Predicting playoff teams for the upcoming NFL season is never easy due to the league’s parity. But examining each team’s young players could give us a strong indication of where they’re headed in the near future.
The New England Patriots are on the rise because of second-year quarterback Drake Maye, but do they have enough depth? It’s not always about star power, but it certainly helps. The Detroit Lions have plenty of depth, which explains why they’re coming off back-to-back seasons of winning the NFC North.
Let’s take a look at the 10 NFL teams that boast the best under-25 talent.
10. Baltimore Ravens
Notable players under 25: S Malaki Starks (21), CB Nate Wiggins (21), edge Mike Green (22), OT Roger Rosengarten (23), WR Zay Flowers (24), S Kyle Hamilton (24), LB Trenton Simpson (24)
The Ravens have a bona fide star in Hamilton, a highly productive receiver in Flowers and plenty of promising players from the past two drafts.
Baltimore could be ranked higher on next year’s list if Starks and Wiggins help the secondary become one of the best in the league. Last season, the Ravens struggled to defend the deep ball, but they heavily prioritized the secondary in the offseason to possibly turn a weakness into a strength in 2025.
Simpson and Rosengarten have emerged as quality starters, and Green was rated as one of the best edge rushers in this year’s draft.
9. Dallas Cowboys
Notable players under 25: G Tyler Booker (21), edge Donovan Ezeiruaku (21), OT Tyler Guyton (24), WR George Pickens (24), G Tyler Smith (24), edge Marshawn Kneeland (24), LB DeMarvion Overshown (24), CB Shavon Revel Jr. (24)
For all the attention the Cowboys get, they don’t get enough credit for finding talented offensive lineman.
MANZANO: Cowboys training camp report
Dallas is counting on the three Tylers—all first-round picks—to help fix the rushing attack and provide stout protection for Dak Prescott. But the team took a hit this week with the knee injury to Guyton, the starting left tackle. Guyton avoided tearing his ACL, but he could be out four to six weeks, according to reports.
Pickens was the Steelers’ top wideout the past few years and could now give the Cowboys a strong one-two punch playing alongside CeeDee Lamb. Dallas received rave reviews for its 2025 draft class in large part for rolling the dice on Ezeiruaku and Revel.
8. Los Angeles Chargers
Notable players under 25: OT Joe Alt (22), RB Omarion Hampton (22), LB Junior Colson (22), edge Tuli Tuipulotu (22), CB Tarheeb Still (23), WR Tre Harris (23), WR Ladd McConkey (23), Cam Hart (24)
The Chargers could have one of the best tackles in the league for the next decade based on how well Alt played as a rookie. Los Angeles gained a second cornerstone player from the 2024 draft with McConkey, the dynamic wideout who had 82 catches for 1,149 yards and seven touchdowns last year.
MANZANO: Chargers training camp report
Alt and McConkey get the bulk of the spotlight from last year’s draft class, but the Chargers also found two fifth-round gems in Still and Hart.
There’s plenty of hype surrounding the class of 2025 with Hampton and Harris, two playmakers who could help Justin Herbert deliver a career year.
7. New England Patriots
Notable players under 25: OT Will Campbell (21), QB Drake Maye (22), RB TreVeyon Henderson (22), WR Kyle Williams (22), C Jared Wilson (22), CB Christian Gonzalez (23), WR Kayshon Boutte (23), WR Ja’Lynn Polk (23), WR DeMario Douglas (24)
After a few dark years, New England now seems to have a bright future due to the flashes Maye showed as a rookie despite playing with a lackluster roster. Perhaps Maye can be as good as Washington’s Jayden Daniels by making use of the surplus of talent the Patriots added during a busy first offseason under coach Mike Vrabel.
Campbell was drafted No. 4 overall in April to protect Maye’s blind side, and maybe in the near future Wilson, this year’s third-round pick, can develop into the starting center. The team is lacking a legitimate No. 1 wideout, but Maye has plenty of depth with Williams, Boutte, Polk and Douglas. Henderson, this year’s second-round pick, has the skill set to become a dangerous weapon.
Gonzalez, who’s currently dealing with a hamstring injury, is already regarded as one of the best cornerbacks in the league. He was named a second-team All-Pro after his second NFL season.
6. Kansas City Chiefs
Notable players under 25: OT Josh Simmons (22), WR Xavier Worthy (22), DT Omarr Norman-Lott (23), edge George Karlaftis (24), LB Leo Chenal (24), CB Trent McDuffie (24)
The Chiefs nailing the 2022 draft with Karlaftis and McDuffie is a huge reason why they’ve advanced to three consecutive Super Bowls.
Karlaftis put the defense on his back at times last season and was rewarded with a four-year, $93 million contract extension. McDuffie could soon cash in, too, after being named a second-team All-Pro last year and a first-team All-Pro in 2023.
Kansas City has high hopes for Simmons and Norman-Lott providing a boost in the trenches. Worthy displayed flashes as a rookie, but will need to play with more consistency in Year 2.
5. Seattle Seahawks
Notable players under 25: S Nick Emmanwori (21), TE Elijah Arroyo (22), QB Jalen Milroe (22), DT Byron Murphy II (22), WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (23), OL Grey Zabel (23), RB Zach Charbonnet (24), RB Kenneth Walker III (24), OT Charles Cross (24), edge Derick Hall (24), CB Devon Witherspoon (24)
The Seahawks gained plenty of depth thanks to the 2022 blockbuster trade that sent Russell Wilson to the Broncos.
Cross, Witherspoon and Hall were three of the many players the Seahawks selected with draft picks acquired from Denver. Witherspoon is viewed as one of Seattle’s cornerstone players because of his versatility in the secondary. Coach Mike Macdonald could have multiple chess pieces to manuever on his defense if Emmanwori hits the ground running as a rookie.
Last season, Smith-Njigba emerged as the team’s No. 1 wideout, recording 100 catches for 1,130 yards and six touchdowns.
4. Los Angeles Rams
Notable players under 25: TE Terrance Ferguson (22), S Kamren Kinchens (22), edge Jared Verse (24), WR Puka Nacua (24), RB Kyren Williams (24)
The Rams don’t have as much young depth as the other teams listed for this story. But it doesn’t get much better than Los Angeles’s big three of Verse, Nacua and Williams.
MANZANO: Rams training camp report
Nacua is already viewed as one of the best wide receivers in the league heading into his third season. Verse could soon contend for Defensive Player of the Year awards after being named Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2024. And Williams has racked up 31 total touchdowns over the past two seasons.
Perhaps Ferguson, the 2025 second-round pick, could develop into a quality playmaker for Matthew Stafford. The team is expecting a dominant second season from Kinchens, who made several key plays as a rookie.
3. Philadelphia Eagles
Notable players under 25: LB Jihaad Campbell (21), DB Cooper DeJean (22), S Andrew Mukuba (22), DT Jalen Carter (24), LB Nakobe Dean (24), CB Quinyon Mitchell (24), edge Nolan Smith Jr. (24)
The Eagles are veteran–heavy on the offensive side, but the young talent on the defensive side could be the key for them to repeat as Super Bowl champions.
Carter was a game wrecker in the postseason, perhaps a harbinger of a career year in 2025. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he’s soon regarded as the NFL’s best defensive tackle.
After a slow rookie campaign, Smith worked his way to being Philly’s best edge rusher last year and had impressive postseason performances. The secondary is in good hands with Mitchell, the shutdown corner, and DeJean, the versatile defensive back who recorded the memorable pick-six against Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl.
2. Houston Texans
Notable players under 25: OT Blake Fisher (22), WR Jayden Higgins (22), WR Jaylin Noel (22), OT Aireontae Ersery (23), QB C.J. Stroud (23), edge Will Anderson Jr. (23), LB Christian Harris (24), CB Derek Stingley Jr. (24), LB Henry To’oTo’o (24)
The Texans quickly went from being one of the league’s worst teams to a yearly contender after taking Stroud and Anderson second and third, respectively, in the 2023 NFL draft.
Stroud quickly proved himself as a franchise quarterback by guiding the team to consecutive divisional round appearances. Anderson is a game wrecker and could soon capture a Defensive Player of the Year award.
Similar to Stroud and Anderson, Stingley is one of the best at his position and recently signed a three-year, $90 million contract extension. It wasn’t that long ago when the team received criticism for drafting Stingley ahead of Sauce Gardner in the 2022 draft.
Houston has high hopes for rookie wide receivers Higgins and Noel, and added Ersery to provide depth for the new-look offensive line.
1. Detroit Lions
Notable players under 25: CB Terrion Arnold (22), DT Tyleik Williams (22), RB Jahmyr Gibbs (23), S Brian Branch (23), TE Sam LaPorta (24), OT Penei Sewell (24), G Tate Ratledge (24), WR Jameson Williams (24), LB Jack Campbell (24), edge Aidan Hutchinson (24), S Kerby Joseph (24)
With all the draft hits in recent years, the Lions have formed one of the best rosters in the league and turned into a perennial Super Bowl contender. It says plenty that the Lions’ young group is ranked ahead of a team with Stroud, Anderson and Stingley.
BREER: Lions training camp takeaways
Gibbs, Branch, LaPorta, Sewell, Hutchinson and Joseph have all been named to a Pro Bowl, an All-Pro team or both. Campbell brushed off a rocky rookie season to become a steady playmaker in the middle of the Lions’ defense. Jameson Williams finally showed consistency last year with a 1,000-yard receiving season.
Arnold still has plenty to prove, but the 2024 first-round pick has a lot of upside. Tyleik Williams, this year’s first-round pick, could be the latest Lion who excels at being physical at the line of scrimmage.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ranking the 10 NFL Teams With the Best Under-25 Talent.
