Ranking the NFL's True Franchise Players for Teams to Build Around Before 2025 Season

With training camps starting to open around the NFL, the league's focus is finally turning away from roster-building to meaningful on-field work. We may see a few notable signings or trades in the coming weeks, but teams largely have their cores for the 2025 season in place.

Naturally, some cores are stronger than others.

Not every team boasts a franchise-caliber player, one who can ease the rest of the roster-building process. Few teams have players who can provide a foundation for the next decade or more. We're talking about the relatively young, upper echelon of the NFL's elite.

Here, we'll rank the top 15 true franchise players in the NFL entering the 2025 season. To qualify, players must be 28 or younger when the regular season begins on Sept. 5, which means that stars like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Myles Garrett aren't eligible. They also must have played at least one year in the NFL and must still be with the teams that drafted them.

Players were ranked based on factors like proven production, positional value, versatility and upside.

Honorable Mentions: Good QBs With Plenty Left to Prove

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Chargers QB Justin Herbert

There are two types of teams in the NFL—those with a reliable, above-average signal-caller and those without. Teams in the latter category tend to have an extremely difficult time winning consistently or going deep in the playoffs.

Teams in the former category are often quick to pay their quarterbacks handsomely, even if they have yet to deliver the desired results.

Unfortunately, not every franchise quarterback is actually elite. Kyler Murray, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert, Jordan Love, Trevor Lawrence and Brock Purdy have all signed deals within the last few years that made them among the league's 10 highest-paid players in annual salary. Yet only Purdy has made it past the divisional round of the playoffs, and even he still has something left to prove.

While Purdy has helped guide the San Francisco 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance, detractors continue to view him as a system quarterback who has benefited from a strong supporting cast. Purdy performed relatively well (96.1 passer rating) in 2024 even though stars like running back Christian McCaffrey, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and left tackle Trent Williams missed time. However, he may need to lead the Niners back to the playoffs to solidify himself as a true franchise quarterback.

Meanwhile, Tagovailoa, Lawrence, Murray and Herbert need to show that they can provide more than just gaudy regular-season numbers. They need to deliver meaningful postseason results to become true franchise centerpieces.

Young quarterbacks like C.J. Stroud, Bo Nix and Drake Maye have flashed promise and could soon join the ranks of true franchise quarterbacks. At the very least, each of them will be paid like franchise quarterbacks within the next few years.

15. Maxx Crosby, Edge, Las Vegas Raiders

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A series of ankle injuries limited Las Vegas Raiders pass-rusher Maxx Crosby to 12 games and 7.5 sacks in 2024. That, combined with Crosby's age (28 in August) has him at the tail end of our rankings.

With that said, the four-time Pro Bowler is still one of the best veteran edge-rushers in the NFL. He has taken over for the likes of Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt as an elder statesman among true franchise players.

When healthy two years ago, Crosby amassed 14.5 sacks, 50 quarterback pressures, 90 total tackles and a league-high 23 tackles for loss (tied with Danielle Hunter). There aren't many people on the planet who can disrupt plays in the backfield like Crosby when he's at his best.

While Crosby alone hasn't made Las Vegas a contender, he did receive a contract extension this offseason that briefly made him the NFL's highest-paid defender.

14. Will Anderson Jr., Edge, Houston Texans

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Will Anderson Jr. doesn't have the overall resume of Maxx Crosby, but he's done enough to represent the younger generation of edge-rushing sack artists—a group that includes the likes of Jared Verse, Travon Walker and Nik Bonitto.

The Houston Texans star has already recorded 18 sacks, 26 tackles for loss, 61 quarterback pressures and 82 total tackles in just 29 career games. The 2023 Defensive Rookie of the Year should be in the mix for a Defensive Player of the Year award within the next few seasons.

Anderson is a player whom the Texans can build their defense around, and he should maintain that role for the foreseeable future. The Alabama product will turn 24 only days before the start of the 2025 season.

13. Jordan Mailata, OT, Philadelphia Eagles

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Eagles left tackle Jordan Mailata doesn't garner a ton of recognition, which is somewhat understandable. Philly has a terrific offensive line, a venerated line coach in Jeff Stoutland and several offensive players who are among the best at their respective positions. (Mailata isn't the only Eagle on our list.)

Mailata has never made a Pro Bowl. However, it would almost be disrespectful to leave him off our list based on his recent production alone. Pro Football Focus ranked him first overall among all offensive tackles for the 2024 season.

If Mailata can maintain his high level of play or even improve moving forward, he should soon begin earning the recognition that other top offensive tackles regularly command.

12. Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

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There was a time when a star wide receiver like Ja'Marr Chase would be considered among the biggest assets in the entire league. The 25-year-old has recorded 5,425 yards and 46 touchdowns in four seasons while making the Pro Bowl every year.

Last season, Chase led the NFL in catches (127), receiving yards (1,708) and receiving touchdowns (17), making him only the sixth triple-crown winner in the Super Bowl era.

While Chase is already on a Hall of Fame trajectory, there are two big reasons why he's not higher on our list. For one, the Cincinnati Bengals star gets to catch passes from Joe Burrow, who's one of the few truly elite quarterbacks in the NFL. Secondly, more pass-catchers are coming from the college ranks as pro-ready stars than ever before.

Four rookies—Brian Thomas Jr., Malik Nabers, Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey—finished in the top 10 for receiving yards last season. Simply put, finding top-tier receivers isn't the monumental challenge that it once was.

11. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

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Ja'Marr Chase may have supplanted Justin Jefferson as the highest-paid receiver in NFL history this offseason, but we're not quite ready to put Chase ahead of Jefferson on this list.

While Chase had better numbers in 2024, Jefferson (103 catches, 1,533 yards, 10 TDs) certainly didn't disappoint. The Minnesota Vikings receiver has been doing it for a year longer than Chase, and he has remained consistently productive despite not having a quarterback of Burrow's pedigree.

While Jefferson saw a few good seasons from Kirk Cousins, he's also worked with the likes of Sam Darnold, Nick Mullens and Joshua Dobbs. Despite that, he's compiled 495 receptions, 7,432 yards and 40 touchdowns in five years.

Heading into the 2025 season, the 26-year-old Jefferson remains the top receiver to build around in the NFL.

10. Nick Bosa, Edge, San Francisco 49ers

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San Francisco 49ers pass-rusher Nick Bosa has seen his production decline in each of the past two years. However, he's still one of the top edge-rushers in the league, is the cornerstone of the Niners defense and won't turn 28 until October.

Bosa has made the Pro Bowl in each of his six seasons except for 2020, a year in which he tore his ACL after only two games. The 2019 Defensive Rookie of the Year and 2022 Defensive Player of the Year has recorded 62.5 career sacks and 165 quarterback hits while helping the 49ers reach two Super Bowls and four NFC title games.

Besides, it's not as if Bosa's "down" years have been all that bad. He had 10.5 sacks in 2023 and 9.0 sacks in 2024 while logging 81 QB pressures over those two campaigns.

9. Dexter Lawrence II, DT, New York Giants

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While edge-rushers tend to generate much more attention, top-tier interior defenders can be just as valuable, if not more so. There's a reason why teams keep investing heavily in defensive tackles, hoping to uncover the league's next Aaron Donald.

While no one has quite taken the mantle since Donald retired last offseason, a few young defenders have entered the spotlight. Players like Jalen Carter and Kobie Turner are ascending stars who should be defensive centerpieces for years to come. New York Giants standout Dexter Lawrence II is a bit more established, though he's still on the younger side at 27.

Lawrence has become the heart of the Giants defense and is coming off a nine-sack season and his third straight Pro Bowl campaign. Pro Football Focus graded him second overall among 219 interior defenders for the 2024 season.

While the Giants haven't experienced a lot of success recently, they did find a true franchise player when they drafted Lawrence with the 17th overall pick in 2019.

8. Patrick Surtain II, CB, Denver Broncos

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Is there a bit of recency bias with this selection? Perhaps. Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, which certainly cemented his inclusion.

However, the 25-year-old is unquestionably a defensive cornerstone.

Surtain has made three Pro Bowls and earned two first-team All-Pro selections in his four NFL seasons. He has never allowed an opposing passer rating above 90.0 in a season, and he has recorded 11 interceptions and 47 pass breakups to date. Just as importantly, the Alabama product is still searching for ways to improve.

"There's always something out there to do better," Surtain said, per The Athletic's Nick Kosmider. "Why not get another one?"

True shutdown cornerbacks are few and far between, but Surtain could be on the cusp of becoming a household name like Darrelle Revis or Richard Sherman.

7. Rashawn Slater, OT, Los Angeles Chargers

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Elite left tackles don't quite carry as much value as elite quarterbacks. However, having one anchoring the line makes it far easier for teams to do just about anything offensively. The best left tackles bolster a team's ground game and ensures that a team's quarterback remains upright.

While Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert may not be elite just yet, the Chargers have themselves a top-tier left tackle in Rashawn Slater. The 26-year-old has made two Pro Bowls in four seasons and played a huge role in L.A.'s return to the playoffs in 2024.

Last season, Pro Football Focus graded Slater second overall and third in pass blocking among 140 offensive tackles.

6. Micah Parsons, Edge, Dallas Cowboys

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Like several other Dallas Cowboys, edge-rusher Micah Parsons battled injuries in 2024. He was limited to only 13 games, but he still managed to record 12 sacks and his fourth Pro Bowl nod in as many seasons.

Parsons, who has been extension-eligible since last offseason, has yet to receive a new deal from the Cowboys. However, he's likely to become the highest-paid non-quarterback in league history whenever he inks his new deal.

"As the Cowboys progress in the offseason, pass-rusher Micah Parsons is expected to ask for a $200 million contract extension that would become a record for a non-quarterback," Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News wrote in March.

Parsons is undoubtedly one of the most impactful non-quarterbacks in the NFL. In four seasons, he has already amassed 52.5 sacks, 63 tackles for loss, nine forced fumbles, 177 quarterback pressures and 256 total tackles. At just 26 years old, he should remain the face of Dallas' defense for the foreseeable future.

5. Tristan Wirfs, OT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have stumbled into their franchise quarterback when they signed Baker Mayfield to a prove-it deal two offseasons ago. That was also the same offseason in which Tristan Wirfs moved from right to left tackle, which likely isn't a coincidence.

We've already discussed the importance of having an elite left tackle, and Wirfs is arguably the best in the business when it comes to pass protection. No tackle was ranked higher than Wirfs in pass blocking by Pro Football Focus last season.

Wirfs is also one of the most versatile tackles in the NFL. He was a two-time Pro Bowler and one-time first-team All-Pro at right tackle before moving to man Mayfield's blind side, and he's earned the same accolades since making the switch.

While Wirfs wasn't a Pro Bowler as a rookie in 2020, he started all 16 games and helped the Bucs lift their most recent Lombardi Trophy.

4. Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders

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Most fans think of quarterbacks when they think of true franchise players. While the NFL currently has plenty of talent at that position, there are never more than a few truly elite signal-callers in the league at any given time.

Patrick Mahomes and reigning MVP Josh Allen are certainly in that category, but they missed the age cutoff for our list. Second-year quarterback Jayden Daniels might not be elite just yet, but he's already closer than any of our honorable mentions.

As a rookie with the Washington Commanders last season, Daniels threw for 3,568 yards, rushed for 891 yards, recorded 31 combined passing and rushing touchdowns, carried his team to the NFC title game and was named the Offensive Rookie of the Year. The 24-year-old also showcased an exceptional amount of leadership along the way.

"The physical tools stood out immediately," veteran tight end Zach Ertz said, per ESPN's John Keim. "The way the ball popped out of his hands. [But] it was the stuff that not everyone sees that stuck out the most."

While Daniels' sample size is relatively small, it feels like an injury is the only thing that could stand between him and being a perennial top-five quarterback.

3. Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles

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As is the case with Brock Purdy, some fans are always likely to view Jalen Hurts as a system quarterback. However, the two-time Pro Bowler and reigning Super Bowl MVP deserves more credit than that.

Yes, Hurts doesn't always produce jaw-dropping numbers. He's supported by a terrific supporting cast, headlined by skill-position stars like A.J. Brown, Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith. His career stat line, which includes 55 rushing touchdowns, is buoyed by a terrific offensive line and Philly's infamous "Tush Push."

However, Hurts has played consistently well and has often been at his best in the brightest moments. He's guided the Eagles to the postseason in all four years as a full-time starter and has appeared in two Super Bowls, winning one.

Hurts' 6-3 postseason record and 95.4 career postseason QB rating are both impressive, and he'd already be a two-time Super Bowl MVP had the Eagles not fallen just short in Super Bowl LVII. The 26-year-old may not get the credit that QBs like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson do, but he's a huge reason why Philly's championship window should remain open for the foreseeable future.

2. Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals

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Unlike Jalen Hurts, Joe Burrow hasn't won a Super Bowl. However, he's taken the Bengals to one and has regularly played like a top-five quarterback when healthy.

This past season, Burrow led the NFL in completions (460), passing yards (4,918) and passing touchdowns (43). While he is aided by two terrific receivers in Ja'Marr Chasen and Tee Higgins, Burrow's overall supporting cast pales in comparison to that of Hurts, Brock Purdy and other quarterbacks mentioned here.

Last season, Burrow had to carry the league's 25th-ranked defense and the league's 30th-ranked rushing attack. Yet he still managed to deliver nine wins.

To understand just how valuable Burrow has been to the Bengals, consider this: Cincinnati hasn't finished with a losing record in the three seasons Burrow has finished healthy and has reached two AFC title games. In the two seasons he has ended up on injured reserve, the Bengals were last in the AFC North.

1. Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens

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Believe it or not, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson won't turn 29 until January. Yet he's already carved out a place in NFL history.

Unlike Joe Burrow and Jalen Hurts, Jackson is still waiting to play in his first Super Bowl. However, he's delivered six playoff berths in seven seasons, reached one AFC title game and has been named league MVP twice.

Jackson also owns NFL records for the most rushing yards by a quarterback in a season (1,206) and for a career (6,173). Simply put, the Louisville product might be the most dynamic dual-threat quarterback in league history.

The Ravens have been perennial contenders when Jackson has been healthy because he's one of the biggest mismatches in the league and because he's been able to thrive regardless of the pieces around him. Now that Baltimore has added skill-position players like Zay Flowers, Derrick Henry and DeAndre Hopkins to help aid Jackson, its Super Bowl window should be fully open.

Advanced statistics from Pro Football Reference.