Best Current NFL Players Under 25 at Every Position Right Now
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
The NFL is in the middle of a youth movement and it’s more exciting than ever. Across the league, a new generation of stars under 25 is redefining what greatness looks like at every position. From explosive quarterbacks and lockdown cornerbacks to dominant pass rushers and dynamic receivers, these young players are already proving they can hang with the league’s elite.
Here’s a look at the best NFL players under 25 at every position right now, showcasing the young superstars shaping the future of football.
Who are the best young players in each position in the NFL?
Quarterback: Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
Daniels is 24-ish, turning 25 in December, and is fresh off a season that’d make even a seasoned veteran jealous. He took Washington from zero… an absolute laughingstock to the NFC Championship Game, posting 3,568 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, 891 rushing yards, and six rushing touchdowns in the process.
Jayden Daniel’s dual-threat playstyle was impossible for NFL defenses to keep up with—and he torched them all the way to Rookie of the Year honors—and now he’s already been pegged as the franchise savior Washington has been desperate for.
Running Back: Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions
For all of the people who tried to say running backs don’t matter, well, Jahmyr Gibbs is out on a mission to prove you wrong.
Detroit Lions hit the jackpot in the draft with this young man who doubles as lightning in cleats on Sundays.
He shattered Detroit’s single-season TD mark and became just the third Lion RB to make the Pro Bowl in his first two seasons, joining legends Barry Sanders and Billy Sims.
And he did all of this while still splitting time with veteran bruiser back, David Montgomery—though—as the season wore on, more of the load, rightfully so, seemed to skew toward Gibbs.
Gibbs is also only 23 years old, too, meaning there’s a whole lot more tread left on those tires!
Especially if Detroit Lions continues to carefully monitor his usage.
Fullback: Robbie Ouzts, Seattle Seahawks
Now this one still needs to be proven…
And we can be honest… In the modern NFL, fullbacks are nearly extinct. But Robbie Ouzts? He’s here to flip the script. Drafted by the Seahawks in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft—as the only fullback selected—Ouzts is now the face of a dying breed… and he’s got the bite to back it up.
Ouzts wasn’t the flashiest name in Tuscaloosa’s star-studded offense, but he was the glue. Blocking in the trenches, slipping out for sneaky receptions.
The Seahawks clearly saw something others missed: toughness, versatility, and old-school football IQ, and it will be interesting to see how they use this young buck.
Wide Receiver: Malik Nabers, New York Giants
Nabers gets bonus points for being so dang young…. but he has been a force to be reckoned with—even on a terrible Giants team.
But it’s more than raw numbers. His route running is insanely impressive for a player of his age, he masterfully runs levels, snaps up contested fades, and wins with crisp footwork—not to mention that vertical burst.
And he has that unique knack where he just always seems to know when to split the safety to try and take the top off the defense.
Tight End: Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders
Brock Bowers is a mismatch machine. He runs routes like a polished NFL receiver, but has the body of a tight end—6’4″ frame, 250 pounds, and excellent yards after catch instincts.
I suppose there is a reason he was pegged as the next great tight end coming out of the draft…
But what makes it all the more impressive is that he actually delivered in spite of all of the dysfunction that plagued the Raiders last year.
Offensive Guard: Tyler Smith, Dallas Cowboys
Though he was first expected to play next to Tyron Smith, the younger Smith was forced into the tackle spot for his entire rookie season—and to his credit, he rose to the occasion.
And if Smith’s rookie season was one big stress test, it is safe to say he passed with flying colors. But it wasn’t until Year 2, when he got to slide into his natural spot at guard, that the breakout really began. He earned a Second-Team All-Pro nod and back-to-back Pro Bowl trips before turning 24.
Offensive Tackle: Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions
Here’s the thing about Penei Sewell: the moment he walked into the league, he felt inevitable. Even with all the hype at Oregon—“generational,” “franchise cornerstone”—he still managed to exceed expectations.
Three straight Pro Bowls, two consecutive First-Team All-Pro selections, and just last year, he even received Offensive Player of the Year votes—as a tackle.
Which is unheard of.
He’s one of the top-graded tackles in both pass- and run-blocking every season, rarely flagged, and anchors an offense that ranked second in the league in rushing success rate.
He just signed a four-year extension worth $112 million, making him the highest-paid tackle in NFL history—and with good reason, too, as he is downright integral to that potent Lions offense.
Center: Zach Frazier, Pittsburgh Steelers
Zach Frazier entered the NFL like a 10-year vet trapped in a rookie’s body. He had all the right instincts, physicality, and presence to lead from one of the most challenging positions on the field.
Drafted in 2024, Frazier instantly reminded Steelers fans of their last great center, Maurkice Pouncey. And by the end of Year 1, it was clear that he wasn’t just solid—he was vital to everything that the Steelers wanted to do on offense.
Give him another season or two, and Frazier might be wearing that Pro Bowl badge next to his name to go along with that All-Rookie nod.
Defensive Tackle: Jalen Carter, Philadelphia Eagles
It’s not every day you hear vets like Darius Slay and Lane Johnson sing the praises of a rookie. But Jalen Carter is a different kind of beast. He has had Eagles veterans absolutely pumped to see what he could bring to their unit the second he stepped onto the professional gridiron during his rookie camp.
And that wasn’t just smoke. Carter backed up the hype immediately, wreaking havoc as a rookie in 2023 with six sacks, 33 tackles, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery, all while playing a rotational role on a deep Eagles front.
Then came 2024, and the leap was real. Carter was a driving force in Philly’s no-blitz Super Bowl-winning defense, soaking up double teams and collapsing pockets without the help of exotic schemes. He earned his first Pro Bowl selection, anchored the interior line, and proved he’s not just part of the Eagles’ future—he is the future.
Carter’s already one of the most feared interior disruptors in the game. He doesn’t just stuff the run or chase quarterbacks—he wrecks entire offensive schemes.
Defensive End: Will Anderson, Houston Texans
If there was ever a guy who lived up to the hype from day one, it’s Will Anderson Jr. The Texans traded up to grab him third overall in 2023, and he immediately turned that investment into results.
Anderson racked up seven sacks and 45 tackles as a rookie, earning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors and helping to completely overhaul Houston’s defensive identity. But that was just the start.
Operating in DeMeco Ryans’s attacking front, Anderson is only getting more comfortable—and more dangerous.
Not to mention that he essentially turned the Texans’ pass rush and, really, full defense around on his own.
Linebacker: Jared Verse, Los Angeles Rams
The impressive star out of Florida State didn’t just flash potential—he brought elite pressure with the best of them, leading the entire NFL with 89 quarterback pressures in 2024… and it was also skewed heavily toward the second half of the season when he really started to hit his stride.
Jared Verse’s nearly 20% win rate on pass rushes ranked sixth among all defensive linemen, and his relentless motor gave the Rams the kind of presence they’ve been missing since Aaron Donald retired.
His arrival, alongside, has completely retooled LA’s defensive front—and the results are already showing.
Cornerback: Trent McDuffie, Kansas City Chiefs
Drafted in the first round in 2022, Trent McDuffie has quietly turned into one of the most reliable corners in the NFL. He’s particularly nasty out of the slot—where he does most of his damage—but he’s versatile enough to shadow anyone, which brings the Chiefs’ defense a unique element.
He followed up a First-Team All-Pro nod in 2023 with a Second-Team honor in 2024, solidifying his spot as Steve Spagnuolo’s top cover guy. He’s not the loudest voice on the Chiefs’ defense, but he might be the most technically sound.
Safety: Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore Ravens
Leave it to the Baltimore Ravens to scoop up a young stud at safety like Kyle Hamilton. The former 14th overall pick out of Notre Dame has been an absolute weapon since he broke into the NFL.
Baltimore just knows how to draft on defense, especially safeties, and Hamilton is their latest masterpiece.
Since breaking into the league in ‘22, Hamilton has quickly become one of the most complete defensive backs in the league.
In 2024, he earned a First-Team All-Pro selection, another Pro Bowl nod, and even picked up some Defensive Player of the Year votes—all by the age of 24.
Sure, he only had one interception on 55 targets last season—but that barely scratches the surface of what he brings to that defense.
Hamilton is a weapon, plain and simple. And Baltimore’s got him locked in as the heartbeat of that defense for the next decade.
Kicker: Cam Little, Jacksonville Jaguars
Say what you will about kickers, but when you’ve got a rookie who doesn’t blink under pressure, you take notice.
Cam Little was a sixth-round pick in 2024, and he wasted zero time becoming Jacksonville’s most consistent point-scorer. He went 27 of 29 on field goals, perfect on extra points, and shattered the rookie franchise record for points scored with 108
Kickers aren’t always flashy. And it is tough to tell how clutch he is having played in Jacksonville… But Little looks like he has it.
And for a young Jaguars team looking for stability, he’s got the potential to be a huge piece of what they are building going forward.
Punter: James Burnip, New Orleans Saints
Tough to find youth at the Punter position but James Burnip, the undrafted Aussie rookie out of Alabama, has a lot of promise and he’ll have a lot of opportunity to work this year with the Saints and that weak offense!
Undrafted out of Alabama, Burnip is a towering 6’6″, 240-pound with a big leg. Originally from Melbourne, Burnip came up through the booming pipeline of Australian punters that’s taken the NFL by storm.
He’s not just about raw power, either—his directional punting was top-tier at Bama.
If early signs are any indication, he’s going to be flipping the field and bailing them out for New Orleans all season long.
