The Top 100 Players of 2024 continues all next week on NFL+ and NFL Network with the reveal of Nos. 40-1. Six players who rank in that elite range are under 25 years old, which brings us to the topic of this file ...
Who are the league's most promising rising stars at each position? Here is my roster of the top players under 25 years old heading into the 2024 season.
NOTE: Each player's listed age represents how old he will be on Sept. 5 -- the day the NFL season kicks off -- which served as the cutoff for eligibility.
OFFENSE
This one is simple. Stroud was extraordinary as a rookie, settling into the rhythm of the NFL game remarkably quickly while leaning on his greatest attribute -- his accuracy -- to propel the Texans from the cellar to the top of the AFC South in one year. Stroud's ascension was so rapid, he not only won Offensive Rookie of the Year in a landslide but even received some voting points for NFL MVP. He's landing in nearly every informed individual's top 10 list of quarterbacks after just one season in the league, underscoring his stratospheric potential.
A little over a year ago, the angry football mob was keen to bring torches and pitchforks to Lions general manager Brad Holmes' doorstep after he supposedly overdrafted Gibbs with the 12th overall pick. Following the 2023 campaign, though, the mob's devouring crow. Gibbs rushed for 945 yards (averaging 5.2 a pop) and 10 touchdowns, while also catching 52 balls for 316 yards and another score -- accomplishing all that production in a backfield that also heavily featured David Montgomery. I think Holmes made the right decision, folks.
If you're seeking a deeper understanding of Williams' value to the Rams, watch the four games from last season that he missed due to injury. L.A.'s offense looked like a gas engine trying to run on canola oil. As soon as Williams returned, that baby started humming again. Williams popped off for 204 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns (both receiving) in his first game back, as part of a 12-game campaign in which Williams broke 1,100 rushing yards and accounted for 15 total touchdowns. Sure, he didn't leave Notre Dame for the NFL with the most fanfare, but Williams has certainly proven he's an essential component to the Rams' offense.
No one should be surprised that Chase landed on this list again, even after a season in which he lost his quarterback in mid-November. Chase is an elite receiver who will soon be paid accordingly, and his inclusion doesn't need an explanation. I'll just give you numbers: 3,717 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns in his first three seasons. That's pretty, pretty good.
Although St. Brown was already ascending when the 2023 campaign began, he reached a new height by its end. The former fourth-round pick finished top four in catches (119), receiving yards (1,515) and receiving touchdowns (10), ultimately earning a four-year, $120 million extension in April. Earlier this month, Netflix released Receiver, which gives fans a great view into how and why the Lions star has produced at such a high rate so quickly in his career. I don't see him slowing down anytime soon.
Oh, look, another member of the Lions' 2023 draft class! LaPorta went 34th overall in a draft class loaded at tight end, but he quickly outproduced his second-round slot (86 catches, 889 yards, 10 TDs) en route to becoming a trusted big-play artist for Jared Goff. After trading T.J. Hockenson to Minnesota in the middle of the 2022 season, Detroit needed a new reliable option at tight end. The franchise scored one in a big way with another Iowa product.
There were plenty of quality candidates for this slot, but I'm showering a record-setting rookie with deserved praise. Nacua flew under the radar of every draftnik on the planet entering the 2023 draft, but when Les Snead and Sean McVay landed him with the last pick of Round 5, they were ecstatic. After a 1,486-yard, six-touchdown rookie campaign, Nacua will no longer operate in anonymity. And that probably won't make much of a difference: The rugged receiver's built to produce in the NFL.
Sewell had great expectations placed on him well before he arrived in the NFL. After steadily improving over his first two seasons, the former No. 7 overall pick broke into the elite category in 2023 and earned a massive contract extension this past April. Sewell finished as Pro Football Focus' highest-graded tackle, besting perennial winner Trent Williams, thanks to an astounding 95.1 run-blocking grade. It seems as if those "generational" descriptors are starting to become reality.
Jones didn't put together a transcendent season in his first crack at NFL blocking -- just look at his Pro Football Focus grade -- but when he first took the field, it was shocking to see how quickly the fourth-round pick acclimated to the speed of the NFL game. Jones stymied T.J. Watt in his first start ever, keeping the former Defensive Player of the Year from recording a sack when matched up directly, and allowed just three sacks over the course of 11 games (nine starts) before a knee injury prematurely ended his season in December.
When Dallas drafted Smith at No. 24 overall in 2022, his fit along the O-line wasn't immediately clear. Were the Cowboys selecting him to be Tyron Smith's eventual successor? Did they view the tackle prospect as an interior player at the next level? Both? With Tyron Smith sidelined to start the 2022 season, Tyler took over LT duties as a rookie, playing well enough to keep the gig even after the veteran returned late in the campaign. However, Dallas moved Tyron Smith back to the blind side last year, sliding Tyler inside to maximize the starting talent up front. The youngster ended up being so good in his new role that he's staying at guard despite the elder Smith's departure this offseason. Tyler will likely take the torch as Dallas' best offensive lineman whenever Zack Martin walks away from the game, if not sooner.
The Rams learned how bad their offensive line was during a dreadful 2022 season and spent their first pick in the 2023 draft (No. 36 overall) on Avila. He succeeded in Year 1 as part of a vastly revamped front five, and while the TCU product doesn't carry quite the same premier reputation as some of the other linemen on this Under-25 Team, we must remind ourselves he's only played one season and has already impressed beyond most expectations. That usually bodes well for young linemen who are thrown into the fire. Not to mention, the guy's versatile. After starting all 18 games (postseason included) at left guard and playing every single offensive snap (all 1,148), Avila's moving to center in 2024.
Baltimore has made a habit of letting blue-chip players fall to them in the draft, and while it took a trade of Marquise Brown to Arizona in order to acquire the draft capital that ultimately led to Linderbaum at No. 25 overall, it was clearly excellent value in the moment. Two years later, that remains true. Linderbaum graded out as the seventh-best center in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus, and earned his first Pro Bowl nod in 2023 as part of an offense that finished with the best rushing attack in the league. After struggling to find consistency at center in recent years, the Ravens made an aggressive move to find a solution. Linderbaum has been exactly that.
DEFENSE
Hutchinson made waves as a rookie for the stat line he posted, recording 9.5 sacks and three interceptions on his way to a second-place finish for Defensive Rookie of the Year. His second season was about as effective, as he tacked on two more sacks to his total (11.5), recorded 51 tackles (14 for loss) and earned the first Pro Bowl nod of his career. The Michigan kid was a big part of the Lions' turnaround in 2022 and '23, and he remains a key piece with a bright future.
Anderson didn't reach double digits in sacks as a rookie, but he did clearly start to figure it out down the stretch, with his two sacks recorded in as many plays against Tennessee in Week 17 standing as proof that he was settling in. Anderson finished with seven sacks and 45 tackles (10 for loss) in his first NFL season, which doesn't jump off the page, but the plays in between the numbers tell the story of where Anderson is headed. He wasn't a top pick because of luck, and I'm interested to see if he really breaks out in Year 2.
Howie Roseman's heavy investment in Georgia Bulldogs has paid off up front. In Carter's first season, he logged six sacks, 33 tackles (eight for loss), two forced fumbles and finished second in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. Oh, and he did all that as a rotational player with just one start. Carter is an integral part in the rejuvenation of what had been an aging defensive front. While his fellow Bulldog, Jordan Davis, might receive more attention at times due to his sheer size, Carter is already one of the most talented interior defensive linemen in football.
Lions everywhere! McNeill is the standout player on Detroit's loaded roster who doesn't get nearly as much recognition as he deserves. But Detroit fans know better. After getting acclimated to a full-time starting role in 2022, McNeill took a big step forward in 2023, providing consistent production against both the run and pass, posting a career-high five sacks and grading out as one of PFF's top seven interior defenders. The interior isn't glamorous, but players like McNeill make it look good.
The knock on Owusu-Koramoah in the 2021 draft was that he's undersized for a linebacker, but through three seasons, he's done nothing but prove those detractors wrong in an era in which athleticism and speed are more valuable than brawn at the position. Owusu-Koramoah is a three-down 'backer capable of erasing speedy ball-carriers, and Cleveland's best answer for AFC North rival star Lamar Jackson. Owusu-Koramoah is one of the league's brightest young linebacking stars and should be an essential piece in Jim Schwartz's defense for years.
Bolton is as athletic and steady as they come, racking up an outrageous 180 tackles in 2022 before injuries hampered him in 2023. Sure, the Chiefs found a way to survive without him last year for chunks of the regular season, but his importance during their playoff run was undeniable; he played 98.5 percent of the team's total defensive snaps in the postseason, hitting double-digit tackles three times in four games, including in Super Bowl LVIII. It will be interesting to see if the Chiefs try to reach an extension with him in 2024. I know I would.
To those who believe Gardner is overrated, I have one message: Check the tape. Gardner lives in the hip pocket of pass catchers and is a silky-smooth blanket defender whose off-field swagger is matched by his elite on-field performance. Two years in the league, two first-team All-Pro selections and two Pro Bowl nods. That's not a fluke. If he can get his INT total up (assuming QBs stop avoiding him) in the years to come, don't be surprised if he adds a Defensive Player of the Year award to his résumé. He's that good.
Surtain had a bit of a down year in 2023, but Denver's defense, as a whole, was all over the map last season. So I haven't lost any faith in No. 2. The Broncos star has been considered one of the best young corners in the NFL since he arrived in 2021, and he already has two Pro Bowl selections and a first-team All-Pro honor to his name.
Hamilton was thrown into the fire without a concrete position in 2022, but he was optimistic last offseason about what he could accomplish in 2023 if he were able to settle into a more traditional safety role. Even he probably didn't imagine what was coming, though. In his first full season as a starter, Hamilton morphed into a game-changing defender, recording 81 tackles (10 for loss), three sacks, 13 passes defensed, four interceptions and one forced fumble. The athleticism that put him on seemingly every team's radar coming out of Notre Dame has translated to the pro level, giving Baltimore a legitimate star on the back end of its defense.
You may have forgotten about Hufanga, who tore his ACL in Week 11 and receded into the shadows as the 49ers mounted a run to Super Bowl LVIII. I didn't forget, though. Hufanga plays like a heat-seeking missile with a natural nose for the ball. Because of his injury, his 2023 numbers don't accurately reflect who he is as a player, but if he can return healthy in 2024, expect for him to repeatedly remind you of his All-Pro talent.
Much easier to part with L'Jarius Sneed when you already have an ascending replacement on the roster. McDuffie earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2023 with a banger of a season: 80 tackles, three sacks, five forced fumbles and seven passes defensed in 16 games. He also stepped up in a huge way during Super Bowl LVIII, forcing a handful of crucial pass breakups to help the Chiefs outlast the 49ers to earn their second straight Lombardi Trophy.