The Next Generation of NFL Stars

The NFL is one of the most unstable environments in professional sports. Players come and go because of the rigorous wear and tear their bodies endure.

Players in their first and second years will soon make up the landscape for the next generation of NFL stars.

These are the players that transcend the label of just being a solid starter or borderline Pro Bowler. This list is geared more toward the players who will find their name among the league’s elite—something more along the lines of All-Pro status.

The only qualifying criteria is that these future stars must currently be in their first or second year in the league. Players in their third year should already be entering their prime years and therefore are more qualified to fill a list of current stars rather than those of the future.

Honorable Mentions

Ann Heisenfelt/Associated Press

Anthony Barr, LB, Minnesota Vikings

Ryan Shazier, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Sammy Watkins, WR, Buffalo Bills

Zack Martin, OG, Dallas Cowboys

Travis Frederick, C, Dallas Cowboys

Allen Robinson, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

Telvin Smith, LB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Ricky Wagner, OT, Baltimore Ravens

Taylor Lewan, OT, Tennessee Titans

Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City

Darius Slay, CB, Detroit Lions

Tyler Eifert, TE, Cincinnati Bengals

C.J. Anderson, RB, Denver Broncos

Calvin Pryor, S, New York Jets

Kyle Fuller, CB, Chicago Bears

Aaron Donald, DT, St. Louis Rams

Ed Zurga/Associated Press

This rookie defensive tackle entered the league with a resume of playmaking that was rarely seen for an interior defensive lineman. While at Pittsburgh, Aaron Donald dominated slower offensive guards using his elite combination of strength and speed.

How elite? To add some context, he is the highest ranked interior linemen—in terms of physical measureables—to enter the NFL in at least the last three years according to a system that factors in every facet of a player's physical tools.

He may be undersized relative to the positional prototype, but his functional strength and explosive movements he used in college have translated over to the pros seamlessly.

In reality, Donald is already one of the best at his position in the NFL. Not only is he a star for the next generation, but he is a star in the present as well.

Odell Beckham Jr., WR, New York Giants

Al Bello/Getty Images

If you’re looking for a dynamic, speedy playmaker who is not very big in stature but can inspire an entire team with his on-field antics, Odell Beckham Jr. is your guy.

This rookie receiver is straight out of the Antonio Brown mold in terms of body control, route running, quickness and coordination. He can stop on a dime and break the ankles of some of the game’s best tacklers.

Beckham currently leads all rookies with an average of 87 receiving yards per game. 

Once Odell Beckham Jr. is paired up with Victor Cruz in the Giants’ offense, this is going to make for one dangerous combination.  

Sheldon Richardson, DL, New York Jets

Kathy Willens/Associated Press

Sheldon Richardson is one of my favorite interior linemen to come out in a long time.

This kid is a born playmaker and moves quicker than most defensive ends. Richardson is one of the best defensive tackles in terms of speed and his ability to beat blocks and penetrate into the opponent’s backfield with incredible athleticism and instincts.

When he was drafted to the Jets, I thought he was going to be put in a position that would force him to eat up blockers rather than take advantage of his playmaking ability. Apparently Rex Ryan and Co. have done a great job allowing this kid to play toward his strengths from an inside 5-technique.

According to PFF, Richardson is ranked third behind J.J. Watt and his teammate Muhammad Wilkerson as the top-rated defensive ends in a 3-4 defensive front. That goes to show you that his stardom is already upon us.

It’s worth mentioning that Richardson is still just 24 years old.

Sometime in the near future, he will be one of the most dominant defensive players alive.

Le'Veon Bell, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

By now, the masses are starting to believe in the near-unlimited potential of this second-round draft pick taking the NFL by storm. Bell is one of the most complete running backs in the league, and he's been putting on a clinic at the running back position in only his second year as a pro.

Coming out of Michigan State, Bell gave many who knew him plenty to be excited about with his NFL size, fluidity and overall athleticism. But one of the most impressive and unknown aspects of his game was his vision and patience.

Few running backs possess the patience and timing of Le’Veon Bell. Once he slips through a hole with quickness and agility, he has the power and toughness to finish his runs off in bruising fashion. Bell also has the speed to break it long and the hands to catch out of the backfield.

It’s hard to see the limits of a back with his overall skill set but easy to see he’s quickly becoming one of the best football players in the NFL. He is currently fourth in the league in rushing with 951 yards on 4.9 yards per attempt.

Khalil Mack, LB, Oakland Raiders

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Coming out of the University of Buffalo, Khalil Mack had to overcome some criticism regarding the subpar competition he faced on a weekly basis.

In predraft testing at the combine, he showed off rare athletic ability. According to a three-year collection ranking the most athletic NFL prospects to enter the draft—a list that includes over 600 prospects—Khalil Mack has the 12th highest grade documented. At 6’3” and 251 pounds, Mack is somehow able to achieve a 40-inch vertical jump while running the 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds flat.

That level of athleticism is not only impressive, it’s been on display at an NFL level really early on.

Starting at outside linebacker in a 3-4 defensive front for the Oakland Raiders, Mack is the second-ranked player at said position in the entire league, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). That's not just rookies, but guys of all experience levels.

This essentially means he is pretty much already a star in just his first year of professional football.

Considering the obvious assumption that the best is yet to come with Mack, we may all soon be witnesses to true greatness in the making.

Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

USA TODAY Sports

In the NFL, big receivers are coveted at a premium. Among this group of rare weapons is the latest freak to take center stage.

Mike Evans stands 6’5” and weighs 230 pounds.

Evans has a knack for busting big runs and using his size and speed combo to slip free from would-be tacklers and turn nothing into a game-changing play.

This—along with reliable hands—is what separates Evans from guys like Kelvin Benjamin. Rarely will you ever see Benjamin breaking tackles and running away from guys. Benjamin also has a tendency to drop as many passes as he makes great ones.

Evans may not be a highly-skilled route-runner as of yet, but his catch radius, speed and competitiveness are all on the high end of the spectrum. This kid is going to be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

Aaron Lynch, OLB, San Francisco 49ers

USA TODAY Sports

There was a lot to like about rookie outside linebacker Aaron Lynch entering the 2014 draft—but he was also considered one of the most raw and unrefined prospects at his position. His ideal length and frame (6’5” 249 lbs) offered NFL coaches an opportunity to mold and shape a player as they saw fit.

Apparently the 49ers channeled his inner superstar earlier than anyone could have predicted. This is partially due to his high motor and incredible closing speed.

He may have come into the NFL as a major project, yet his maturation and improvement each week is outpacing even the most pro-ready rookies in his class. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Lynch is ranked seventh among all 3-4 outside linebackers in quarterback hurries with 26. And everyone ranked ahead of him has taken more snaps than he has.

Lynch is currently tied for the lead with Aaron Donald in sacks among rookies with five.

If he continues to grow as a player, we could be looking at one of the more feared pass-rushers of the next generation.

Trai Turner, OG, Carolina Panthers

USA TODAY Sports

Typically, offensive linemen require several seasons of mental and physical maturation before they’re ready to control the trenches with any consistency.

Of all the positions in football, bulldozer-like strength is most necessary on the front lines. Young men fresh out of college are still developing their bodies and need to fill out and add the power generally found in a guy about 28-30 years old.

Trai Turner turned 21 years old in June after forgoing his final two years of eligibility at LSU in order to enter the 2014 NFL draft as a redshirt sophomore. It tells you just how special this kid is for him to be able to compete for his team's starting guard spot and see significant playing time as a rookie.

In his first NFL game, he was tasked with going up against perhaps the most dominant defensive tackle in the game in Gerald McCoy. He held his own and even looked impressive against the best in the business. In the following week, his job didn’t get any easier. He was lined up against Ndamukong Suh several times and played incredibly against that talented Lions front.

This level of play, against elite talent, at such an early stage in his development is simply incredible to watch and is the type of thing that won’t show up in the Pro Football Focus grades because that service does not account for the quality of opponent.

After four games, Turner had been rotating in and out with veteran guard Fernando Velasco and consistently outplayed him during that time. However, Turner suffered a knee injury in the middle of the season and missed three games. He returned in Week 11 in partial duty but will need some time to get back to full strength.

Turner’s LSU tape was perhaps one of the most impressive I’ve seen from a guard in three years of scouting. His energy, effort and ability to move with a combination of power and strength showed everything you could want at the position and more.

Simply put, Turner is a star in the making and will eventually prove to be one of the best players from this incredibly deep draft class.

Jason Verrett, CB, San Diego

USA TODAY Sports

The best cornerback of the 2014 rookie class is Jason Verrett. Unfortunately, we won’t be seeing any more of him for the rest of the season. Verrett was placed on injured reserve on November 15 after failing to rehab a torn labrum and rotator cuff in his left shoulder.

Before Verrett shut it down for the year, he left a resounding imprint on us that speaks to his talent and potential loud and clear.

The most likely reason three CBs were drafted ahead of him was because Verrett stood just 5’9” tall. That is incredibly undersized for an NFL corner for any round, let alone for a guy drafted in the first.

He makes up for that limitation with an impressive 39-inch vertical jump. 

When this talented individual returns, look for him to make an even bigger splash for the Chargers and forge his name among the league’s elite cornerbacks.

Verrett may be short, but he is not small. His aggressive nature in both run and pass coverage is what will help propel him to stardom.

Joel Bitonio, OG, Cleveland Browns

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Joel Bitonio is a blue-collar tough guy drafted in the second round by the Cleveland Browns out of the University of Nevada. He dominated his position from the moment he put that Browns helmet on and hasn’t stopped all season.

Bitonio is currently ranked second among all NFL guards, rookie or otherwise, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

According to Pat McManamon of ESPN.com, “The Cleveland Browns have been buzzing all week about the fact that rookie guard Joel Bitonio was able to chase down future Hall of Fame returner Devin Hester in the win against Atlanta.”

Apparently Bitonio “tackled him, running full out and open throttle from 20 to 20 to catch a future Hall of Famer."

Bitonio has the feet of an offensive tackle and the power of a run-blocking specialist. His career in the NFL should be bountiful, especially if he can dominate the competition as a rookie.

C.J. Mosley, ILB, Baltimore Ravens

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Perhaps one of the leading candidates for Rookie of the Year this season is linebacker C.J. Mosley. Mosley is filling some major shoes in Baltimore as the heir apparent to future Hall of Famer and city icon Ray Lewis.

One of the reasons this former Alabama Crimson Tide player is primed to be a future star is because of his phenomenal instincts.

When you look at his tape, you can see a young player who rarely is out of position. He has the power and toughness to plug up running holes but also the athleticism and fluidity to cover guys man-to-man and run sideline to sideline.

Mosley is such a complete back that there is never a situation where he needs to leave the field. Of all the inside linebackers in the NFL, only four have more snaps than the rookie, per PFF (subscription required).

Mosley is quickly establishing himself as one of the best inside linebackers in the NFL with consistent performances each week and few negative plays. He currently leads all rookies in tackles and is sixth in the league overall with 99.

When he is able to see the entire game and anticipate his reads like a veteran, this kid could be unstoppable.

Jeremy Hill, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

Scott Halleran/Getty Images

The second Jeremy Hill arrived in Cincinnati, I knew Giovani Bernard’s days as the Bengals’ featured back were numbered.

When Bernard went out for a few games midseason with injuries, Hill showed us all what the future of the Bengals running game was going to look like.

In the three games that Bernard missed, Hill ran for 361 yards while averaging 129.6 yards of offense.

Hill is currently averaging a whole yard per carry more than his teammate Bernard and is built to be the workhorse back the Bengals have lacked since the days of Corey Dillon, whose tenure ended in 2003.

Before long, expect Hill to be the unquestioned starter in Cincinnati, followed soon after by him establishing himself as one of the best ball-carriers in the league.

Jamie Collins, LB, Patriots

Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

He may not be the flashy choice when you think of a star linebacker, but Jamie Collins is everything you want in a defense overseen by head coach Bill Belichick. Belichick values a player who can assume multiple roles and demonstrate versatility. On a defense loaded with versatile players, Collins may take the cake.

He played nearly every position on defense while at Southern Mississippi, and in his two years at New England, he's already played every linebacker position in multiple defensive fronts.

Versatility is his hallmark and pass coverage is one of his greatest strengths. In fact, few linebackers in the NFL can cover as well as Jamie Collins.

Of all inside linebackers who have been targeted at least 40 times, Collins is tied with Keenan Robinson for the lowest completion percentage allowed (61.7), per Pro Football Focus. He also has allowed the lowest passer rating of any ILB to also have at least 10 QB hurries (PFF, subscription required for both).

This is the first year Collins has been a full-time starter, as he spent time as a backup at outside linebacker last year. This kid is clearly still learning the game, but he had a coming out party during last season's playoffs.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Jamie Collins emerged as one of the best linebackers in the league by 2015.

Eddie Lacy, RB, Green Bay Packers

USA TODAY Sports

The Green Bay Packers made the right choice when they drafted Eddie Lacy in the second round of the 2013 draft. Lacy has the size and physical mentality that perfectly matches the cold weather and harsh conditions of the frozen tundra.

In his first 26 games, this 230-pound RB has amassed 1,850 yards and 17 TDs on the ground while averaging 4.2 yards per carry. He also has 592 yards and three TDs through the air.

Lacy’s NFL stardom will be paved in the same way he carves his way through defenders, painfully and with the torque of a pickup truck.

Ryan Riddle is a former NFL player and currently writes for Bleacher Report

Follow @Ryan_Riddle