The NFL is a young player’s game, and the future is bright with so many elite talents under the age of 25. These are 25 of the best youngsters heading into the 2023 season.
1 of 25
Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Bengals
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Chase took the NFL by storm in his rookie season, with 81 catches for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns during the regular season. While he wasn’t able to top those numbers in his second year due to injury, Chase still had over 1,000 yards in 12 games.
2 of 25
Landon Dickerson, OG, Eagles
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Dickerson has developed into an elite guard for the Eagles offense in two seasons. He made the Pro Bowl in 2022, starting all 17 regular season games.
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Diggs is now known as more than just Stefon Diggs’ younger brother, being named an All-Pro in 2021 and a Pro Bowler last season. The aggressive cornerback helped orchestrate a huge turnaround for the Cowboys’ defense,
4 of 25
Sauce Gardner, CB, Jets
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The hype was real for the fourth overall draft choice in 2022, as Gardner won Defensive Rookie of the Year and was an All-Pro. He finished his rookie campaign with a league-high 20 passes defensed and two picks.
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Higgins was slightly upstaged by Ja’Marr Chase in the Bengals offense but has still been a star in three seasons. He’s gained over 1,000 yards in back-to-back years.
6 of 25
Talanoa Hufanga, S, 49ers
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Hufanga was awarded an All-Pro designation in only his second NFL season and his first as a starter for the 49ers. He finished the 2022 campaign with 97 tackles and four interceptions.
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A late second-round pick, Humphrey played as well as the Chiefs could have imagined in his first two seasons, including one Pro Bowl. He’s set to protect Patrick Mahomes for years to come.
8 of 25
Justin Jefferson, WR, Vikings
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Jefferson had a historic rookie season and only built on it in the last two years. He led the league in catches and receiving yards in 2022, and has over 4,800 yards in his first three seasons.
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Jones was a bit of an afterthought in the 2021 quarterback class, falling to 15th overall. His results have been mixed through two seasons, but he still has a 16-15 record with a 66.5% completion rate in two seasons.
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It didn’t take long for Lamb to overtake Amari Cooper as the Cowboys’ top receiver. He’s made the Pro Bowl in back-to-back years, peaking with 107 catches for 1,359 yards and nine touchdowns in 2022.
11 of 25
Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jaguars
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Lawrence struggled initially, but found his footing with the Jags last season. He finished his second NFL season as a Pro Bowler after throwing for over 4,000 yards and 25 touchdowns.
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Parsons was an All-Pro and won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2021 with an incredible season and capped it off with another All-Pro performance in 2022. He has 26.5 sacks in two seasons.
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The highest-drafted tight end in NFL history, going fourth overall in 2021. Had had over 1,000 yards in his rookie season, but struggled in his second year.
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Queen has shored up Baltimore’s run defense with consistency over the last three seasons. He finished third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting with 106 tackles in 2020 and has 321 tackles in three years.
15 of 25
Penei Sewell, OT, Lions
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Sewell has become an elite NFL tackle in two seasons, making the Pro Bowl in 2022. The giant tackle has helped anchor one of the best offensive lines in the league.
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The 13th overall pick in the 2021 draft, Slater did a great job protecting Justin Herbert‘s blindside in his rookie year. However, Slater played only three games in 2022.
17 of 25
DeVonta Smith, WR, Eagles
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The 2020 Heisman Trophy winner at Alabama, Smith wasted no time showing what he could do in the NFL. He finished his rookie season as the Eagles’ top receiver with 64 catches for 916 yards and five touchdowns, and then had 1,196 yards in his sophomore campaign.
18 of 25
Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Lions
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St. Brown has been a terrific find for the Lions out of the fourth round in 2021. He had over 900 yards in his rookie season, and capped it off with 106 catches for 1,161 yards and six touchdowns last year.
19 of 25
Pat Surtain, CB, Broncos
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Surtain was able to follow in his father’s footsteps as an All-Pro in 2022. He’s been a lockdown corner for the Broncos over two NFL seasons.
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Taylor looked like a generational running back in his second NFL season, leading the league with 332 carries for 1,811 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground, and over 2,100 all-purpose yards. He wasn’t able to match the performance in 2022 due to a nagging ankle injury, limiting him to 11 games.
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Atlanta hasn’t had much to cheer for, but Terrell’s performance has been a good sign. The 2020 first-round pick received All-Pro second-team honors with 81 tackles and three picks in 2021, and continued to play well last season.
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The speedy Waddle was one of the centerpieces of the Dolphins’ offense over the last two seasons. He has over 2,300 yards over that time, and led the NFL with 18.1 yards per reception in 2022.
23 of 25
Garrett Wilson, WR, Jets
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Wilson won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2022 after catching 83 passes for 1,103 yards and four touchdowns for the Jets. The Ohio State alum is well on his way to becoming one of the top wideouts in the league.
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Wirfs did a great job protecting Tom Brady in three seasons. He’s made back-to-back Pro Bowls and was an All-Pro in 2021.
25 of 25
Tariq Woolen, CB, Seahawks
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Seattle struck gold late in the draft on a defensive back again. Woolen was a Pro Bowler in 2022 after leading the NFL with six interceptions.
This article presents a list of the top 25 NFL players under the age of 25 heading into the 2023 season. The list spans various positions, with Ja’Marr Chase, a wide receiver for the Bengals, topping the list. Other notable players include Landon Dickerson (OG, Eagles), Sauce Gardner (CB, Jets), Justin Jefferson (WR, Vikings), and Trevor Lawrence (QB, Jaguars). The list highlights the future talent of the sport and the potential these players have to become NFL legends.
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