NFL teams are always on the outlook for young talent at a cheap price. However, there is such a thing as too young. The 2017 Cleveland Browns were the youngest team in the NFL since at least 2006. Coaching and developing that talent still matters, as does having veterans in their prime, but perhaps the Browns are just a couple of years away from competing again.
We saw it last season when the Jaguars and Rams, perennial front-runners in our yearly under-25 talent rankings, finally returned to the postseason after head coaches Sean McVay and Doug Marrone were given the reins of those talented rosters. While it is always preferable to be good than to be merely young, we once again have ranked all 32 teams by their talent under the age of 25.
Last year's under-25 rankings had the Cowboys at No. 1 and the Broncos at 32. Not much has changed for those teams this year, but there is some considerable movement from some 2017 playoff teams.
The under-25 talent is a focus on the building blocks teams are putting in place that should help define the next four to eight seasons, if not longer -- if the teams are fortunate. For more on our methodology in ranking all 32 teams, check out the bottom of the article.
Here are our rankings for this season. All ages are as of Sept. 6, 2018. Read through the full file 1 to 32, or jump to your favorite team by clicking on a logo below:
1. Los Angeles Rams
2017 ranking: 27
The Rams climbed higher (26 spots) in the rankings than any team this year thanks to head coach Sean McVay showing us just how bad of a job Jeff Fisher was doing. We've usually had the Rams in the top five for these rankings, but we dropped them to 27th last year after Jared Goff's horrific rookie season and the struggles of Todd Gurley II. Enter McVay, and the Rams had one of the greatest single-season turnarounds in NFL history.
Goff is still far from a top-tier quarterback, but he made huge strides from a 2016 season that had us seriously questioning if he could cut it in the NFL. As a rookie, Goff's passing DVOA without pressure was minus-45.2 percent, the worst season since 2010 by far. With McVay implementing a yards-after-catch-based offense that was heavy on throws to the slot, Goff's DVOA without pressure shot up to 83.4 percent, the second-highest season by a quarterback last year. Gurley was the MVP runner-up in a season that saw him average 12.47 YAC per reception, the second-highest season in ESPN's database since 2006.
Cooper Kupp had an excellent rookie season as the team's slot receiver. The Rams even traded for deep threat Brandin Cooks (still 24) from New England. Pharoh Cooper isn't much of a wide receiver, but he was first-team All-Pro on special teams last season. Tight end Gerald Everett could get more involved in his second season as a former second-round pick.
The Rams occupy the top spot with a major lean on offensive firepower, but the defense should have two under-25 starters waiting to make their mark in linebacker Samson Ebukam and safety John Johnson. The latter finished 15th in adjusted yards per pass (6.0) among safeties in 2017.
2. Kansas City Chiefs
2017 ranking: 10
The Chiefs could be No. 1 on this list if quarterback Patrick Mahomes is a legitimate franchise quarterback. There are some reasons to believe he can perform right away, starting with coach Andy Reid, who has gotten the best out of every quarterback he's had. Mahomes has excellent under-25 weapons in deep threat Tyreek Hill and 2017 rushing leader Kareem Hunt. He'll be a much more aggressive quarterback than Alex Smith ever was, so this could be one of the most exciting offenses in the league in 2018.
Defensive end Chris Jones is a quality starter, with 23.5 hurries last season. In the trade involving Smith, the Chiefs acquired cornerback Kendall Fuller. He ranked No. 2 in adjusted success rate last season, so that should help offset some of the loss of Marcus Peters. Reggie Ragland has played only 12 games in his first two seasons, but that's another young player the Chiefs could develop on defense. They even have the best under-25 kicker in Harrison Butker, who made 38 of his 42 field goals last season.
The reasons the Chiefs are No. 2 and not No. 1 is the uncertainty over Mahomes (will he be too careless with the ball?) and a 2018 draft class that may not have an immediate impact. Second-round pick Breeland Speaks expects to be a minimal part of the rotation this year. Third-round pick Derrick Nnadi will have a shot to win the nose tackle job.
3. New Orleans Saints
2017 ranking: 9
The early returns show that the Saints won the 2017 NFL draft. Dynamic running back Alvin Kamara was the Offensive Rookie of the Year after he averaged 6.1 yards per carry, caught 81 balls, and even had a 106-yard kickoff return touchdown. The Saints became the first team since the merger to have the Offensive Rookie of the Year and the Defensive Rookie of the Year in the same season, with cornerback Marshon Lattimore claiming the latter award after a season that included five interceptions.
Safety Marcus Williams is best known for his blunder in the playoffs against Stefon Diggs on the Minneapolis Miracle, which is a shame because he did not allow a touchdown in coverage all season prior to that. Right tackle Ryan Ramczyk was impressive in his first season and gives the Saints a second competent under-25 starter on the line to go with left guard Andrus Peat.
There are non-2017 draft picks to mention too. 2016 first-round pick Sheldon Rankins had only 2.0 sacks, but he also had 27 hurries, which bodes well for his future sack production. The Saints added defensive end Marcus Davenport in the first round to back up Cameron Jordan in the rotation. Safety Vonn Bell is a solid third-year starter. We won't mention too many kickers here, but Wil Lutz is one of the few to highlight after making 28 of his first 36 field goals from 40-plus yards in two seasons.
4. Cleveland Browns
2017 ranking: 8
Cleveland looks to be at the point where the Rams and Jaguars recently were. The right talent should be there from all the high draft picks, but the coaching staff just isn't getting the job done. Linebacker Joe Schobert is the only Pro Bowler of the young group so far, but the whole starting defensive line is still under 25. Defensive tackles Trevon Coley and Larry Ogunjobi are there to stop the run while Myles Garrett and Emmanuel Ogbah are there to rush the passer. Ogbah had 14 hurries in 10 games last season. Garrett quietly lived up to his No. 1 pick status despite injury (he missed five games) and the team going winless, as he had 28.5 hurries in 11 games. Tight end David Njoku and safety Jabrill Peppers also both displayed why their talent led to their first-round selections a year ago.
The Browns added four more draft picks in the first 35 selections of the 2018 draft, including the top overall pick in quarterback Baker Mayfield. He may not start in Week 1, but his time will come soon. Cornerback Denzel Ward should be an instant starter, while running back Nick Chubb can contribute immediately to the backfield. Austin Corbett will be a future starter on the offensive line.
Beyond the promising rookies, the Browns still could try to get something out of wide receiver Corey Coleman, a first-round pick in 2016. Running back Duke Johnson is a great receiver and actually led the rest of the team by almost 300 receiving yards last season.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2017 ranking: 3
Mike Evans turns 25 just a couple of weeks before the cutoff date, so that dropped Tampa Bay a little from last year. The Bucs still have quarterback Jameis Winston, though he will serve a three-game suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy. In his career, Winston has produced a first down on 38.5 percent of his passes, which is second to only Peyton Manning (39.6 percent) since 2001, according to ESPN Stats & Info. He's difficult to analyze, with underrated stats balanced by shoddy decision-making and off-field concerns, but Winston is capable of being a franchise quarterback if he ever figures things out.
Tight end O.J. Howard and wide receiver Chris Godwin should see more targets in their second seasons. Both were impressive at times as rookies. Howard's 16.6 yards per reception at tight end is nothing to sneeze at. On defense, middle linebacker Kwon Alexander is a three-year starter and made his first Pro Bowl last season with a career-high three interceptions. Cornerbacks Vernon Hargreaves III and Ryan Smith are still young, but both have been disappointing to this point, especially Hargreaves as a first-round pick.
There is a lot of potential with Tampa Bay's rookie class. Vita Vea should slip in as a Week 1 starter at defensive tackle. Second-round pick Ronald Jones could bring some explosiveness to a backfield that has been lacking in that area the past two years. Given the disappointment with the other corners, rookies Carlton Davis and M.J. Stewart should have opportunities to play early and often this season.
6. New York Giants
2017 ranking: 2
The Giants are projected to have three rookie starters, including the best running back prospect in the draft (Saquon Barkley). They also added left guard Will Hernandez and middle linebacker Lorenzo Carter. With All-Pro safety Landon Collins still just 24 years old, a productive slot receiver in Sterling Shepard, and a promising rookie season from tight end Evan Engram, you may be surprised to see the Giants slip from second in the rankings.
For starters, Odell Beckham Jr. turned 25 last season, so he no longer qualifies. The real problem is the team is still trying to make Ereck Flowers work. He's lost his job at left tackle, replaced by Nate Solder, but the right tackle experiment hasn't gotten off to a good start if training camp reports are to be believed. The other issue is that cornerback Eli Apple has been bad in his first two seasons. He finished 2017 ranked 75th in coverage success rate, while the Giants let go the player who ranked first (Ross Cockrell). Apple has intercepted only one pass in 25 games.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars
2017 ranking: 11
The top under-25 cornerback right now is first-team All-Pro Jalen Ramsey, who helped the Jaguars to the No. 1 pass defense in 2017. They also had a great pass rush, and while Dante Fowler Jr. is still young enough to contribute to that, it's actually been Yannick Ngakoue who has been more impressive. He had 12 sacks and 33.5 hurries last season after a strong rookie campaign. Myles Jack is another starter to watch in this defense, though his metrics against the run and pass both could be much better than they were in 2017.
On offense, Leonard Fournette suits the team philosophy well as a high-volume runner, but he needs to break longer gains more consistently, as he averaged only 3.9 yards per carry. Left tackle Cam Robinson ended up starting 15 games as a rookie, and while it was rough at times, he can be an asset going forward in the run game. The Jaguars also have young wide receivers in Dede Westbrook and second-round rookie DJ Chark. They should be expected to contribute something this season after the team let Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns walk.
8. Minnesota Vikings
2017 ranking: 28
The Vikings have an enviable trio of under-25 players in Stefon Diggs, Danielle Hunter and Dalvin Cook. They've already locked up the first two to long-term deals this summer, and Diggs will be looking for his first 1,000-yard season this year. If he can stay healthy for a full season, then he should get there given his talent. His progression, along with that of Adam Thielen, has made first-round pick Laquon Treadwell look even worse in comparison. The Vikings have to see more from him this year or the "bust" label is going to be appropriate.
Cook was off to a nice start in a workhorse role last year before injury ended his season after just four games. Hunter saw his sack production drop, but he still led the team with 39.5 hurries and is one of the best under-25 pass-rushers in the league. Center Pat Elflein should see improvement in his second year on the job.
Minnesota's roster is so deep that highly drafted corners Mackensie Alexander and rookie Mike Hughes only have to be role players for now. Second-round rookie right tackle Brian O'Neill is likely a future starter, too, so the 2018 draft did little to boost the Vikings in this year's rankings.
9. Dallas Cowboys
2017 ranking: 1
Dallas' fall from the top spot is largely tied to Dak Prescott turning 25 in late July. The Cowboys still have one of the top under-25 players in Ezekiel Elliott, who can stack up to any running back when he's active. The problem is most of Dallas' other under-25 talent is about projecting hope. Like the hope that Blake Jarwin or Rico Gathers can come even close to replacing Jason Witten at tight end. Another hope is that Taco Charlton can bring more to the pass-rush rotation after 3.0 sacks and 12 hurries as a rookie.
The team finally saw linebacker Jaylon Smith in action after he was a redshirt rookie and that experience should be valuable going forward as he gets further away from that college injury. Dallas drafted Leighton Vander Esch in the first round, a potential Sean Lee replacement in the future, but also an expected contributor in 2018. Second-round rookie Connor Williams is also expected to be a Week 1 starter at left guard, and Michael Gallup will have to produce for a wide receiver corps that lost Dez Bryant.
The secondary is where Dallas is loaded with youth, but none of those players really performed well last season. Anthony Brown regressed, Jourdan Lewis was more active than second-round pick Chidobe Awuzie, and safety Xavier Woods will give full-time starter a try this year. Chances are Dallas will find at least one solid starter in this mix, but the pass defense was a big letdown a year ago.
10. Chicago Bears
2017 ranking: 18
Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky did not have a strong rookie season, but there is hope that new head coach Matt Nagy can improve the offense immediately. The Bears have one of the best running back duos in the league with Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen. Anthony Miller, a second-round rookie, should be productive in the slot this season. Tight end Adam Shaheen should get involved more this year after 12 catches (three for touchdowns) as a rookie. It is a far deeper offense than the scraps Trubisky was throwing to a year ago.
The defense added a big piece with the first-round selection of Roquan Smith. He should be the next great inside linebacker in Chicago, assuming the team can get him signed quickly. Eddie Goldman and Jonathan Bullard provide starting experience on the defensive line. Safety Eddie Jackson was the only rookie drafted after the third round to start 16 games last season. He flashed with a pair of defensive touchdowns for a secondary badly in need of more takeaways. The Bears have not had a player with more than two interceptions in a season since 2014.
We are banking on Chicago's blue-chip talent in Trubisky and Smith to step up this season, but the playoffs are probably still out of reach until 2019.
11. Tennessee Titans
2017 ranking: 12
After the Rams and Chiefs, the Titans are the only other team that can possibly have its top quarterback, running back and wide receiver all under 25 this year. The only problem is we are just not sure if any of these players are going to be great yet. Marcus Mariota took some steps backward last season and threw more interceptions (15) than touchdowns (13). Corey Davis had only 375 receiving yards and did not catch a touchdown until the second playoff game.
Running back Derrick Henry had a strong postseason and no longer has to play with DeMarco Murray, but the Titans added the elusive Dion Lewis, a much better receiver than Henry. That limits his chances as a workhorse. Still, if these players live up to their potential, then that can be a strong core for years to come. The Titans also still have right tackle Jack Conklin, who was a first-team All-Pro as a rookie in 2016. He's the only under-25 offensive lineman with Pro Bowl or All-Pro recognition right now.
Defensively, cornerback Adoree' Jackson was targeted 107 times last season, according to Sports Info Solutions charting, but he allowed only 5.9 yards per pass (No. 7 in the league). The Titans drafted coverage linebacker Rashaan Evans in the first round and he should be a Week 1 starter.
12. San Francisco 49ers
2017 ranking: 19
San Francisco is one of the hardest teams to project since roughly half of the 22 starters figure to be under 25 (most in the league). The draft capital is certainly impressive, but so far the on-field results have been lackluster. Right guard Joshua Garnett was a first-round pick in 2016, but he missed all of 2017 after knee surgery. The defensive line is loaded with high draft picks, but Arik Armstead has played only 14 games since 2016. Solomon Thomas had a quiet rookie season, but DeForest Buckner is developing nicely with 29 hurries last season. Linebacker Reuben Foster had high draft potential, but off-field concerns have always been there with him. He's downgraded for a two-game suspension to start 2018.
A lot of roster turnover has led to opportunities for younger players. Third-round cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon had a rough rookie season (78th in success rate and 75th in yards per pass allowed), but at least he has time to improve. The same goes for safety Adrian Colbert, the only seventh-round pick to start more than five games as a rookie in the NFL since 2015. After three seasons, edge rusher Eli Harold has been a disappointment and had only 5.5 hurries last season.
The 49ers found some good value in the fifth round in 2017. Trent Taylor should continue to build chemistry with Jimmy Garoppolo as a slot receiver. (Garoppolo is 26, by the way.) Tight end George Kittle actually finished second on the team with 515 receiving yards. The 49ers also added receiver depth with Dante Pettis in the second round in 2018 after taking right tackle Mike McGlinchey in the first round. If Kyle Shanahan can get all of these players in the trenches living up to their draft stock, then this ranking is going to greatly improve, but we'll exercise some caution.
13. Los Angeles Chargers
2017 ranking: 6
This may sound familiar, but the Chargers would be in better shape if they could only stay healthy. Injury erased guard Forrest Lamp's rookie season, so hopefully he'll have a good start at right guard this season while Dan Feeney remains at left guard. Lamp was considered to be a top guard prospect in the 2017 draft, so this could be a nice addition that people may be overlooking because of that rookie injury. Injury also slowed Mike Williams' development at wide receiver last season. Another injury knocked out tight end Hunter Henry, who has posted some great receiving metrics in his first two seasons, for all of 2018. If not for that injury, the Chargers would have ranked a few spots higher.
At least the Chargers still have a dominant edge rusher in Joey Bosa, who racked up 42 hurries last season. They also may have hit big in the draft again with safety Derwin James, expected to be a Week 1 starter barring another catastrophe. The secondary is loaded with young depth that already has experience, including corners Desmond King and Trevor Williams. This unit can overcome the -- yep, you guessed it -- recent injury to corner Jason Verrett.
14. Houston Texans
2017 ranking: 15
We can talk about D.J. Reader as a run-stuffing nose tackle, Julien Davenport trying to replace Duane Brown at left tackle, or Zach Cunningham's 65 stops as a rookie linebacker. We could even point out that a healthy D'Onta Foreman could be a nice change of pace for Lamar Miller in the backfield, or that Will Fuller V absurdly turned seven of his 28 catches into touchdowns last season.
The real reason Houston is this high is quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is quite arguably the most valuable under-25 player in the league if last year was any indication. Watson was on pace for the greatest rookie quarterback season in NFL history before he tore an ACL on a noncontact practice drill. We have to keep reminding ourselves that he played only 6.5 games, but Watson's season was phenomenal. He had the highest DVOA without pressure (99.3 percent) of any quarterback since 2010, and he was also pressured at the highest rate of any quarterback in that time (41.9 percent). He still managed to throw 19 touchdowns and led his offense to better than three touchdowns more per game than it averaged in his absence.
Watson's 2018 should go down as one of the most highly anticipated sophomore seasons in NFL history. While his high touchdown pass rate (9.3 percent) is almost certain to regress to the mean, he can make the Texans a real contender for a change.
15. Detroit Lions
2017 ranking: 21
Detroit brings good balance to its under-25 talent for rookie head coach Matt Patricia. Wide receiver Kenny Golladay looked like a big-play threat as a rookie and should hopefully be healthier this year. Rookie running back Kerryon Johnson has a good opportunity to lead the team in rushing after a successful career at Auburn. The Lions haven't had an individual 100-yard rusher since Reggie Bush on Thanksgiving in 2013. Johnson will have two first-round picks on the left side of his line with left tackle Taylor Decker (injured last season) and rookie left guard Frank Ragnow; the latter is already getting rave reviews in camp.
Defensively, A'Shawn Robinson was Detroit's best defensive tackle last year. Jarrad Davis had some rookie struggles at times last season, but Patricia has helped a lot of linebackers get better in his career with New England. Detroit also can hope to see more out of cornerback Teez Tabor in his second year after he played only 190 snaps last season.
Jamal Agnew was the league's dominant punt returner last season with two touchdowns that earned him a first-team All-Pro selection. Agnew doesn't offer much in the way of scrimmage play, but the Lions picked up some bonus points for his special-teams work.
16. Atlanta Falcons
2017 ranking: 5
Atlanta's drop from No. 5 to the middle of the pack was due to Tevin Coleman, Vic Beasley Jr., De'Vondre Campbell, Brian Poole and Grady Jarrett all aging out of the cut. The Falcons still showcase some very talented defenders, including physical safety Keanu Neal and coverage linebacker Deion Jones. The latter allowed only 4.4 yards per pass last season, third best among linebackers. Neal and Jones make Atlanta the last of six teams to have multiple under-25 Pro Bowlers.
Wide receiver Calvin Ridley hopes multiple Pro Bowls are in his future after the Falcons selected him with a first-round pick this year. He should take over Taylor Gabriel's role, and he has a shot to move ahead of Mohamed Sanu in the pecking order for targets.
We would rank the Falcons higher if tight end Austin Hooper took a bigger leap in 2017. His exciting 88-yard touchdown in Week 1 in Chicago was the highlight of his year. Hooper never broke 50 receiving yards in any game the rest of the season. A player to watch for who isn't a clear starter is 2017 first-round pick Takkarist McKinley. He notched 22 hurries last season, which was more than Beasley (19).
17. New York Jets
2017 ranking: 29
We would like to see a little more diversity in New York's under-25 talent, but it is hard to argue with five defensive starters. Defensive end Leonard Williams and linebacker Jordan Jenkins combined for only 5.0 sacks last season, but they also combined for 50.5 hurries. That usually leads to better sack production the following season. Darron Lee was also active against the run and is a former first-round pick. The Jets started two rookie safeties in Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye. Adams' play was far steadier with great metrics against the run, but that could be the team's starting safety tandem for years to come. They'll just have to come up with more splash plays in coverage, as the duo combined for just two interceptions.
The Jets don't offer much in under-25 offense since wide receiver Robby Anderson turned 25 in May, but they would if quarterback Sam Darnold was guaranteed to be the Week 1 starter. Teams usually go with rookies right away in this era, but Darnold has to battle with Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater. We scored Darnold as a backup for the time being, but he could have the Jets much higher here in the years to come since he's only 21.
18. Pittsburgh Steelers
2017 ranking: 13
Pittsburgh's mastery of drafting wide receivers is well-known, but it was reinforced with JuJu Smith-Schuster's rookie performance last year. He finished No. 1 in DVOA for wide receivers and made the longest catch in the NFL last season (a 97-yard touchdown in Detroit). If rookie James Washington can have a similar impact in replacing Martavis Bryant, then the Steelers are poised to climb up these rankings. There are only so many balls to go around, but tight end Jesse James is still only 24. He would have had an extra touchdown under new catch rules ... maybe.
The Steelers also have been a linebacker factory for decades, and last year's first-round selection of T.J. Watt should only continue to pay off well for the defense. The secondary is where Pittsburgh has struggled over the years, but cornerback Artie Burns showed some improvement in his second season. He still gambles a bit too much, but he is only 23. Safety Sean Davis missed 21 tackles last season, but he is worthy of starting. First-round rookie Terrell Edmunds should be able to contribute this season, but an unheralded player in this secondary is Mike Hilton. The Steelers love to blitz him and no cornerback had more than his eight quarterback knockdowns last season.
The Steelers have a lot of potential to rank higher in 2019 if this secondary continues to develop together and Smith-Schuster avoids a sophomore slump.
19. Oakland Raiders
2017 ranking: 14
You may find it hard to believe that the Raiders have starters under 30 years old, let alone 25, but a few such players exist. A problem was that millennial wide receiver Amari Cooper was ghosting the offense for much of 2017 when he had just 680 receiving yards (210 in one game). Cooper started his career with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, so hopefully last year was just an aberration.
The other offensive player to watch is first-round rookie Kolton Miller. He's expected to take over the left tackle job from veteran Donald Penn, but the future could be the present with Miller practicing in Penn's spot, as the veteran is on the physically unable to perform list.
The secondary is Oakland's most youthful unit. Safety Karl Joseph finished 12th in adjusted success rate last season. 2017 first-round corner Gareon Conley played in only two games last year, but he could have a big impact this season. The Raiders also picked up Daryl Worley, who started 31 games for the Panthers the past two seasons. Mario Edwards Jr. and Eddie Vanderdoes both start along the defensive line, and we could learn a lot quickly about third-round rookie Arden Key as long as the Khalil Mack contract situation lingers.
20. Carolina Panthers
2017 ranking: 16
We can just gloss over head coach Ron Rivera's recent claim that it would be ideal for running back Christian McCaffrey to have 25 to 30 touches per game this season. Running backs just don't do that in the NFL anymore. McCaffrey could see a boost in his rushing production, but he'll likely remain more of a versatile receiving back while C.J. Anderson takes over the Jonathan Stewart role in Carolina.
Wide receiver Devin Funchess stepped up with a career year in his third season and he's still only 24. The team also added D.J. Moore in the first round after drafting Curtis Samuel in the second round a year ago, so this is arguably the deepest receiving corps that Cam Newton has ever had. Funchess doesn't have to be a clear No. 1 in this offense, but the potential is there for his first 1,000-yard season.
Defensively, linebacker Shaq Thompson is entering his fourth year as a starter. He was very strong against the run last season. The secondary is where Carolina needs the most help, and plenty of opportunities should be available to young players for snaps. The Panthers traded with Buffalo for Kevon Seymour last September, but he allowed a few too many big plays (11.2 yards per target). The Panthers had a young starting cornerback in Daryl Worley, but they traded him to the Eagles in March for Torrey Smith. That led to Carolina drafting defensive backs Donte Jackson and Rashaan Gaulden in the second and third rounds. Ross Cockrell's training camp injury could open the door for Jackson to play a big role in 2018.
21. Miami Dolphins
2017 ranking: 4
Miami had one of the largest drops in the rankings after trading away Jay Ajayi (Eagles) and Jarvis Landry (Browns), while DeVante Parker turned 25 in January without a breakout season on his resume yet. The loss of Ajayi isn't a huge one, especially after Kenyan Drake already looked capable down the stretch last season. He just may not be a workhorse with veteran Frank Gore in town. The offense needed help at tight end, and that's what second-round rookie Mike Gesicki out of Penn State should be able to provide. Laremy Tunsil isn't meeting perennial All-Pro standards yet, but he's as much of an asset at left tackle as any player in this study, and is the closest Miami gets to a sure thing for an under-25 starter.
Defensively, cornerback Xavien Howard turning 25 this summer also had a lot to do with the drop in ranking. He's a much better starter than Cordrea Tankersley, who ranked 71st in adjusted success rate last season. Tankersley doesn't turn 25 until November. This year's first-round rookie Minkah Fitzpatrick could immediately start as the nickel corner or a hybrid safety. Charles Harris, a 2017 first-round pick, had 19 hurries as a rookie and should improve on his paltry sack total (2.0) this season.
22. Baltimore Ravens
2017 ranking: 30
Baltimore's recent drafts have been very low on Pro Bowlers, but cornerback Marlon Humphrey had an impressive rookie season. He finished third in coverage success rate. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley has been more than serviceable the past two seasons, and the line did a solid job of blocking for Alex Collins in a breakout season. Collins should be the team's leading rusher again this year. Rookie third-round pick Orlando Brown is a favorite to win the right tackle job.
The Ravens raised some eyebrows in the first round of the draft. Tight end Hayden Hurst was a surprising first-round selection. He's turning 25 in August and is almost 8 months older than Maxx Williams, the 2015 second-round pick who has disappointed so far. For that reason we did not give Baltimore many points for its tight end position, nor did we give much credit for the bust that Breshad Perriman (still 24 years old) has been. We also treated Lamar Jackson as a backup quarterback, though Joe Flacco's days as the starter are clearly numbered. Jackson is a very exciting prospect, and he could raise the Ravens' under-25 ranking by himself in future years.
Where the Ravens could see a boost is if cornerback Tavon Young finds his rookie form, when he looked like a fourth-round steal. Young missed all of 2017 with a torn ACL.
23. Indianapolis Colts
2017 ranking: 24
Since we brought up Baltimore's lack of drafted Pro Bowlers, it is only fair to point out that the Colts haven't drafted any since Andrew Luck and T.Y. Hilton in 2012. Many believe rookie left guard Quenton Nelson is destined for many individual honors in his career, and he is already the team's best under-25 asset. Guards traditionally do not move the needle much, but Nelson should make Luck happier and could provide help to running back Marlon Mack. The Colts should have used Mack more last season as he showed some ability for explosive plays, but Frank Gore won't be in his way this time. Chester Rogers can be a serviceable third wide receiver.
The Colts didn't rank higher since their under-25 starters are largely unproven and at lower-impact positions such as running back, guard (second-round pick Braden Smith could soon join Nelson in the starting lineup) and inside linebacker. Antonio Morrison led the team with 62 stops last year and will be joined in the starting lineup by Anthony Walker this season. Safety Malik Hooker's rookie season was cut short by injury, but he'll have to show much more against both the run and pass than he did in 2017. Cornerback Quincy Wilson posted some impressive coverage numbers (60 percent success rate) in limited action, but he should never be a healthy scratch again going forward.
24. Philadelphia Eagles
2017 ranking: 25
The defending champion Eagles have one of the better-constructed rosters in the league right now. Their ranking reflects that their under-25 talent is more about depth than big difference-makers. It's also a case where Nelson Agholor was born four months too soon and Carson Wentz was older than usual for a first-round quarterback, so they don't qualify.
That leaves the Eagles with just one under-25 first-round pick in Super Bowl hero defensive end Derek Barnett, who had a fine rookie season as part of Philadelphia's great rotation. Running back Corey Clement also had a great Super Bowl performance, but he'll be behind Jay Ajayi (and possibly Darren Sproles) on the depth chart. Second-round rookie tight end Dallas Goedert looks like an interesting pick for the offense, but he's more likely to replace Trey Burton than to overshadow starter Zach Ertz. Defensive tackle Destiny Vaeao and linebacker Nathan Gerry are young but are two of the most marginal starters on the team. Jake Elliott is one of the few under-25 kickers worth noting after his 61-yard game-winning field goal against the Giants last season.
The secondary is where Philadelphia's youth can have its biggest impact with starting cornerbacks Ronald Darby and Jalen Mills. Sidney Jones, once considered a first-round talent, also could have a big impact at nickel back after basically serving a redshirt year recovering from injury.
25. Green Bay Packers
2017 ranking: 22
Green Bay slipped a little in the rankings since the team has had some difficulties with developing running backs and defensive backs in recent years. Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams both showed flashes as rookies and should make up two parts of a backfield trio with Ty Montgomery this season. Someone young also has to step up as Aaron Rodgers' No. 3 wide receiver, whether it's Geronimo Allison or one of the rookies (fourth-round pick J'Mon Moore has been the early standout).
New defensive coordinator Mike Pettine could have a big impact, as he has a couple of clear under-25 starters to work with. Defensive tackle Kenny Clark did not have a sack as a rookie in 2016, but he had 4.5 of them in 2017 while upping his hurries from 8.0 to 14.5. Linebacker Blake Martinez was a tackling machine last season with 84 stops.
The secondary projects to be one of the league's youngest with 2017 second-round picks cornerback Kevin King and safety Josh Jones gearing up for starting jobs. They'll be joined this season by two more high draft picks in Jaire Alexander and Josh Jackson. Alexander could be the starting nickel corner in Week 1.
26. Buffalo Bills
2017 ranking: 7
Despite making the playoffs for the first time this century, no team dropped farther in our rankings than Buffalo, down 19 spots from No. 7 a year ago. Buffalo's continued roster purge means that players we noted a year ago -- Sammy Watkins, Ronald Darby, Preston Brown, Reggie Ragland, Kevon Seymour -- are no longer with the team.
So what's left? Usually an under-25 quarterback is a good thing in this exercise, and Buffalo even has two of them in Josh Allen and Nathan Peterman. However, Buffalo and Denver were the only teams that we actually downgraded for their quarterback based on expectations. Peterman was worse than imagined as a rookie and Allen does terribly in our projections out of college. Pairing either with Zay Jones, who caught just 36.5 percent of his targets as a rookie, sounds like a perfect match for a football game played in hell.
The player who gives us hope in Buffalo is cornerback Tre'Davious White, who had an outstanding rookie year with big splash plays, including four interceptions, 18 passes defensed, and a fumble returned for a score. First-round rookie linebacker Tremaine Edmunds can only hope to have the type of impact that White had last season. The Bills also could see improvement from third-year player Shaq Lawson, and Dion Dawkins improved at left tackle as the season wore on.
27. Cincinnati Bengals
2017 ranking: 26
This is the fourth year in a row that the Bengals have fallen in the under-25 rankings. That speaks to underwhelming drafts, but the main culprits have been at wide receiver. Tyler Boyd and John Ross were high draft picks expected to provide A.J. Green with help, but 2017 did not go according to plan. Ross was active for only three games as a rookie and did not catch a pass, a very frustrating debut for the No. 9 pick in the draft. Things have to get much better with these receivers in 2018.
Running back Joe Mixon did not exactly impress as a rookie, with 3.5 yards per carry, but he at least was functional in the passing game (caught 30 of 34 targets). First-round rookie center Billy Price should help to improve the running game.
The only other projected under-25 starter is nose tackle Andrew Billings, but keep an eye on second-year linebacker Carl Lawson, the No. 1 player on Football Outsiders' annual list of under-the-radar prospects. He really surprised as a rookie, with 8.0 sacks and a combined 44 hits and hurries. The Bengals can only hope that third-round rookie Sam Hubbard (Ohio State) has that type of impact as a depth player this season.
28. Arizona Cardinals
2017 ranking: 31
Leading the way are the team's young defenders in linebacker Haason Reddick and safety Budda Baker. The latter actually earned first-team All-Pro status for his work on special teams last season, but his role in 2018 could be streamlined to focus more on safety, where he ranked 68th in adjusted success rate in coverage.
Left tackle D.J. Humphries has played only 18 of a possible 48 games in his career, but he has at least solidified his starting job on the team. He just needs to stay healthy. Defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche has not lived up to the hype in his first two seasons. He is not guaranteed a starting role and is still looking for his first NFL sack.
Tight end Ricky Seals-Jones made a few plays last season and could be featured at a position that has been hard to fill in Arizona for a long time. Second-round rookie wide receiver Christian Kirk has a good shot to be the team's leading receiver behind Larry Fitzgerald after the departure of John Brown.
Arizona is a hard team to rank since quarterback Josh Rosen would typically give the team a big boost, but Sam Bradford is expected to start in Week 1. Of course, Bradford seasons rarely last long, so we may see Rosen this year under center, but the projection was based on him being a backup as a rookie.
29. Denver Broncos
2017 ranking: 32
Denver loses a lot of ground here for quarterback Paxton Lynch safely riding the bench behind Case Keenum instead of preparing to start the opener of his third season. On the bright side, John Elway's 2018 draft should bring a lot of help. Bradley Chubb was considered the best pass-rusher in the draft and should be the bookend to Von Miller that Shane Ray never turned out to be. Running back Royce Freeman had Football Outsiders' second-highest projection behind only Saquon Barkley in this class. Elway is also hoping to solve the team's lack of a third receiving option with the second-round selection of wideout Courtland Sutton.
As for non-rookies, better health should be beneficial this season. Denver expects to see the NFL debut of tight end Jake Butt, who tore an ACL in college with Michigan in the 2017 Orange Bowl. He has a good chance to be the top tight end on this roster, which has struggled at that position since Julius Thomas left. Denver also traded for safety Su'a Cravens, who sat out all of 2017 with post-concussion symptoms. He can improve the safety position that also features experienced (but still under 25) players such as Justin Simmons (13 starts last year) and Will Parks.
30. Washington Redskins
2017 ranking: 20
Washington's under-25 hopes rest with a pair of Alabama defenders whom we know very little about in the NFL so far. Jonathan Allen was the 17th pick in the 2017 draft, but injury limited him to just five games at defensive end last season. He'll be paired with rookie defensive tackle Da'Ron Payne, another first-round pick this year. It's not clear how much the two will help what was already a solid Washington pass rush, but there's even a third Alabama defender whom the team could use in 2017 second-round pick Ryan Anderson. He'll need to step up after logging just 195 defensive snaps as a rookie.
Offensively, Washington's top wide receiver trio consists of players who are 25 or 26 years old, so the only skill player making the cut is rookie running back Derrius Guice. There are conflicting stories on what made Guice slip to the second round of the draft, but he has the talent to lead the team in rushing this season. He'll just have to split some touches with an excellent receiving back in Chris Thompson and last year's draft pick Samaje Perine.
Washington's ranking could be much higher in 2019, but oddly enough a March trade with Denver was a deciding factor in putting the Redskins a spot below the Broncos. Safety Su'a Cravens was developing nicely as a hybrid linebacker, but he decided to retire a week before the 2017 season for health reasons. He came out of retirement and was traded to Denver, where he should be an asset for that secondary. We also have Bradley Chubb ranked ahead of Allen, and Royce Freeman projected slightly better than Guice in our college running back projection system.
31. Seattle Seahawks
2017 ranking: 23
Seattle has not ranked higher than 21st in our under-25 rankings since 2014. Much of this has to do with Seattle not selecting a player in the first round in four out of five drafts from 2013 to 2017. Many of the picks in the other rounds were not so hot either. For instance, Malik McDowell was Seattle's first draft pick in 2017, taken 35th overall. He was released in late July after an ATV accident last summer ended his career before it ever truly began.
That one may just be bad luck, but 2016 first-round offensive lineman Germain Ifedi has shown the team what bad form looks like. He led the NFL with 20 penalties last season, including nine false starts. Left guard Ethan Pocic also was underwhelming as a rookie, but that gives Seattle two under-25 starters on the line, possibly to the chagrin of scramblin' Russell Wilson.
The main problem here is that Seattle has too much under-25 talent invested at running back after drafting Rashaad Penny in the first round. He can be a good pro, but the Seahawks already have Chris Carson and receiving back C.J. Prosise. We couldn't give them too much credit for overstocking at a position that doesn't move the needle. Seattle needs more stalwart defenders to replace all the ones who have left. Players such as Nazair Jones, Rasheem Green and Shaquem Griffin will get chances this season, but the standout last year was cornerback Shaquill Griffin. He was the most targeted Seahawk in coverage, but he finished 12th in adjusted success rate and eighth in adjusted yards per pass. He'll be under a lot of pressure this year with Richard Sherman gone.
32. New England Patriots
2017 ranking: 17
Maintaining a veteran roster has obviously not stopped the Patriots from getting to Super Bowls, but one has to wonder what's coming down the road when Tom Brady does retire. The Patriots traded away Brandin Cooks to the Rams this offseason, which helped net another first-round pick, but the only player the Patriots drafted higher than 60th from 2015 to 2017 was defensive tackle Malcom Brown. It is no coincidence that Brown projects as New England's main under-25 starter this season. He's a solid player, but no one will confuse him for Richard Seymour or Vince Wilfork. New England declined to pick up Brown's fifth-year option.
First-round rookie left tackle Isaiah Wynn will have a shot at beating Trent Brown for that job, but the line is full of players who are 25 or 26 years old. Wynn could start at left guard too. Sony Michel was New England's second first-round pick this year, but he'll likely just be part of New England's committee backfield rather than a workhorse. The Patriots have some youthful depth on defense with defensive end Deatrich Wise and linebacker Elandon Roberts, but the team has to start seeing something out of cornerback Cyrus Jones (2016 second-round pick) and defensive end Derek Rivers (2017 third-round pick).
The Patriots are dinged a great deal by right guard Shaq Mason, nose tackle Danny Shelton, and defensive end Trey Flowers all turning 25 in August, thus disqualifying them by the slimmest of margins. So it's not like the whole roster is following Brady in age, but the secondary will start three players in their 30s, Rob Gronkowski is 29 and Julian Edelman is 32. The future stars of the Patriots are more likely to be found in various colleges, if not high schools, rather than the lowest depths of the current roster.
Methodology
We wanted to create a ranking that balanced opportunity with performance and potential, so we used the following criteria:
The number of games in 2017 started by players under the age of 25
The number of snaps played in 2017 by players under the age of 25
Whether a team's young starters last season were simply injury replacements
The number of under 25 first-team All-Pros and Pro Bowl players a team has on its roster (All-Pros were given more weight than Pro Bowls)
Positional value (young quarterbacks and positions impacting the passing game carry more weight; backup running backs and kickers are devalued)
The amount of value a team added in the 2018 draft, with a focus on the first two rounds (premium picks)
The expected number of key starters and reserves under the age of 25 in 2018
A team's recent track record of developing and retaining young talent
Players with significant injury or suspension issues in 2018 are downgraded
You'll see a number of references to Football Outsiders stats on our list, in particular DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average), which takes every play and compares its success to the NFL average based on situation and opponent. You can read more about that and other FO stats on this page. Statistics that reference game charting (hurries, blown blocks, and coverage stats) come from the collective efforts of ESPN Stats & Information and Sports Info Solutions, and you can find a lot more of those stats in the newly released Football Outsiders Almanac 2018.