NFL teams don't need young talent to be serious contenders, but having it helps indicate their potential for long-term success. Blue-chip players are cornerstone assets from whom teams will likely derive their biggest future value.
For the third straight year, the Houston Texans are No. 1 on this list of teams with the most under-25 talent, which is what happens when they trade up to get the top two picks in the draft and take two players who are very young. Quarterback C.J. Stroud and edge rusher Will Anderson Jr., who were both drafted in 2023, are two of the league's most valuable young players -- even with Stroud's numbers taking a hit last season.
A year ago, the Texans were way ahead of everyone else when it came to ranking talent under 25 years old. Now, things are much closer between Houston and the other teams near the top. Here are our rankings (all ages are as of Sept. 1):
Jump to a team:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH
Methodology
As is our standard, we have created these rankings based on a combination of factors:
Number of starts made by players under 25 years old
Number of snaps played by players under 25 years old
Quality of play by players under 25 years old, age-adjusted to capture the fact that a 21-year-old player of X ability will likely improve more than a 23-year-old player of X ability -- and with extra consideration given to Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections
Value and length of player contracts
Relative importance of positions, with quarterbacks being more important and running backs, off-ball linebackers and specialists being less important than other positions
Draft value added in the 2025 draft, particularly in the first three rounds
Expected key starters and reserves under 25 years old for teams in 2025
Significant injuries or suspensions that will affect the 2025 availability of players under 25 years old
1. Houston Texans
2024 ranking: 1
Blue-chip players: QB C.J. Stroud, Edge Will Anderson Jr., CB Derek Stingley Jr., CB Kamari Lassiter
Notable graduated players: WR Tank Dell, OL Juice Scruggs
Stroud's birthday is Oct. 3 and Anderson's is Sept. 2, and both players will turn 24. The former first-rounders had standout rookie seasons, with Stroud and Anderson taking home 2023 NFL Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, respectively. Stroud threw for 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns, and Anderson had 45 tackles and seven sacks.
The Texans also have a ton of youth in the secondary, including three starters. Stingley, who made first-team All-Pro last season, is still just 24. The other outside cornerback, Lassiter, is 22 years old, and so is free safety Calen Bullock.
Other young players include 24-year-old starting linebacker Henry To'oTo'o and this year's draft picks, including 23-year-old offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery, 22-year-old wide receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel and 21-year-old cornerback Jaylin Smith.
2. Seattle Seahawks
2024 ranking: 10
Blue-chip players: CB Devon Witherspoon, DT Byron Murphy II, WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Notable graduated players: None
The Seahawks climb eight spots on our list for a few reasons. First, 23-year-old Smith-Njigba had a breakout 2024 season, catching 100 passes for 1,130 yards and six touchdowns. Second, they drafted a young quarterback in Jalen Milroe -- and even young quarterbacks from the third round have value here. And third, they added a whole year of draft picks without having any important players age out of consideration for this list.
Other than Smith-Njigba, the best of the Seahawks' young players is 24-year-old slot cornerback Witherspoon. In his first two seasons, Witherspoon has recorded 177 tackles, 4 sacks and 25 passes defensed. The rest of the young defense includes last year's first-round pick, 22-year-old Murphy, as well as 24-year-old edge rusher Derick Hall and 21-year-old second-round rookie safety Nick Emmanwori.
The Seahawks also have more youth on offense with 24-year-old running backs Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet, plus the left side of the offensive line, where left tackle Charles Cross and left guard rookie Grey Zabel are both under age 25.
3. Washington Commanders
2024 ranking: 18
Blue-chip players: QB Jayden Daniels, OL Brandon Coleman
Notable graduated players: FS Quan Martin
This rank is not all Daniels... but it is very heavily Daniels. The 24-year-old quarterback replaced Stroud as the most valuable young player in the NFL after his dominant rookie season. He ranked fourth in the NFL in QBR (70.6), tied for 10th in touchdowns (25) and threw for 3,568 yards.
On offense, Daniels is joined by 24-year-old Coleman, who will move from left tackle to left guard this season, plus 21-year-old rookie tackle Josh Conerly Jr. The Commanders have some young skill players, too, with wide receiver Luke McCaffrey (24) and tight end Ben Sinnott (23).
The Washington defense features less young talent than the offense, but the highlights are cornerback Mike Sainristil, who is 24, and defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton, the 23-year-old who will replace veteran Jonathan Allen.
4. New York Giants
2024 rankings: 13
Blue-chip players: WR Malik Nabers, Edge Abdul Carter, QB Jaxson Dart, Edge Kayvon Thibodeaux
Notable graduated players: RB Tyrone Tracy Jr., LB Micah McFadden
The Giants' young talent includes a strong core with the four players named above, as well as a long tail of underperformers who still have the potential to develop into key starters.
Dart, this year's first-round pick, turned 22 in May. He'll be throwing to Nabers, who ranked an incredible sixth in the ESPN receiver tracking metrics as a 21-year-old rookie! Wan'Dale Robinson is in the slot at age 24, while starting tight end Theo Johnson is also 24.
On defense, there are two young edge rushers. Thibodeaux is in his fourth NFL season and still won't turn 25 until Dec. 15. Carter, the No. 3 pick in this year's draft, is 21. The secondary features two 24-year-olds in safety Tyler Nubin and cornerback Deonte Banks, plus 23-year-old slot cornerback Dru Phillips.
In terms of young players who could still blossom, the Giants will try 24-year-old former first-round pick Evan Neal at guard this season. Deep threat Jalin Hyatt is still 23, while tight end Daniel Bellinger, who started eight games last season, is 24. Cornerback Cor'Dale Flott and safety Dane Belton are both in their fourth NFL seasons and combined to start 16 games in 2024. Flott doesn't turn 25 until next August, while Belton turns 25 in December.
David Newton highlights the training camp debuts of Panthers rookies Princely Umanmielen and Nic Scourton.
5. Chicago Bears
2024 ranking: 5
Blue-chip players: QB Caleb Williams, WR Rome Odunze, OT Darnell Wright, TE Colston Loveland
Notable graduated players: CB Kyler Gordon, CB Tyrique Stevenson
Teams with young quarterbacks will all appear high on this list, but so will teams that just used a bunch of draft picks. After using the No. 1 pick on 23-year-old Caleb Williams last year, Chicago took four players in the first two rounds this past April.
On offense, Williams is joined by fellow 23-year-old Odunze, who caught 54 passes for 734 yards last season. Wright is 24. Then, you have the rookies: first-rounder Loveland is 21, as is second-round wide receiver Luther Burden III. Second-round offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo turns 24 in October. The other 2025 second-round pick is defensive tackle Shemar Turner. The 22-year-old will play with Gervon Dexter Sr., who is still just 23 after two seasons in the NFL.
6. Detroit Lions
2024 ranking: 2
Blue-chip players: OT Penei Sewell, CB Terrion Arnold, WR Jameson Williams, TE Sam LaPorta, DB Brian Branch, FS Kerby Joseph, RB Jahmyr Gibbs
Notable graduated players: Edge Aidan Hutchinson, LB Jack Campbell
The Lions drop a couple of spots because Hutchinson has aged out of our list, but they still have a ton of blue-chip talent.
Detroit will probably drop further in 2026, because a lot of these players are 24 years old. That starts with Sewell, who was a first-team All-Pro for two straight seasons. Williams and LaPorta are also both 24, combining for over 1,700 receiving yards a season ago. The most notable 24-year-old on defense is first-team All-Pro Joseph, who had nine interceptions in 2024.
However, some of the Detroit blue chips will still count for this list a year from now. Gibbs, 23, was second in the NFL in FTN Fantasy's rushing DYAR (defense-adjusted yards above replacement) metric with 20 combined rushing and receiving touchdowns. Safety/slot defender Branch is also 23, while Arnold is 22.
The Lions also have their rookies. While second-round guard Tate Ratledge is 24, first-round defensive tackle Tyleik Williams is 22 and third-round receiver Isaac TeSlaa is 23.
7. New England Patriots
2024 ranking: 25
Blue-chip players: QB Drake Maye, CB Christian Gonzalez, OT Will Campbell
Notable graduated players: None
Here's an up-and-coming collection of young talent: the all-new, all-different Patriots! Maye is a very promising young quarterback talent who turns 23 on Aug. 30. He ranked 17th in QBR (58.6) last season despite subpar receiver and offensive line play.
But young talent is here to save the offense. First-round rookie Campbell is 21 years old. Third-round rookie center Jared Wilson is 22. At receiver, the Patriots have 22-year-old rookie Kyle Williams, plus the 23-year-old Kayshon Boutte and 24-year-old DeMario Douglas. They may even be able to get something out of 2024 second-round pick, Ja'Lynn Polk, who had a troubling rookie season but is 23 years old with plenty of potential.
One more leading young player is 23-year-old Gonzalez, the second-team All-Pro who covered opposing No. 1 receivers more often than any other corner in the league last season.
However, the Patriots have much less young talent on the defensive side of the ball. They concentrated their early draft picks this year on offense and picked up most of their new defenders in free agency. Even in the 2024 draft, the Patriots selected only one defensive player: sixth-round cornerback Marcellas Dial Jr., who turns 25 in December.
8. Jacksonville Jaguars
2024 ranking: 7
Blue-chip players: WR Brian Thomas Jr., WR/CB Travis Hunter, OT Anton Harrison, Edge Travon Walker
Notable graduated players: QB Trevor Lawrence
Did I give Hunter extra credit when compiling the values that were the basis for this ranking? Yes, of course I did. Did I know how much extra credit I should be giving the Jaguars for Hunter playing both ways? No, of course I did not, because none of us knows how it is going to go. But it is going to be fascinating and a lot of fun to watch.
Even if the 22-year-old Hunter could only play one way, he would be lining up at wide receiver across from another 22-year-old Thomas, who had 1,282 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns as a rookie.
The Jaguars' offense also starts 23-year-old Harrison and 24-year-old tight end Brenton Strange. Tank Bigsby gets a lot of the running back work, and he just barely counts as 24 (his birthday is Aug. 30, so he's still 23 as this article publishes).
On defense, the main young player is 2022 No. 1 selection Walker, who will turn 25 in December. Across three seasons in Jacksonville, Walker has amassed 24 sacks, 162 tackles and 20.5 stuffs. The other planned starter under age 25 is defensive tackle Maason Smith, who turns 23 in October.
9. Tennessee Titans
2024 ranking: 22
Blue-chip players: CB Cameron Ward, OT JC Latham, DT T'Vondre Sweat
Notable graduated players: TE Chig Okonkwo
This year's No. 1 selection, Ward, turned 23 years old in May and leads the young talent for the Titans. The players protecting him on the offensive line include 22-year-old Latham at right tackle and 24-year-old Peter Skoronski at left guard. However, the many young players in Nashville absolutely do not include the wide receivers, as 29-year-old Van Jefferson is the youngest of the Titans' starting group.
Tennessee would appear higher on this list if there were more young talent on the defensive side of the ball. That group is highlighted by two 24-year-olds: defensive tackle Sweat and cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. Rookie edge rusher Oluwafemi Oladejo turns 22 in September, while rookie safety Kevin Winston Jr. turns 22 in December.
10. Los Angeles Chargers
2024 ranking: 15
Blue-chip players: OT Joe Alt, WR Ladd McConkey, WR Quentin Johnston, CB Tarheeb Still
Notable graduated players: G Zion Johnson, LB Daiyan Henley, DL Otito Ogbonnia
The Chargers may be younger than most realize. Alt, who ranked fourth among tackles in pass block win rate (94.3%) as a rookie, is 22 years old. McConkey, who also starred last season as a rookie with 1,149 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, is 23 years old.
Fellow wide receiver Johnston has disappointed a bit in his two NFL seasons after being a first-round pick in 2023, but he's also just 23. Second-round rookie receiver Tre Harris turned 23 in February, and first-round rookie running back Omarion Hampton turned 22 in March.
On defense, the Chargers will be starting two young cornerbacks. Still, 23, was outstanding as a rookie, ranking in the top 10 in my coverage DVOA metric. Cam Hart, who will play on the outside when Still is in the slot, doesn't turn 25 until December. Edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu is another Chargers starter who is very young given his experience, as he has already played two NFL seasons but doesn't turn 23 until Sept. 3.
11. Las Vegas Raiders
2024 ranking: 31
Blue-chip players: TE Brock Bowers, RB Ashton Jeanty
Notable graduated players: Edge Tyree Wilson
Most of the young talent in Las Vegas is on the offensive side of the ball. The biggest name is 22-year-old Bowers, of course, who set the NFL record for most receptions (112) by a rookie tight end in 2024. His running mate, tight end Michael Mayer, just turned 24 in early July.
Rookie star back Jeanty is 21 years old and comes in with high expectations after being a 2024 Heisman Trophy finalist. The Raiders will also start two young wide receivers this season. Third-year receiver Tre Tucker is 24 years old, and the Raiders will also start either second-round pick Jack Bech or fourth-round pick Dont'e Thornton Jr., who are both 22 years old.
The Raiders also have youth on the offensive line with starting center Jackson Powers-Johnson (22) and starting right tackle DJ Glaze (23), plus two third-round rookies in tackle Charles Grant (23) and guard Caleb Rogers (23).
There is less young talent on the defense, as cornerback Darien Porter might start as a third-round rookie but he's already 24.
12. Carolina Panthers
2024 ranking: 19
Blue-chip players: QB Bryce Young, WR Tetairoa McMillan
Notable graduated players: CB Jaycee Horn
Young ended last season on a high note after struggling the season prior as a rookie. He finished 2024 with 2,403 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Young just turned 24 on July 25, and he'll be throwing to three receivers under 25: 2025 first-round pick McMillan (22), 2024 first-rounder Xavier Legette (24) and 2024 UDFA Jalen Coker (23). There's also 22-year-old tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders and left tackle Ikem Ekwonu, who has been in the league three years but won't turn 25 until Oct. 31.
Inside linebacker Trevin Wallace started eight games last season and is only 22 years old. So is nickelback Chau Smith-Wade, and free safety Demani Richardson is 24. The defense also features rookies such as edge rushers Nic Scourton (21) and Princely Umanmielen (23).
Pat McAfee reacts to a photo of Anthony Richardson showing up to Colts training camp looking better than ever.
13. Kansas City Chiefs
2024 ranking: 14
Blue-chip players: WR Xavier Worthy, CB Trent McDuffie
Notable graduated players: WR Rashee Rice, FS Bryan Cook
Kansas City's talent under 25 generally comes in three categories: extremely valuable players, guys who didn't make it but still might and this year's draft picks.
The first group starts off with second-team All-Pro McDuffie, who played more on the outside last season after making the first All-Pro team as a slot corner in 2023. He's still 24 but turns 25 on Sept. 13. Edge rusher George Karlaftis is also 24, and Worthy, who broke out in the second half of last season, is 22.
The second group begins with two failed left tackles. Last year's second-round pick, Kingsley Suamataia, might move to guard in 2025, but he's still just 22 years old and has plenty of time to improve. Wanya Morris, who started 11 games last season but will now be on the bench, is 24 years old.
The Chiefs are still waiting to get more out of 2023 first-round edge rusher Felix Anudike-Uzomah, 23, who has just three sacks in two NFL seasons. And wide receiver Skyy Moore, who has played three NFL seasons, is 24.
The third group is highlighted by first-round left tackle Josh Simmons, who is 22 years old. Second-round defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott is 23, and both third-round picks, edge Ashton Gillotte and cornerback Nohl Williams, are 22.
14. Philadelphia Eagles
2024 ranking: 29
Blue-chip players: DL Jalen Carter, CB Quinyon Mitchell
Notable graduated players: DT Jordan Davis, WR Jahan Dotson
The Super Bowl champion Eagles had the No. 1 defense in the league by DVOA last season, and much of the improvement on that side of the ball was driven by young talent.
That starts with the two then-rookie cornerbacks. Mitchell is now 24 and Cooper DeJean is only 22. Mitchell had 46 tackles and 12 passes defensed. DeJean had 51 tackles, 6 passes defensed and 1 forced fumble. Second-team All-Pro Carter, linebacker Nakobe Dean and edge rusher Nolan Smith Jr. are all 24.
The Eagles' defense will again depend on a series of younger players in 2025 after a slew of players departed in free agency. Jalyx Hunt, 24, was the big sleeper in my 2024 SackSEER edge rusher projections and now takes over for Josh Sweat. Defensive lineman Moro Ojomo, who takes over for the departed Milton Williams, will turn 24 on Aug. 15. Cornerback Kelee Ringo is 23 years old and might take over for Darius Slay.
The defense will also be counting on two highly drafted rookies: first-round linebacker Jihaad Campbell (21) and second-round safety Andrew Mukuba (22).
The Eagles would rank even higher if they had any significant young talent on the offensive side of the ball, but we're just talking about depth receivers (Ainias Smith and Johnny Wilson are 24) and a third-string running back (23-year-old Will Shipley).
15. Baltimore Ravens
2024 ranking: 3
Blue-chip players: WR Zay Flowers, FS Kyle Hamilton, OT Roger Rosengarten
Notable graduated players: WR Rashod Bateman
The Ravens would be a little bit higher, but their best young talents are 24 years old. That includes second-team All-Pro Hamilton, No. 1 wide receiver Flowers and inside linebacker Trenton Simpson.
There are still some younger talents on the roster. Rosengarten is 23. Cornerback Nate Wiggins is 22. The Ravens also have this year's draft picks, highlighted by safety Malaki Starks (21) and edge rusher Mike Green (22).
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2024 ranking: 27
Blue-chip players: C Graham Barton, DE Calijah Kancey
Notable graduated players: DE Logan Hall
The Buccaneers climb up this list thanks to a very good 2024 rookie class. Barton, now 23 years old, took over immediately in the middle of the offensive line. Running back Bucky Irving, 23, rushed for 1,122 yards on 207 carries with eight touchdowns. Nickelback Tykee Smith, 24, was a real surprise. He finished in the top 15 of my coverage DVOA metric after recording 2 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles and 54 tackles.
Another valuable rookie from last season was wide receiver Jalen McMillan, who had 37 catches for 461 yards. McMillan, 23, will be competing for No. 3 receiver snaps this season with 22-year-old first-round pick Emeka Egbuka. Two other high draft picks from this year, second-round cornerback Benjamin Morrison and third-round cornerback Jacob Parrish, are both 21 years old.
17. Dallas Cowboys
2024 ranking: 21
Blue-chip players: G Tyler Smith
Notable graduated players: LB DeMarvion Overshown
The Cowboys like to pour draft resources into the offensive line. From left to right, you have left tackle Tyler Guyton at age 24, left guard Smith at age 24, center Cooper Beebe at age 24 and rookie right guard Tyler Booker at age 21. Also on offense, new wide receiver George Pickens qualifies as a young talent -- he turns 25 next March.
On defense, the leading young talent is 24-year-old defensive tackle Mazi Smith, who started all 17 games a season ago. Linebacker Marist Liufau is also 24, as is third-round rookie cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. Second-round edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku turns 22 on Sept. 25.
Since most of the players listed above are already 24, the Cowboys might be near the bottom of this list in 2026.
18. Los Angeles Rams
2024 ranking: 8
Blue-chip players: Edge Jared Verse, WR Puka Nacua
Notable graduated players: G Steve Avila, DE Braden Fiske, RB Kyren Williams
The top two young talents on the Rams' roster are two of the best young talents in the league, period. Nacua won't turn 25 until next May, and last year's Defensive Rookie of the Year Verse turns 25 in November. However, note that Verse's fellow ex-Florida State running mate from the class of 2024, Fiske, is already 25 years old.
There is some more young talent here, too. Center Beaux Limmer is 24 years old, as is linebacker Omar Speights, who started 10 games as an undrafted free agent rookie in 2024. Safety Kamren Kinchens turns 23 near the end of September.
The Rams did not have a first-round pick in the 2025 draft, but second-round tight end Terrance Ferguson will likely be a starter at age 22 and third-round edge Josaiah Stewart is also 22.
19. Arizona Cardinals
2024 ranking: 6
Blue-chip players: WR Marvin Harrison Jr., OT Paris Johnson Jr.
Notable graduated players: TE Trey McBride, WR Michael Wilson, DE Dante Stills, G Isaiah Adams
The Cardinals had some top players graduate off this list, but there's still plenty of young talent left. We'll start with Harrison, 23, who still has a ton of potential despite a somewhat disappointing first season. Harrison caught 62 passes for a 33rd-ranked 885 yards. The offense also features Johnson, who turned 24 in early July, plus talented young running back Trey Benson (23).
There's even more young talent on the defensive side of the ball, including nearly all of the cornerbacks. Garrett Williams, now 24, was one of the top slot corners in the league last season. The outside starting cornerbacks will likely be 22-year-old rookie Will Johnson and 23-year-old Max Melton, and the fourth corner is 24-year-old Kei'Trel Clark.
Up front, we don't know if the Cardinals will start 21-year-old first-round rookie tackle Walter Nolen III or 23-year-old Darius Robinson, who was taken in the first round in 2024. One other player to watch is edge rusher BJ Ojulari, who is in his third NFL season at 23 years old but missed all of last season with a torn ACL.
20. Indianapolis Colts
2024 ranking: 12
Blue-chip players: QB Anthony Richardson Sr., TE Tyler Warren
Notable graduated players: WR Alec Pierce
Yes, Richardson still counts as a "blue-chip player" despite his struggles last season. Taken at No. 4 in the 2023 draft, he has thrown for 2,391 yards and 11 touchdowns in two seasons. Remember that he came into the league very young, so he will be only 23 years old in his third season. There's plenty of potential for him to develop.
If he can win the starting job over veteran Daniel Jones, he'll be throwing to a set of young receivers including 24-year-old Josh Downs, 22-year-old Adonai Mitchell and 23-year-old rookie Warren. The projected right guard, Matt Goncalves, is still 24; projected center Tanor Bortolini turned 23 in June.
On defense, the young talent starts in the secondary, where both 23-year-old safety Nick Cross and 23-year-old cornerback Jaylon Jones started all 17 games last season. Jaylon Carlies moves into the starting lineup at linebacker at age 23. Last year's first-round pick, edge Laiatu Latu, turns 25 on the final day of 2025, and another important Colts edge rusher, second-round rookie JT Tuimoloau, is 22 years old.
Mike Tannenbaum, Bart Scott and Alan Hahn debate whether Shedeur Sanders is the better NFL talent than Dillon Gabriel.
21. Minnesota Vikings
2024 ranking: 24
Blue-chip players: QB J.J. McCarthy, WR Jordan Addison
Notable graduated players: None
The top young talents for the Vikings are impressive, but it's notable that they don't have a huge number of recently drafted players. There are only four players on their roster who are under 25 and played more than five games in 2024, plus the Vikings did not have a selection in the second or fourth rounds of this April's draft.
That group, of course, does not include 22-year-old starter McCarthy, who missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury. Addison is currently 23, and he is one of the top No. 2 wide receivers in the game.
The other three young players with experience are linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. (24), kicker Will Reichard (24) and last year's first-round pick, edge rusher Dallas Turner (22). The Vikings also have their 2025 rookies, led by 22-year-old guard Donovan Jackson.
22. Atlanta Falcons
2024 ranking: 4
Blue-chip players: RB Bijan Robinson, WR Drake London
Notable graduated players: QB Michael Penix Jr., G Matthew Bergeron
The Falcons have drafted a lot of skill players in recent first rounds, and many of those players are still under 24 years old. Robinson, 23, finished the 2024 season ranked third in yards (1,456) and fourth in carries (304). London and tight end Kyle Pitts are 24.
The rest of the young talent in Atlanta is primarily on the defensive side of the ball. This year's first-round edge rushers, Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr., are both 21. Edge rusher Bralen Trice will be back this season after missing his entire rookie year with a torn ACL. Defensive lineman Zach Harrison is still 24 years old in his third season, while last year's second-round pick, defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro, is 23.
23. Green Bay Packers
2024 ranking: 9
Blue-chip players: None
Notable graduated players: WR Jayden Reed, WR Romeo Doubs, LB Quay Walker, OT Rasheed Walker
There are so many young wide receivers in Green Bay right now. A couple of them have graduated from our list by turning 25, but others are still younger than that.
First-round pick Matthew Golden turns 22 on Aug. 1. Third-round pick Savion Williams turns 24 in November. Dontayvion Wicks is 24 years old. Tight ends Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave also count as under-25 talent, although Musgrave just barely (he turns 25 on Sept. 2).
The Packers' offense also features right guard Sean Rhyan, who is 24. Second-round rookie tackle Anthony Belton is also 24, and so is last year's first-round pick Jordan Morgan, although neither of them has a starting role right now.
On defense, the youngest talent is at safety. Javon Bullard is only 22 years old, and Evan Williams is now 24. Linebacker Edgerrin Cooper is 23 and becomes a full-time starter in the middle in 2025. Edge rusher Lukas Van Ness has been a disappointment since he was chosen No. 13 in the 2023 draft, but he's still only 24 years old with potential.
24. New Orleans Saints
2024 ranking: 30
Blue-chip players: OT Taliese Fuaga
Notable graduated players: WR Chris Olave
Any look at young talent in New Orleans begins on the offensive line with the starting tackles: Kelvin Banks Jr., chosen No. 9 this year, and Fuaga, chosen No. 14 last year, are 23. Spencer Rattler is still 24 and is theoretically competing for the starting quarterback job, but remember that the player he's competing with, second-round pick Tyler Shough, is turning 26 in late September.
Defensive lineman Bryan Bresee was a first-round pick two years ago and is still just 23 years old. Cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry started nine games already last year, and is 22 years old to start the season (he turns 23 on Sept. 30).
The rest of the young talent on defense is depth including edge rusher Isaiah Foskey (24) and rookies Vernon Broughton (a 24-year-old defensive tackle) and Jonas Sanker (a 22-year-old safety).
25. Cincinnati Bengals
2024 ranking: 17
Blue-chip players: OT Amarius Mims
Notable graduated players: WR Ja'Marr Chase, RB Chase Brown, CB Cam Taylor-Britt
Let's start the Bengals off with last year's first-round pick, Mims. He started 13 games in 2024 and turns 23 in mid-October. Defensive tackle Kris Jenkins Jr. also has an October birthday, but he'll be 24. Second-round linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. is already 25 years old, but first-round edge rusher Shemar Stewart is only 21 and third-round guard Dylan Fairchild is 22.
The Bengals also have a bunch of guys who are 24 years old and saw time on the field last season. They aren't necessarily starters, but they're useful players. That includes cornerbacks Josh Newton and DJ Turner, safety Jordan Battle and injured tight end Erick All Jr. Nickelback Dax Hill, 24, started only five games in 2024 because of a torn ACL but will be back this season.
26. Buffalo Bills
2024 ranking: 16
Blue-chip players: CB Christian Benford, WR Keon Coleman
Notable graduated players: WR Khalil Shakir, TE Dalton Kincaid, RB James Cook, G O'Cyrus Torrence, Edge Greg Rousseau
As you can see listed above, the Bills have a lot of talent that is just over the age of 25. As far as talent under 25, the most important player is Benford, who ranked in the top 10 for coverage DVOA last season and will not turn 25 until September. Linebacker Dorian Williams is also 24, and wide receiver Coleman, last year's first-round pick, is still 22 years old.
After that, the main young talents are the rookies. First-round cornerback Maxwell Hairston, second-round defensive tackle T.J. Sanders and third-round edge rusher Landon Jackson are all 22 years old as of Sept. 1.
27. Pittsburgh Steelers
2024 ranking: 20
Blue-chip players: OT Broderick Jones, C Zach Frazier
Notable graduated players: CB Joey Porter Jr., G Mason McCormick
Any look at young talent for the Steelers has to be focused on the offensive line. Frazier was already one of the best centers in the NFL as a rookie last season, and he turns 24 on Aug. 29. Jones, in his third NFL season, is 24 years old. Right tackle Troy Fautanu, last year's first-round pick who was injured for most of the season, turns 25 in October, so he still counts for our list.
Next, let's look along the defensive front. Nose tackle Keeanu Benton turned 24 in mid-July, and first-round rookie Derrick Harmon turns 22 on Aug. 3. Other young Steelers talents include 23-year-old edge rusher Nick Herbig and 22-year-old running back Kaleb Johnson.
28. New York Jets
2024 ranking: 11
Blue-chip players: OT Armand Membou
Notable graduated players: WR Garrett Wilson, CB Sauce Gardner
The Jets ranked nice and high in our countdowns of young talent for a while, but eventually Wilson and Gardner had to grow up. Wilson turned 25 on July 22. Gardner almost qualified for our rankings but will turn 25 on Aug. 31.
Instead, just like in Pittsburgh, the young talent for the Jets is now focused on the offensive line. Last year's first-round pick, left tackle Olu Fashanu, is 22. This year's first-round pick, Membou, is just 21. Center Joe Tippmann, in his third NFL season, is 24 years old.
The Jets' offense also features a three-headed young running back committee. Breece Hall is 24 this year, Braelon Allen is just 21 (despite having a season of NFL experience) and Isaiah Davis is 23. It's also worth mentioning the new starting tight end, second-round rookie Mason Taylor, who turned 21 in May, and third-round rookie cornerback Azareye'h Thomas, who turned 21 in early July.
29. Cleveland Browns
2024 ranking: 28
Blue-chip players: DT Mason Graham
Notable graduated players: WR Cedric Tillman, CB Greg Newsome II
The highlight here for the Browns is their 2025 rookie class, as they had five draft picks in the first 100. Three of those players will be just 21 years old as of Sept. 1: first-rounder Graham, second-round running back Quinshon Judkins and third-round tight end Harold Fannin Jr. Second-round linebacker Carson Schwesinger is 22, and third-round quarterback Dillon Gabriel is 24.
The Browns also have some veterans who are still under 25, particularly on defense. Starting cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. is 24, as is linebacker Mohamoud Diabate. (Diabate was a starter for much of last season but will probably play behind Schwesinger in 2025.) New starting left tackle Dawand Jones is also 24, and free safety Ronnie Hickman will probably start at age 23.
30. San Francisco 49ers
2024 ranking: 23
Blue-chip players: None
Notable graduated players: QB Brock Purdy, G Dominick Puni, SS Ji'Ayir Brown
Purdy no longer counts as talent under 25, but the 49ers still have some younger starters. Safety Malik Mustapha, 23, started 12 games in 2024. Linebacker Dee Winters is 24 and started 10 games. Cornerback Renardo Green and wide receiver Ricky Pearsall -- both expected starters in 2025 -- are 24.
Second-round rookie defensive tackle Alfred Collins is 23, and the youngest of the 49ers is their first-round pick, edge rusher Mykel Williams. He turned 21 in late June.
31. Miami Dolphins
2024 ranking: 32
Blue-chip players: None
Notable graduated players: FS Jevon Holland (left in free agency)
It's not that there aren't young players on the Dolphins' roster, but rather that we haven't seen enough of them yet to know if they will play a major role. The exception is 23-year-old running back De'Von Achane, who didn't quite achieve the heights of his 2023 season in 2024 but is still as fast as ever.
Edge rusher Chop Robinson is 22 years old and ranked 11th at his position in pass rush win rate (18.5%) last season, but we haven't seen him as a starter. Storm Duck and Cam Smith are both 24 and will probably be the starting cornerbacks this season, but Duck has three NFL starts and Smith has zero so far. Patrick Paul, last year's second-round pick, is in line to start at left tackle, and he also has just three NFL starts so far.
The Dolphins had only two picks in the first three rounds of this year's draft, defensive tackle Kenneth Grant and guard Jonah Savaiinaea. Both players are 21 years old, with Grant's birthday in October and Savaiinaea's in January.
32. Denver Broncos
2024 ranking: 26
Blue-chip players: None
Notable graduated players: QB Bo Nix, CB Pat Surtain II, CB Riley Moss, Edge Nik Bonitto
The Broncos don't have as much talent under the age of 25 because so many of their players aged out of consideration for this list. That includes last year's draft picks, as Nix and Moss were considered old for their draft class and are both already 25. Defensive Player of the Year Surtain also turned 25 in April.
Among veterans, the leading talent under 25 is wide receiver and return man Marvin Mims Jr., who is 23. There's also promising edge rusher Jonah Elliss (22) and a couple of running backs, Jaleel McLaughlin (24) and Audric Estime (21). That's about it until you get to the rookies.
The Broncos' new starting running back, second-round selection RJ Harvey, is another overaged player at 24. First-round cornerback Jahdae Barron is 23, and third-rounders receiver Pat Bryant and defensive end Sai'vion Jones are both 22.