
Ranking NFL's Top 25 Players Under Age 25 Before 2024 Season
This one's for the kids. The gen-zedders who are already making a tremendous impact on the NFL.
They're the future, and we're honoring them as the 2024 offseason comes to a close and training camps around the league open.
Looking only at players who have played at least one season and who don't turn 25 until at least the start of the 2024 regular season, here are our top 25 active NFL stars below that age.
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25. Miami Dolphins RB De'Von Achane (22 years old) — The bolt of lightning scored 11 touchdowns in 11 games and averaged 7.8 yards per carry as a rookie. The trajectory is off the charts, even if the sample size is small.
24. Cleveland Browns LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (24) — The 2021 second-round pick exploded with 101 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two picks and six passes defended in a Pro Bowl third season.
23. Los Angeles Rams RB Kyren Williams (24) — As a sophomore in 2023, the fifth-round pick broke out with 15 touchdowns and a league-best 95.3 rushing yards per game in a dozen outings.
22. New York Giants EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux (23) — The 2022 No. 5 overall pick has yet to fully arrive, but he still posted 11.5 sacks and forced three fumbles as a sophomore.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers WR George Pickens (23) — With limited support in that offense, the playmaker averaged an NFL-best 18.1 yards per reception as a sophomore in 2023.
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20. Seattle Seahawks CB Devon Witherspoon (23) — It was a good-not-great rookie season in 2023 for a top-five pick with remarkable talent. He gets extra credit for that pedigree for the time being.
19. Detroit Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs (22) — As a rookie in '23, the No. 12 overall selection averaged a strong 5.2 yards per carry and scored 11 times.
18. Dallas Cowboys G Tyler Smith (23) — The versatile 2022 first-round pick surrendered just one sack and became an elite member of the Dallas offensive line in 2023.
17. New Orleans Saints WR Chris Olave (24) — He's gone over 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons, but the former No. 11 overall pick didn't exactly explode as a sophomore in '23.
16. Atlanta Falcons RB Bijan Robinson (22) — In his defense, Robinson was limited by what the coaching staff and offense provided him during a disappointing rookie campaign. But the former No. 8 pick still managed to put together 1,463 scrimmage yards.
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15. Baltimore Ravens C Tyler Linderbaum (24) — The 2022 first-rounder didn't surrender a single sack during a Pro Bowl sophomore campaign as an emerging linchpin for Lamar Jackson and Co.
14. Los Angeles Rams WR Puka Nacua (23) — After putting up a ridiculous 1,486 receiving yards as a rookie in '23, the fifth-round pick will just have to prove he isn't a one-year wonder and avoid a sophomore slump this season.
13. Kansas City Chiefs CB Trent McDuffie (23) — Same deal here, except McDuffie exploded in his second season. He's already become a major playmaker, but he'll have to do it again and can become a little more consistent in coverage.
12. New York Jets WR Garrett Wilson (24) — A pair of 1,000-yard seasons already for the 2022 Offensive Rookie of the Year. The high-impact plays need to increase, but he hasn't really worked with Aaron Rodgers yet.
11. Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence (24) — The talent is so undeniable and he was superb as a sophomore, but the 2022 No. 1 overall pick has yet to come close to his full potential.
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10. Denver Broncos CB Patrick Surtain II (24) — Yeah, 2023 wasn't quite as great as 2022. But we're still talking about an undisputed No. 1 corner with two Pro Bowls and a first-team All-Pro nod on his resume at age 24.
9. Baltimore Ravens S Kyle Hamilton (23) — The first-team All-Pro can do anything you ask of him, and he proved that with four interceptions, 3.5 sacks and a 38.4 opponent passer rating as a sophomore in 2023.
8. Houston Texans EDGE Will Anderson Jr. (23) — The reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year has top-five potential here, but he'll have to build on that sack total (seven) from 2023.
7. Detroit Lions EDGE Aidan Hutchinson (24) — Make that 20 sacks in two seasons for the Pro Bowler entering his age-24 campaign.
6. Detroit Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (24) — The 2021 fourth-round pick has improved markedly each year and is coming off a first-team All-Pro season. He's one of the best receivers in football, period.
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5. Detroit Lions OT Penei Sewell (23) — Just like St. Brown, this Lion has made huge leaps in each of his first three campaigns and is coming off a massive-impact first-team All-Pro performance. The sky is the limit for the former No. 7 overall selection.
4. San Francisco 49ers QB Brock Purdy (24) — The final pick of the 2022 draft is the highest-rated passer in NFL history among quarterbacks with at least 500 attempts, and he led the league in practically every rate-based category in 2023. Now, he'll have to deliver when it matters.
3. Cincinnati Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase (24) — It's hard to believe that the three-time Pro Bowler and 2021 Offensive Rookie of the Year is still just 24. He's already got 29 career touchdowns under his belt.
2. New York Jets CB Sauce Gardner (24) — Two seasons, two total touchdowns surrendered, two first-team All-Pro nods. That'll do it.
1. Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud (22) — The youngest player on this list is already a megastar. The 2023 No. 2 overall pick threw interceptions on a league-low 1.0 percent of his 499 pass attempts while completing a conference-best 4.7 air yards per completed pass attempt. He had a triple-digit passer rating in the fourth quarter or overtime of one-score games, and he had an AFC-best 123.4 passer rating on deep passes as Houston won the AFC South. It's jaw-dropping.
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