-Rookie team honors in 2021 and quickly made the leap to garnering an All-Pro nod in his second season while earning a PFF coverage grade of 86.7 last year.
12. Jaylen Waddle - WR, Miami Dolphins (Age: 24)
After going for over 1,000 receiving yards and 100 receptions in his 2021 rookie season, Waddle teamed with Tyreek Hill to form one of the NFL's most explosive wide receiver corps last season. The Alabama alum again crossed 1,000 receiving yards in 2022 while averaging an NFL-best 18.1 yards per reception. Waddle's talent, work ethic, and offensive system should make him one of the league's top wideouts for years to come.
13. Josh Jacobs - RB, Las Vegas Raiders (Age: 25)
Another product of Alabama's NFL farm system, Jacobs broke through for a career year in 2022. The Raiders back led the league in rushing yards with a career-high 1,653 yards on the ground last season while serving as a workhorse in coach Josh McDaniels' first year at the helm in Las Vegas. Jacobs has produced 1,000-yard rushing seasons in three of his first four years in the NFL.
14. Andrew Thomas - OT, New York Giants (Age: 24)
After being selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Andrew Thomas looked like a bust during his season with the G-Men. However, the 6'5", 315 lb. Thomas has turned things around in his two subsequent campaigns for the Giants with the 2022 season being his best yet as a pro.
He finished last year as one of the NFL's best left tackles, allowing just seven QB sacks/hits while anchoring an improving New York offensive line. Thomas recently agreed to a five-year extension with the Giants, demanding a record $67 million guaranteed at signing.
Left tackle Andrew Thomas and the Giants reached agreement on a 5-year, $117.5 million extension that includes an offensive-line record $67M fully guaranteed at signing, tying him to New York through the 2029 season.@JohnThornton of @RocNationSports confirmed the deal to ESPN. pic.twitter.com/FTHq1VFlfL
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 26, 2023
15. DK Metcalf - WR, Seattle Seahawks (Age: 25)
A prototype physical specimen, Metcalf has proved that he's not just all muscle and workout times across his four NFL seasons with the Seahawks. The 2019 second-round draft pick has logged 900 or more receiving yards in every season of his career and has totaled 35 receiving TDs. He's also proven himself to be one of the league's most durable receivers, as he's never missed a game in his four-year career.
16. Amon-Ra St. Brown - WR, Detroit Lions (Age: 23)
Although St. Brown wasn't as highly touted out of college as many on our 25 under 25 list, the Detroit Lions wideout has quickly erased any doubts as to his ability at the pro level. St. Brown made a splash down the stretch of his 2021 rookie campaign, amassing just over 900 receiving yards in only nine starts. The 23-year-old continued to impress in 2022, logging over 100 receptions and 1,000 receiving yards for an improving Lions team while finishing with the second-highest PFF WR grade in the NFL last season.
17. Penei Sewell - OT, Detroit Lions (Age: 22)
Another key member of Detroit's exciting young offensive core, Sewell has already logged more than 2,000 offensive snaps for the Lions during his two years in the NFL. Just 22, he was one of the best young left tackles in football last year and allowed only two sacks in 2022. Sewell will be a key component in Detroit's renaissance going forward.
18. DeVonta Smith - WR, Philadelphia Eagles (Age: 24)
The "Slim Reaper" is a former Heisman Trophy winner who's lived up to the hype at the professional level. Smith has looked dynamic while totaling over 2,000 receiving yards across his first two seasons in the NFL. He's teamed up with A.J. Brown to form one of the most fearsome receiving duos in the league, and with Jalen Hurts at the helm of the Philadelphia offense, Smith is in a position to continue his elite production for years to come.
DeVonta Smith was incredible last season.
But he’s still only in his 3rd NFL season.
He might have another leap in his game coming this season… pic.twitter.com/yMYEoVWI1J
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) August 22, 2023
19. Jonathan Taylor - RB, Indianapolis Colts (Age: 24)
Although Taylor looked like the best running back in the league while leading the NFL in rushing yards and TDs in 2021, it's tough to put him higher on this list, as he struggled through an injury-plagued campaign in 2022 and now appears to have a very shaky 2023 outlook as he continues to battle with the Indianapolis Colts over his contract situation. Taylor is guaranteed to miss the first four games of 2023 due to his PUP designation and there's an outside shot he doesn't suit up at all this season.
20. Creed Humphrey - C, Kansas City Chiefs (Age: 24)
Humphrey has been a rock-solid anchor for the Chiefs offensive line since being selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Oklahoma. He earned PFF's highest player grade at the center position in 2022 while helping Kansas City win the Super Bowl. Humphrey figures to be a stalwart of this KC unit for years to come.
21. Trevon Diggs - CB, Dallas Cowboys (Age: 24)
After posting an NFL-leading 11 interceptions in a breakout 2021 campaign, Diggs managed just three in 2022. Many will poke holes in his coverage ability, though he did record a career-high 59 tackles while earning his second consecutive Pro Bowl nod last season. Love him or hate him, Diggs will likely anchor the Cowboys' secondary for the foreseeable future and is undoubtedly a ball-hawking corner that opposing offenses must account for.
22. Tee Higgins - WR, Cincinnati Bengals (Age: 24)
Higgins has been a rock-solid, consistent producer since coming into the NFL in 2020. The Clemson product has recorded over 900 receiving yards in all three of his NFL campaigns with the Bengals. It's also fair to wonder how much statistical production Higgins has ceded to Ja'Marr Chase since the latter has held the WR1 in Cincy over the last two years.
23. Garrett Wilson - WR, New York Jets (Age: 23)
I'm willing to concede that Wilson could be much higher on this list but the 23-year-old only has one season on his NFL resume so far. That said, his ceiling is perhaps at "Justin Jefferson, Ja'Marr Chase levels", as he's quickly demonstrated an elite receiver skill set while amassing 1,103 receiving yards on 83 catches in his rookie season with the Jets. Wilson's outlook is also elevated by the addition of Aaron Rodgers to New York during this offseason.
The following WRs have hit an 80% success rate vs. press coverage in #ReceptionPerception during their rookie season:
- CeeDee Lamb
- Michael Thomas
- Tyreek Hill
- Ja’Marr Chase
- Justin Jefferson
- Odell Beckham
- Garrett WilsonNot a bad list.
— Matt Harmon (@MattHarmon_BYB) August 31, 2023
24. Kyle Pitts - TE, Atlanta Falcons (Age: 22)
It's easy to forget that Kyle Pitts is only 22. The physical freak recorded over 1,000 receiving yards for the Falcons as a 21-year-old rookie in 2021 while playing a position that's a notoriously tough one to transition to at the NFL level. Pitts' sophomore campaign was cut short due to injury, as he appeared in just 10 games in 2022 while logging underwhelming production in a run-heavy Atlanta offensive scheme. The sky remains the limit for the uber-talented pass-catching tight end.
25. Quinnen Williams - DT, New York Jets (Age: 25)
The third overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft was a solid contributor over his first three years in the NFL. Williams had a true breakout campaign in 2022, posting a career-best 12 sacks and 12 tackles for loss while anchoring the defensive line for a Gang Green unit that continued to trend up last season. His strong '22 output led to a $96 million contract extension for Williams, who should continue to be a fixture for the Jets for years to come.
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