Penei Sewell, Jalen Carter, Brock Bowers Top NFL Insiders' Poll of Best Players Under 25 Years Old

Detroit Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell was named the NFL's best player aged 25 or under in an anonymous poll conducted this week.

Mike Jones of The Athletic polled "nearly two dozen NFL coaches, scouts and front-office members" anonymously, and Sewell earned the No. 1 spot. The top five is as follows:

1. Penei Sewell, OT, Detroit Lions

2. Jalen Carter, DT, Philadelphia Eagles

3. Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders

4. Kyle Hamilton, S, Baltimore Ravens

5. Trent McDuffie, CB, Los Angeles Rams

Sewell, 25, was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, and he has been every bit as good as expected.

Primarily playing right tackle, Sewell is a four-time Pro Bowler and three-time First Team All-Pro through five NFL seasons, and he could become an even more important piece for the Lions in 2026.

Following the release of longtime left tackle Taylor Decker, Sewell is set to move from right tackle to left tackle in order to protect quarterback Jared Goff's blind side.

Remaining in the trenches, Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter came in at No. 2 on the list.

The 25-year-old Carter is a two-time Pro Bowler through three NFL seasons, plus he finished second in NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2023, and he won a Super Bowl and was named Second Team All-Pro in 2024.

Despite injuries limiting him to 11 games and finishing with a career-low three sacks last season, Carter landed a four-year, $152 million contract extension last month.

Rounding out the top three is Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers, who enjoyed the best rookie season by a tight end in NFL history in 2024.

Bowers' 112 receptions in 2024 were the most ever by a rookie at any position, plus he recorded 1,194 yards and five touchdowns en route to Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro honors.

Injuries cost the 23-year-old Bowers five games and limited him to 64 grabs for 680 yards and seven touchdowns last season, but if he stays healthy, he should bounce back in 2026 with Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza throwing him the ball.