• Penei Sewell leads the way once again: For the second straight season, Sewell is the best player in the league under the age of 25. He is one of five Detroit Lions to make the list.

• Jayden Daniels is fresh off a stellar rookie campaign: After winning Offensive Rookie of the Year, Daniels is undoubtedly the most promising young quarterback in the NFL right now.

• Subscribe to PFF+: Get access to player grades, PFF Premium Stats, fantasy football rankings, all of the PFF fantasy draft research tools and more!

Estimated Reading Time: 16 minutes

As we enter the summer months, the NFL draft becomes an afterthought and season preview pieces move to the forefront.

Here, we’ll look at the top 25 players in the NFL under the age of 25. Since our cut-off point is when the 2025 season kicks off, this list excludes the likes of Sauce Gardner and Aidan Hutchinson, who are under 25 at the time of publication but will turn 25 before Week 1.

• Three-year grade: 92.8
• Snaps played since 2022: 3,734
• Average WAR since 2022: 0.54

Sewell led this list last year, and after another dominant season as one of the three highest-graded players at his position, his spot at the top remains solidified. Sewell’s run-blocking ability is his best asset, as he owns a 95.2 PFF run-blocking grade for his career — the second-best mark among all offensive linemen since entering the league in 2021.

Most impressive about Sewell’s top PFF overall grade is that he has played more snaps (4,773) than any other qualifying player for this list, keeping him as the top player under 25 for one more year.

Penei Sewell’s Career PFF Grades

• Three-year grade: 92.5
• Snaps played since 2022: 1,642
• Average WAR since 2022: 0.51

Nacua burst onto the scene in 2023 as a fifth-round rookie, making an immediate impact as a high-end target earner and elite receiving weapon for the Rams. He has yet to look back.

Through two seasons, Nacua has delivered a 92.4 PFF receiving grade and 2.92 yards per route run — both of which lead all qualifying players for this list and rank second among all players overall during that span. Even though he missed time with injuries in 2024, Nacua made the most of his opportunities, leading the position in PFF receiving grade (92.6) and yards per route run (3.23) as 2024’s most efficient receiver.

• Three-year grade: 92.0
• Snaps played since 2022: 2,815
• Average WAR since 2022: 0.39

Hamilton has quickly established himself as one of the league’s top safeties, finishing in the top three at his position in at least one of PFF overall grade, PFF coverage grade and PFF run-defense grade in each of his first three NFL seasons.

Hamilton’s versatility makes him one of the most valuable safeties in the league, and he even brings pass-rush upside, having generated 36 pressures and seven sacks in his NFL career.

• Three-year grade: 90.6
• Snaps played since 2022: 1,279
• Average WAR since 2022: 3.11

The 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year took the Commanders from last place in the NFC East the year before he was drafted to the NFC Championship game as a rookie, thanks to a dynamic playstyle that led to both a top-10 PFF overall grade and a top-10 PFF rushing grade for the position.

According to PFF WAR, Daniels accounted for more than three wins on the year alone, which was a top-five mark in the league.

• Three-year grade: 90.1
• Snaps played since 2022: 3,332
• Average WAR since 2022: 0.66

McDuffie went from being a top-five nickel cornerback in PFF overall grade for Steve Spagnuolo’s defense in 2023 to a top-five outside cornerback in 2024. He is the NFL’s highest-graded cornerback since 2023 (89.7).

McDuffie has earned an 89.4 PFF coverage grade since entering the league in 2022, which is a top-five mark among all cornerbacks and makes him the only one in the top 10 to have spent more than 25% of their career snaps in the slot.

• Three-year grade: 89.3
• Snaps played since 2022: 933
• Average WAR since 2022: 0.42

The reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year finished the 2024 season with 89 quarterback pressures — the most in the league — and managed a top-10 PFF grade in all three major defensive categories for the position (overall, run defense and pass rush).

Verse also generated the fifth-most PFF WAR (0.42) for his position, putting him in elite company alongside Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt. He didn’t finish as a league leader in the sack column, but that shouldn’t discount just how dominant he was on a play-to-play basis, evidenced by his top-10 PFF pass-rush grade and sixth-best win rate (19.7%) among defensive linemen.

Most Pressures Among Edge Defenders in 2024

• Three-year grade: 89.6
• Snaps played since 2022: 1,340
• Average WAR since 2022: 0.27

After being named the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2023, Anderson improved upon his excellent debut season with a top-10 PFF overall grade (88.8) for the position in 2024. His improvement as a pass rusher translated to production, including 14.5 sacks, up from his eight as a rookie.

Anderson also improved his run defense in Year 2, cracking the top 10 in PFF run-defense grade (81.1) for the first time in his career.

• Three-year grade: 87.0
• Snaps played since 2022: 1,855
• Average WAR since 2022: 0.41

Branch is one of several young, promising Lions players to make this list, getting off to a great start in his NFL career through two seasons. He ranks behind only Kyle Hamilton among qualifying players on this list at the position in both career PFF overall grade and career PFF coverage grade (84.3).

Branch’s versatility has been a significant asset for Detroit, as he served as a high-end nickel cornerback in Year 1 before transitioning to a more permanent full-time role as a movable chess piece in Aaron Glenn’s defense and never disappointing, earning top-15 PFF overall grades for his position in each season.

9. RB Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons

• Three-year grade: 91.0
• Snaps played since 2022: 1,631
• Average WAR since 2022: 0.22

Robinson is the first running back on this list, with his 2024 season serving as the catalyst to put him over the top for his position. He earned an elite 92.8 PFF rushing grade, which ranked behind only Derrick Henry this past season.

Robinson was also one of just two running backs in 2024 (Josh Jacobs) to rank inside the top five at his position in both PFF rushing grade and PFF receiving grade (82.2), serving as a true high-end workhorse at the position for the first time in his career. That’s a trend we should expect to continue for the former top-10 pick.

• Three-year grade: 90.2
• Snaps played since 2022: 1,371
• Average WAR since 2022: 0.17

Gibbs and Robinson are in a neck-and-neck battle to be the best young running back in the NFL, and they’ll likely continue to be compared to one another throughout their careers after being separated by just four picks in the 2023 NFL Draft.

The margins in which Gibbs and Robinson differ in PFF grades are also very thin: Gibbs finished one spot behind Robinson in PFF rushing grade in 2024. Gibbs has delivered more than 1,000 rushing yards and at least 400 receiving yards in both of his NFL seasons (postseason included) thus far, with 2024 being his most productive. He ranked inside the top five at his position in both rushing yards (1,412) and receiving yards (517) in the regular season.

• Three-year grade: 90.1
• Snaps played since 2022: 2,711
• Average WAR since 2022: 0.40

The first two years of London’s career were both very encouraging for a top-10 wide receiver pick. He earned a top-25 PFF receiving grade in each season, before truly breaking out in Year 3 with a 90.1 PFF receiving grade — the fourth-best mark in the regular season.

London set career highs in not just PFF receiving grade, but also yards per route run (2.32), targets (149), receptions (100), receiving yards (1,271) and receiving touchdowns (nine). It was an ideal season from the former top-10 pick and should keep London established as one of the top young receivers in the league for several more years.

• Three-year grade: 86.0
• Snaps played since 2022: 2,232
• Average WAR since 2022: 2.67

Stroud would likely be higher on this list if not for a Year 2 that didn’t quite live up to expectations based on his Offensive Rookie of the Year performance in 2023. But, with that said, Stroud was still very good, finishing as the 11th-highest-graded passer (tied) in 2024.

Due to that solid play, and the nature of the position, Stroud ranks behind only Jayden Daniels on this list in average PFF WAR generated over the past three seasons, and it’s worth noting that he did so on a larger sample size. Stroud will turn just 24 years old during the 2025 season, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone if Year 3 is his best season yet.

C.J. Stroud’s 2024 Passing Map by Depth

• Three-year grade: 78.8
• Snaps played since 2022: 2,530
• Average WAR since 2022: 0.43

Stingley endured some struggles and injuries as a rookie in 2022, but over the past two seasons, he has emerged as one of the best cornerbacks in the league — not just among those under the age of 25.

The former third-overall pick delivered a top-five PFF coverage grade in 2023 and then finished the 2024 season with the second-best mark, behind only reigning Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain II. Stingley also allowed just a 39.6 NFL passer rating when targeted, the best mark in the league in 2024.

14. TE Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders

• Three-year grade: 85.4
• Snaps played since 2022: 956
• Average WAR since 2022: 0.61

Bowers entered the 2024 NFL Draft considered as one of the best tight end prospects of all time, and his rookie season did nothing to dissuade that notion. He broke rookie tight end records for receiving yards in a season (1,194) and receptions for the position (112).

Bowers’ rookie-year excellence had him leading the position in both of those receiving categories, and he finished no worse than in the top five in yards per route run (2.02), PFF overall grade (85.1), PFF WAR (0.61) and PFF receiving grade (88.4). He quickly established himself as one of the top receiving threats at the position, and he has a lot more potential to deliver beyond his rookie season.

• Three-year grade: 87.0
• Snaps played since 2022: 882
• Average WAR since 2022: 0.56

Nabers is the closest rookie receiving threat to Brock Bowers coming out of 2024, and depending on which metric you want to favor, there’s a reasonable argument he could be ahead of him on this list. In a stacked 2024 rookie wide receiver class, Nabers was the best of the bunch, leading the group in PFF receiving grade (87.1) and targets (165) — both top-10 marks for the position.

Nabers was also the only rookie wide receiver to crack the top 10 in PFF WAR in 2024, ranking as the Giants’ most valuable player in that regard by a significant margin. 

• Three-year grade: 85.0
• Snaps played since 2022: 1,986
• Average WAR since 2022: 0.57

Witherspoon has already proven to be one of the league’s most effective slot cornerbacks in all situations through his first two seasons, and he’s a top-10 cornerback in PFF overall grade since 2022. The Illinois product is the only cornerback of the past two seasons to rank in the top 10 in PFF overall grade and the top five in PFF run defense grade (90.3).

He also boasts a 78.5 career PFF coverage grade, which ranks 17th over the past two seasons, and a 90.2 PFF pass-rush grade (sixth) on 72 pass-rush attempts, making him one of the league’s most effective weapons at the position.

17. DI Jalen Carter, Philadelphia Eagles

• Three-year grade: 83.5
• Snaps played since 2022: 1,666
• Average WAR since 2022: 0.34

Carter debuted with an excellent rookie season in 2023, earning top-10 marks for his position in PFF overall grade (87.4) and PFF pass-rush grade (84.6). That led to big expectations for Year 2 as he greatly increased his workload.

While Carter didn’t improve his PFF overall grade, he did continue to deliver the high-end pass-rush upside that we’d expect from a former top-10 pick, ranking in the top five in PFF pass-rush grade (84.4) and pressures (75), and in the top 10 in win rate (12.9%).

• Three-year grade: 82.7
• Snaps played since 2022: 1,844
• Average WAR since 2022: 0.34

There is an argument that Benford is one of the most underrated players in the league, having ranked as a top-15 cornerback in PFF overall grade since entering the league. He also owns a top-12 PFF coverage grade (84.0) over that span.

Once Benford became a full-time starter in 2023, he truly earned his inclusion on this list, as he moves into the top five in PFF coverage grade among cornerbacks (87.1) over that span. During that same stretch, Benford has allowed just 0.76 yards per coverage snap — a top-10 mark among 150 qualifying cornerbacks since 2022.

Christian Benford’s Career PFF Grades

• Three-year grade: 84.7
• Snaps played since 2022: 784
• Average WAR since 2022: 0.47

The gap between McConkey and fellow 2024 rookie Brian Thomas Jr. is razor thin, but McConkey ultimately gets the edge after ranking second among all rookie receivers in PFF receiving grade (85.0), PFF overall grade (84.3) and PFF WAR (0.47) — all just ahead of Thomas.

McConkey even led all rookies in yards per route run (2.59) and ranked in the top five among all players at the position in 2024.

20. WR Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars

• Three-year grade: 82.3
• Snaps played since 2022: 822
• Average WAR since 2022: 0.46

Thomas led all rookies in receiving yards in the 2024 regular season (1,282) and ranked third in the entire league. He emerged as a top weapon and the Jaguars’ most valuable player, according to PFF WAR.

The first-round pick did finish with a higher PFF overall grade in the regular season than Ladd McConkey, but the one massive playoff game for the Chargers’ top wide receiver puts him ahead for now. Still, both players put together incredibly promising rookie seasons to earn spots on this list.

• Three-year grade: 91.3
• Snaps played since 2022: 1,028
• Average WAR since 2022: 0.13

Achane’s otherworldly efficiency as a rookie — 7.5 yards per carry — was never going to be sustainable, and his league-leading 93.1 PFF rushing grade and 92.1 PFF overall grade set expectations very high heading into Year 2.

Understandably, his 2024 season wasn’t quite to that rookie-year level, but that shouldn’t take away from how good he still was. Achane still ranked 13th in both PFF overall grade (81.6) and PFF rushing grade (82.8) as a top-10 player at his position in PFF WAR.

• Three-year grade: 79.1
• Snaps played since 2022: 3,363
• Average WAR since 2022: 0.30

Offensive line is one of the most difficult positions to hit the ground running at in the NFL, but through his first three years in the league, Smith has done just that, ranking in the top 10 at his position since 2022 in PFF WAR.

Smith has established himself as a very good run blocker, ranking in the top 20 at his position in each of his first three seasons, though he has also developed nicely as a pass blocker. He has gradually increased his PFF pass-blocking grade each year since entering the NFL, culminating in a 76.0 mark in 2024 — a top-10 figure for the position.

• Three-year grade: 78.3
• Snaps played since 2022: 2,129
• Average WAR since 2022: 0.47

Much like De’Von Achane, LaPorta engineered a historic rookie season in 2023, setting the rookie tight end record at the time for receptions and receiving yards, and faced high expectations for Year 2.

While he regressed slightly in 2024, his 79.1 PFF receiving grade was still the sixth-best mark at the position in 2024, and the sixth-best figure over the past two seasons. LaPorta ranks fourth at the position overall and fifth on the Lions in PFF WAR since 2023, making him another worthy Detroit player for this list.

24. CB Cooper DeJean, Philadelphia Eagles

• Three-year grade: 86.3
• Snaps played since 2022: 881
• Average WAR since 2022: 0.55

Both DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell are worthy rookie Eagles cornerbacks for this list, though compared to the other larger-sample cornerbacks who made the cut, only one fits into the top 25. DeJean’s PFF grades across the board give him the edge.

DeJean finished as the highest-graded cornerback in 2024 (86.3) and ranked in the top three in both PFF coverage grade (84.2) and PFF run-defense grade (90.4). He was the only NFL cornerback to place in the top three in all categories. The only thing keeping DeJean from being higher on this list is having played fewer than 1,000 snaps in his NFL career — the lowest snap count of any player in this top 25.

• Three-year grade: 77.7
• Snaps played since 2022: 3,076
• Average WAR since 2022: 0.11

Joseph would have been much higher on this top-25 list had his All-Pro 2024 campaign — which earned him a large new contract — extended to his previous seasons. He was the top-graded safety overall (90.4) and in coverage (91.1) this past season, but he ranked 50th or lower in PFF coverage grade in each year before 2024.

However, while those first two seasons were used as a tie-breaker that pushed him down the list, he ultimately deserved to make the cut after an excellent 2024 season.