Twenty-six years and six months. No, that's not the average length of a typical NFL replay review (though it certainly feels like it sometimes). It's the average age of all NFL players currently under contract. A whopping 85.6% of those players have yet to turn 30, and 38.2% are under the age of 25.
In this ranking, we're going to focus in on that latter group to identify the future -- and, in some cases, current -- faces of the league. The NFL has become a young man's game, so this was a very hard list to cut down, but these are the league's 25 best players under the age of 25.
To qualify for the list, the player must not have turned 25 before Nov. 18. All stats are through Week 10. Asterisks (*) denote that the player has a fifth-year team option in his contract.
1. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs
Turns 25: Sept. 17, 2020
Signed through: 2021*
Cutting down and ordering this list wasn't easy, but determining who should be No. 1 took less than a second. Mahomes, the reigning MVP and Offensive Player of the Year, joined Peyton Manning as only the second player in NFL history to reach both 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns through the air in a single season. Of course, Manning hit those marks in his 15th NFL season, and Mahomes did it before making his 18th start.
Injuries and some anticipated touchdown regression to the mean have put Mahomes on pace for 4,596 yards and 32 scores in his second full NFL season, but his career 112.5 passer rating is easily highest in league history. There's little doubt that he is the league's most dangerous player.
2. Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
Turns 25: Jan. 7, 2022
Signed through: 2022*
Say what you want about Jackson's inconsistencies as a passer, but he is a difference-maker on every snap. Despite starting only seven games as a rookie, he set the single-season quarterback record with 147 carries, totaling 695 yards and five scores. In 2019, Jackson is on his way to easily breaking his own record with a 16-game pace of 188 carries, 1,248 yards and 10.7 touchdowns. And that's just with his legs. Jackson has tossed 15 touchdown passes, is completing 62.8% of his passes (up from 58.2% in 2018) and is averaging 8.0 yards per attempt.
Sure, Jackson isn't as polished as some other top quarterbacks, but his combination of passing and rushing contributions cements him as one of the most dangerous players in the league. The 2016 Heisman Trophy winner and 2018 first-round pick is squarely in the MVP discussion this season.
3. Deshaun Watson, QB, Houston Texans
Turns 25: Sept. 14, 2020
Signed through: 2021*
If not for Mahomes and Jackson, Watson would undoubtedly be getting significantly more attention as one of the league's newest superstars. He is the only player in NFL history to reach 8,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards before making his 32nd NFL start (he's at 8,296 and 1,099, respectively). He doesn't get enough credit for his passing effectiveness, as his career average depth of throw (9.2) is well above league average and he has completed 67.6% of those throws. Watson's career 104.3 passer rating trails only Mahomes' for best in league history.
Add that to his rushing prowess and Watson is unquestionably one of the league's best players -- not just best "young" players. He's on the short list for the MVP award this season.
4. Myles Garrett, EDGE, Cleveland Browns
Turns 25: Dec. 29, 2020
Signed through: 2021*
The No. 1 pick in the 2017 draft, Garrett has been a dominant pass-rusher since entering the league. He began the season with 20.5 sacks in 27 career games and is tied for third in the league with 10 sacks this season. The 6-foot-4, 272-pound Garrett has played 82% of Cleveland's snaps and is fifth in the league in pass-rush wins (45). Garrett generated 12 tackles for loss during the entire 2018 season but is already up to 13 in 2019, which is tied for third in the league.
Already an All-Pro and Pro Bowler during his age-22 season, Garrett is just now approaching his peak. We likely won't see him on the field again until at least the 2020 season because of last week's indefinite suspension, but Garrett is nonetheless arguably the league's best edge rusher.
5. Quenton Nelson, G, Indianapolis Colts
Turns 25: March 19, 2021
Signed through: 2022*
The lone offensive lineman on our list, Nelson has been the driving force for the emergence of the Colts' line as one of the league's best units. The Notre Dame product has been on the field for all but one of Indianapolis' offensive snaps since he was selected with the sixth pick of the 2018 draft. His 94.1% pass block win rate ranked 11th among guards during his rookie season and sits at 93.7% (11th best) this season.
Nelson was named to the Pro Bowl and was a first-team All-Pro during an outstanding rookie season, and he's on track for significantly more award recognition over the next decade.
6. Joey Bosa, EDGE, Los Angeles Chargers
Turns 25: July 11, 2020
Signed through: 2020*
Bosa, the No. 3 pick in the 2016 draft, has already had two of his four pro seasons shortened by injuries, but he has been a major disrupter when on the field. The former Defensive Rookie of the Year entered 2019 with 28.5 sacks in 35 games, and he sits at 8.5 sacks through 10 games this season. His 32 pass-rush wins ranks 18th in the league. Bosa's 48 tackles are most among edge rushers, and he paces the entire league with 14.5 tackles for loss.
He has been on the field for 87% of Los Angeles' defensive snaps and has been a dominant presence even with counterpart Melvin Ingram missing time. Bosa will be terrorizing offensive linemen and quarterbacks for years to come.
7. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers
Turns 25: June 7, 2021
Signed through: 2021*
Running backs might not be the most valuable asset in the NFL, but this is a "best players" exercise, and McCaffrey fits that bill. The versatile Stanford product is known for his elite receiving skills (235 receptions for 1,914 yards and 14 touchdowns in 41 career games), but he has emerged as a highly effective rusher over the past season and a half (5.16 yards per carry).
During a breakout 2018 season, McCaffrey played an almost unheard of 97% of Carolina's snaps before resting in Week 17. He finished 10th among running backs in rushing attempts (219) and was first in targets (124), receptions (107) and receiving yards (867). This season, McCaffrey is no lower than second at the position in snaps (545), touches (234), scrimmage yards (1,385) and touchdowns (14).
A second-team All-Pro in 2018, McCaffrey is having a dominant 2019 season sure to earn him several MVP votes.
8. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants
Turns 25: Feb. 7, 2022
Signed through: 2022*
Barkley has lived up to expectations since he was taken at No. 2 in the 2018 draft. The Penn State product is an undisputed workhorse, playing over 80% of the Giants' offensive snaps during two-thirds of his 23 games. He ranked second among running backs in carries (261) and receptions (91), and he finished first in scrimmage yards (2,028) during a Pro Bowl rookie season that saw him take home Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
An injury has limited Barkley to only six full games this season, though only four backs have more scrimmage yards during the weeks he has been active. Though McCaffrey's more productive 2019 season has him ahead on this list, you could make the case that Barkley is the NFL's best running back.
9. Jamal Adams, S, New York Jets
Turns 25: Oct. 17, 2020
Signed through: 2021*
Some trade deadline drama aside, Adams has been quiet while operating as one of the league's most productive safeties over the past three seasons. The No. 6 pick from the 2017 draft ranks fourth among safeties in tackles (249), stands first in tackles for loss (28) and forced fumbles (six), and has a pair of interceptions since entering the league. Incredibly, he has been on the field for 2,568 (or 99.2%) of the Jets' 2,714 defensive snaps since he was drafted.
The LSU product was a second-team All-Pro in 2018. It's possible the disconnect with the Jets' front office will lead to a trade during the offseason, but Adams will be a major force wherever he suits up in 2020 and beyond.
10. Darius Leonard, LB, Indianapolis Colts
Turns 25: July 27, 2020
Signed through: 2021
Chris Ballard has crushed it since taking over as the Colts' general manager after the 2016 season, and one of his best finds was Leonard with the 36th overall pick of the 2018 draft. Leonard immediately stepped in as a full-time player and went on to lead the NFL in tackles while also racking up seven sacks, which was the most by an off-ball linebacker. He was not only the Defensive Rookie of the Year but also a first-team All Pro.
Injuries have limited Leonard to six games in his sophomore season, but he has remained a force with 60 tackles (fourth most in the league during those six weeks), three sacks and two interceptions. Leonard has played at least 98% of the Colts' defensive snaps during all but one of his 22 games. Now back in full from the injury, Leonard is locked in as the long-term quarterback of the Colts' defense.
11. Marlon Humphrey, CB, Baltimore Ravens
Turns 25: July 8, 2021
Signed through: 2021*
Baltimore has made the cornerback position a priority in recent years, and Humphrey has emerged as arguably the best of the bunch in a group that also includes Jimmy Smith, Marcus Peters and Brandon Carr. Humphrey was a situational player early in his career, but his role has grown to the point that he has been on the field for 98% of Baltimore's defensive snaps this season. Humphrey's six interceptions ranks 33rd since he was drafted and his 35 passes defensed ranks sixth.
Humphrey deserves additional credit for his versatility and ability to competently shadow opposing star receivers. Unlike some top corners, he plays both sides of the field and the slot. He has shadowed the likes of T.Y. Hilton and Antonio Brown during his first two seasons, and has traveled with Sammy Watkins, Odell Beckham Jr., JuJu Smith-Schuster and Tyler Lockett already this season. Humphrey doesn't have the awards or get the recognition of many others on this list, but that won't be the case for long, as he has established himself as one of the best corners in the game.
12. Marshon Lattimore, CB, New Orleans Saints
Turns 25: May 20, 2021
Signed through: 2021*
We're going to kick off a Saints run here with Lattimore, who has paid off in a big way since the team selected him with the No. 11 pick in 2017. An immediate starter, he racked up five interceptions (fifth in the league) and 18 passes defensed (sixth) in his first season en route to winning the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Lattimore's effectiveness has been inconsistent throughout his career, but a lot has been asked of him as New Orleans' primary answer for opposing star wide receivers.
Lattimore shadowed -- at least part time -- in nine games as a rookie and 10 games in 2018, and he has already shadowed DeAndre Hopkins, Amari Cooper, Mike Evans, DJ Chark Jr., Allen Robinson and Julio Jones in 2019. That includes a three-week stretch in which he all but shut down Cooper (5-48-0 receiving line), Evans (3-0-0) and Chark (3-43-0). Lattimore ranks fifth among cornerbacks in passes defensed (10) and 23rd in tackles (38) this season. He's on a short list of shadow corners to be feared on a week-to-week basis.
13. Marcus Williams, S, New Orleans Saints
Turns 25: Sept. 8, 2021
Signed through: 2020
Williams comes in one spot lower than Lattimore after being drafted one round after his teammate during New Orleans' franchise-altering 2017 draft. Williams is infamous for being on the short end of the Minneapolis Miracle, but that should not overshadow the fact that he has emerged as one of the league's top safeties. Williams has been a near-every-down player since his debut and easily leads Saints defenders in snaps played since he was drafted 42nd.
Williams' nine interceptions rank fourth among safeties during the time he has been in the league, and he has added 158 tackles along the way. Williams is third at the position in interceptions (three) and first in passes defensed (10) this season. New Orleans' star free safety has played all but three of the team's defensive snaps. Lattimore is the youngest of the three safeties on our list.
14. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints
Turns 25: Aug. 25, 2020
Signed through: 2020
Let's keep the Saints train rolling with Kamara, who was the fourth player picked in the spectacular 2017 draft class that also included offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk. Kamara has emerged as one of the league's most dangerous offensive weapons. He has done it with terrific efficiency (career 4.97 yards per carry, 7.4 yards per target), touchdown production (33 scores in 38 games) and receiving volume (81 receptions in each of his first two seasons and on pace for 82 this season).
If we had to find a knock on Kamara, it'd be that he doesn't play quite as voluminous a role as a rusher as some of his counterparts on this list, having yet to clear 200 carries in a season (he's on pace for 180 this season). But again, what Kamara lacks in workhorse volume he certainly makes up for with efficiency. He's one of the key pieces in one of the league's highest-scoring offenses.
15. Derwin James, S, Los Angeles Chargers
Turns 25: Aug. 3, 2021
Signed through: 2022*
James has yet to play a down this season because of a foot injury, but he did enough damage as a rookie to warrant a spot on this list. The No. 17 pick in the 2018 draft played all but eight of the Chargers' defensive snaps (including two playoff games) and was a first-team All-Pro as a rookie. James was a wrecking ball at the strong safety position, racking up 105 tackles (sixth among defensive backs), 3.5 sacks (third) and three interceptions (17th).
James is expected back after the Chargers' Week 12 bye and will immediately slot in as one of the league's most feared safeties.
16. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys
Turns 25: July 22, 2020
Signed through: 2026 season
Since entering the league in 2016, Elliott leads the NFL in carries (1,046) and rushing yards (4,836), and his average of 4.62 yards per carry trails only those of Mark Ingram II and Christian McCaffrey among 22 backs with 500-plus carries during the span.
So why is Elliott not higher than 16th on the list? Underwhelming usage and production in the passing game. After posting catch totals of 32 and 26 during his first two seasons, Elliott saw a big boost in targets and caught 77 passes in 2018. That hasn't carried over to 2019 -- he has been held to 192 yards on 26 receptions.
Nevertheless, Elliott is one of the game's few workhorses in one of the league's run-heaviest offenses. His holdout-fueled offseason contract extension locks him in as Dallas' long-term feature back.
17. Juju Smith-Schuster, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
Turns 25: Nov. 22, 2021
Signed through: 2020 season
Smith-Schuster's 2019 season has been derailed by Ben Roethlisberger's season-ending injury, but we shouldn't let that overshadow just how outstanding he has been in his career. Last season, he produced one of the best seasons by a second-year receiver, pacing the position in pass routes, while finishing seventh or higher in targets (166), receptions (111) and receiving yards (1,426). That catch total is tied for 35th all time in a single season. The unbelievable part? Smith-Schuster hasn't even turned 23. In fact, he holds the NFL record for most receiving yards before celebrating his 22nd birthday (1,972).
Even with the likes of Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges behind center, Smith-Schuster is on pace for a 64/894/5 receiving line this season. He has shown he can produce without Antonio Brown and Roethlisberger and, considering his age, might not have shown us his best work yet.
18. Nick Bosa, EDGE, San Francisco 49ers
Turns 25: Oct. 23, 2022
Signed through: 2023 season*
Our top 25 includes only one rookie, but it does include two Bosa brothers, and Nick is the only one who fits under both banners. There were many strong rookie candidates for this list, though it is tough to justify including them considering we're roughly midway through their first professional season. That said, Bosa has been such a dominant force on the edge for San Francisco that we can look past the sample size a bit and give him some well-earned recognition.
Despite missing most offseason activities, including the entire preseason, he has seven sacks (ninth most among edge rushers), 29 pass-rush wins (22nd) and 12.5 tackles for loss (fifth) on only 352 snaps (51st). A high-pedigree 49ers' defense has finally flourished into an elite unit this season, and Bosa has been a driving force behind that emergence.
19. Kenny Clark, DT, Green Bay Packers
Turns 25: Oct. 4, 2020
Signed through: 2020 season*
Clark is unheralded as an interior defensive lineman in a Packers defense that hadn't been particularly effective during his tenure before 2019. That shouldn't take away from the fact he has lived up to his first-round pedigree and then some. Clark played a limited role as a 21-year-old rookie in 2016, but totaled 10.5 sacks and 110 tackles (14 for a loss) during outstanding 2017 and 2018 campaigns. Clark was the ninth-highest-graded interior defensive lineman at Pro Football Focus in both of those seasons.
He has been held to 1.5 sacks this season, but his 22 pass-rush wins is tied for seventh among interior defensive linemen. Clark's dominance in the trenches has helped Green Bay take a step forward as a unit in 2019.
20. Yannick Ngakoue, Jacksonville Jaguars
Turns 25: March 31, 2020
Signed through: 2019 season
Ngakoue has been a machine for the Jaguars since they selected him in the third round of the 2016 draft. The Maryland product generated a franchise-record eight sacks as a 21-year-old rookie en route to earning a trip to the Pro Bowl, as well as a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team. Ngakoue didn't take his foot off the pedal after the strong rookie campaign, reaching nine sacks in each of the next two seasons. In fact, his 29.5 sacks through three seasons ranks third all time.
He has "only" four sacks this season, but he missed one game with an injury and still sits 21st in the NFL in pass-rush wins (31). Ngakoue continues to wreak havoc on quarterbacks in what has been one of the league's best defenses since his arrival.
21. Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings
Turns 25: Aug. 10, 2020
Signed through: 2020 season
Cook would not have been close to being on this list during the offseason, but it wasn't his fault. The 2017 second-round pick's first two seasons were derailed by various injuries (including a torn ACL), which limited him to 1,364 scrimmage yards in 15 games. It's safe to say those concerns are a thing of the past with his dominance so far in 2019.
Cook currently leads all running backs in rushing attempts (203), rushing yards (991), touches (243) and scrimmage yards (1,415), and he sits no lower than third in rushing touchdowns (10) and receiving yards (424). Cook averaged at least 4.6 yards per carry during each of his first two seasons, but his 4.9 yards per carry in 2019 is 11th best at the position. Cook is an emerging workhorse, having played 71% of the offensive snaps, while handling 20.3 carries and 4.8 targets per game. He is a key contributor to a Minnesota offense that is fifth in touchdowns (3.1 per game) and is the second-most run-heavy offense in the league.
22. Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Turns 25: Feb. 27, 2021
Signed through: 2020 season
Godwin was a relatively unheralded third-round pick in 2017, but he has emerged as a force. Inexplicably a part-time player during his first two NFL seasons, he put up a strong 59/842/7 receiving line in 2018 despite seeing the field on only 56% of the team's pass plays.
The restraints are off in 2019. New coach Bruce Arians converted Godwin to a slot receiver and has had him on the field for 96% of the team's offensive snaps. The Penn State product has run a league-high 368 pass routes and has already put up a 60/840/6 receiving line, ranking no lower than sixth among receivers in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns. Godwin's efficiency has been as good as his volume, as his 73% catch rate and 10.2 yards per target rank seventh at the position. He might not even be the best wide receiver on his own team, but he and superstar Mike Evans certainly combine to form arguably the league's best duo at the position.
23. Jaire Alexander, CB, Green Bay Packers
Turns 25: Feb. 9, 2022
Signed through: 2022 season*
Alexander has only two interceptions during his first 22 NFL games, but don't let that cloud your judgment on just how effective he has been in his young career. The No. 18 pick from 2018 struggled with injuries as a rookie but flashed some serious upside when active. That's despite several tough assignments, including shadow coverage against Adam Thielen, Julio Jones and Robby Anderson. He also racked up 66 tackles (third among rookie corners) despite missing three games and was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.
Alexander's health has held up in 2019 -- he has been on the field for all but 10 of Green Bay's defensive snaps -- and he has taken yet another step forward while handling shadow duties against Emmanuel Sanders, Amari Cooper and Marvin Jones. Cooper got the best of him, but receivers aligned across from Alexander have otherwise been limited to a 31/409/0 receiving line on 63 targets. Alexander is quickly blooming into one of the league's elite shadow corners.
24. Jaylon Smith, LB, Dallas Cowboys
Turns 25: June 14, 2020
Signed through: 2025 season
Smith has had quite the journey to NFL prominence. Considered a top-five NFL prospect while at Notre Dame, his playing future was put in jeopardy when he suffered a brutal knee injury with nerve damage in his final collegiate game. Dallas took a shot on the high-ceiling prospect in the second round of the 2016 draft, though he was unable to make his NFL debut until 2017.
After playing a situational role in 2017, Smith racked up 121 tackles while playing 95% of the defensive snaps during a breakout 2018 campaign. He was rewarded with a five-year, $64 million contract extension this past August. Smith has picked up where he left off, with 81 tackles (ninth most in the league) and 2.5 sacks so far this season. He'll be the anchor for the Dallas defense for years to come.
25. Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens
Turns 25: Sept. 6, 2020
Signed through: 2021 season
Andrews wasn't even the first tight end selected by his own team in the 2018 draft, but nevertheless, he's the only tight end on our list. The third-round pick out of Oklahoma quickly eclipsed first-rounder Hayden Hurst on his way to emerging as one of the league's best tight ends.
Andrews does most of his damage as a pass-catcher. He's averaging 7.4 targets per game -- a massive 27% team share -- and has been targeted at least seven times in all but one of Baltimore's nine games this season. Andrews ranks no lower than sixth at the position in targets, receptions, yards and touchdowns. A downfield force, Andrews' 9.8 average depth of target ranks second among tight ends. With Lamar Jackson locked in at quarterback -- and his affinity for throwing to tight ends -- Andrews is set up well for many years of high-end production.
Honorable mentions
S Malik Hooker, LB Leighton Vander Esch, OT Braden Smith, RB Aaron Jones, DT Vita Vea, DT Da'Shawn Hand, S Minkah Fitzpatrick, TE Hunter Henry, WR DJ Chark Jr., WR DJ Moore, LB Roquan Smith, RB Nick Chubb, EDGE Harold Landry, CB Tre'Davious White, WR Courtland Sutton, LB Myles Jack, S Keanu Neal, CB Denzel Ward, S Desmond King, EDGE Marcus Davenport, DT Taven Bryan, OT Brian O'Neill, OC Frank Ragnow, RB Austin Ekeler, RB Joe Mixon, RB Marlon Mack, RB James Conner, RB Leonard Fournette, EDGE Bradley Chubb, QB Baker Mayfield, OT Orlando Brown, OG Will Hernandez, WR Calvin Ridley
Rookies to watch: RB Josh Jacobs, QB Gardner Minshew, QB Kyler Murray, OC Erik McCoy, EDGE Brian Burns, EDGE Josh Allen, DT Quinnen Williams, DT Dexter Lawrence, WR Terry McLaurin, WR A.J. Brown, WR DK Metcalf, WR Diontae Johnson, QB Daniel Jones, OC Garrett Bradbury, LB Devin Bush, S Darnell Savage Jr.