Which NFL Teams Have the Most Young Talent?

Youth will be served.

You have heard that expression for years, but what does it really mean? In the NFL, it’s a team that has restocked its roster via the draft and other means and now has possible staying power for years to come.

Five teams stood out for us in terms of youth and talent. That’s not to say there aren't more, but the clubs we chose have drafted well in recent years, and we have already begun to see some results in certain areas, if not by the entire team.

So here’s a look at five squads that are primarily led by players with four years of NFL experience or less. And we mean that on both sides of the ball, not just offense or defense.

Some may be a little deeper than others and some more successful, but the common denominator is a team where the youth is doing the serving…in terms of notice.

Cincinnati Bengals

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It seems that the current persona per se of the Cincinnati Bengals is simply a team that can’t win a playoff game.

But a much closer look shows that this is a very talented roster loaded with a lot of young talent because the organization does a great job in the draft on a yearly basis.

In this year’s draft, the Bengals used their first two picks on tackles Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher, respectively. This is already an offense in which eight starters have played four years or less, and these two blockers could eventually replace veterans Andrew Whitworth and Andre Smith (perhaps one of those sooner than later).

The defense is somewhat of a mixed bag, but three-year pros such as linebacker Vontaze Burfict, cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick and strong safety George Iloka lead the charge. Defensive line stalwarts such as Carlos Dunlap and Geno Atkins have just five years under their chinstraps as well.

Rest assured this is a club that will continue to add pieces through the draft on a yearly basis. Now if all of this talent could only add up to a postseason win.

Dallas Cowboys

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When you consider that some of the biggest standouts for the Dallas Cowboys are veterans such as quarterback Tony Romo and tight end Jason Witten, you may automatically assume that this is a club that isn’t led by its youth.

Think again. That star-studded offensive line alone features four starters (Tyron Smith, Ronald Leary, Travis Frederick and Zack Martin) who have played four years or less. And the team got a steal when undrafted guard La’el Collins fell into its lap.

While wideout Dez Bryant is already entering his sixth NFL season, Terrance Williams, Cole Beasley and 2014 rookie Devin Street, as well as third-year tight end Gavin Escobar and running back Joseph Randle, are just getting warmed up.

There’s plenty of young talent on the defensive side of the ball as well. Defensive end Demarcus Lawrence and outside linebacker Anthony Hitchens are entering their second seasons. The Cowboys have drafted their share of defensive linemen the last two years, including 2015 second-round pick Randy Gregory. Cornerback Orlando Scandrick is the “old man” in the secondary, but Jerry Jones used this year’s first-round selection on cornerback Byron Jones.

This could be an intriguing team for a lot longer than some think.

Houston Texans

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We are not 100 percent sure who the Houston Texans' starting quarterback will be in 2015.

While free-agent pickup Brian Hoyer has been around the block, Ryan Mallett and Tom Savage are mere pups, especially when it comes to playing time.

The remainder of the roster is quite young, especially now that wide receiver Andre Johnson and center Chris Myers are no longer members of the organization. Seven-year veteran Duane Brown is part of an offensive line where the other four starters have four years or less of NFL experience. Third-year wideout DeAndre Hopkins is an emerging star, and free-agent pickup Cecil Shorts may be a major pickup. And the Texans added wideout Jaelen Strong in the third round this year.

The defense has its share of veterans such as free-agent pickup Vince Wilfork, inside linebacker Brian Cushing and cornerbacks Johnathan Joseph and Kareem Jackson. But do we have to remind opposing quarterbacks that defensive end J.J. Watt has played just four seasons and emerging outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus only three years? Houston has younger players waiting in the wings such as nose tackle Louis Nix and 2015 first-round cornerback Kevin Johnson.

And what could we eventually see from 2014 first overall pick Jadeveon Clowney on defense? Other young performers such as running back Alfred Blue and rookie outside linebacker Benardrick McKinney can’t be overlooked either.

The Texans have put together a very talented and young roster, and that can’t be ignored.

Minnesota Vikings

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When you look at the talent that general manager Rick Spielman has added in the first round the past four drafts alone, it’s easy to understand why there’s an air of excitement in the Twin Cities these days.

The Minnesota Vikings may have the best combination of youth and experience in the league. Running back Adrian Peterson, defensive end Brian Robison and outside linebacker Chad Greenway are the noted veterans.

But the aforementioned first round has brought tackle Matt Kalil (2012), safety Harrison Smith (2012), defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd (2013), cornerback Xavier Rhodes (2013), wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson (2013), linebacker Anthony Barr (2014), quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (2014) and cornerback Trae Waynes (2015) the last four years. All but Patterson and Waynes are current starters.

Under second-year head coach Mike Zimmer, this could be the year that the Purple Gang makes a big step forward in getting back into the playoff race.

St. Louis Rams

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We are aware of the fact that the St. Louis Rams have not had a winning season since 2003 or been to the playoffs since 2004.

That doesn’t mean they haven’t been stockpiling talent, and yes, most of the civilized world has been waiting for it to all come together.

A very young offensive line will hopefully come together, as well as the team’s first round-laden defensive front, in which defensive end Robert Quinn and defensive tackles Michael Brockers and Aaron Donald (the 2014 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year) have played four years or less.

Wide receivers Chris Givens and Brian Quick were both drafted in 2012 and wideouts Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey were added to the team in 2013.

Everywhere you look, the Rams have a lot of young performers who are hoping to bloom under head coach Jeff Fisher and his staff. The team went out and traded for quarterback Nick Foles, who has just three years of NFL experience but has been to the playoffs and a Pro Bowl.

The pieces are certainly there.

All free-agent information and player signings/transactions are courtesy of Spotrac. Depth chart information comes via Ourlads. Unless otherwise noted, all player and team statistics come from Pro Football Reference.