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Football has long been a young man’s game, which is why the best NFL players under 25 in 2022 are likely to be among the best players in the league, period.
Every year, the top young NFL players seem to make their mark on the league. Plus, every year, there seems to be a new crop of the top NFL players under 25.
Best NFL players under 25 in 2022
Needless to say, we felt it was important to rank the best NFL players under 25 right now before the 2022 season gets underway. While the competition was undoubtedly fierce and some good players had to be left off, here are the 10 best NFL players under 25 in 2022.
10. Chase Young
Even if a torn ACL ended his 2021 season early, Chase Young still deserves the benefit of the doubt. After all, he was Defensive Rookie of the Year and a Pro Bowler in 2020.
Young is still just 23 and still looks like a physically imposing pass rusher. As long as he comes back healthy, there is every reason to believe he’ll have a big season in 2022.
9. Tristan Wirfs
Tristan Wirfs deserves some recognition as arguably the best young offensive lineman in the league. Just two seasons into his career, he’s already a Pro Bowler, a First-Team All-Pro, and a Super Bowl winner.
Wirfs has the added pressure of having to protect Tom Brady, but he’s answered the call, doing so with flying colors.
8. D.K. Metcalf
Given all that he’s done in the league, it’s hard to believe that D.K. Metcalf is under 25, but he won’t celebrate his 25th birthday until December. He’s already a Pro Bowler and one of the fastest and most feared receivers in the NFL.
To be fair, some of his numbers declined last season compared to his breakout campaign in 2020. Metcalf will also have to deal with a new quarterback in Seattle. But he remains one of the most physically intimidating receivers in the league.
7. A.J. Terrell
The Falcons don’t have a lot of bright spots right now, but A.J. Terrell is surely one of them. He’s two years into his career and will only turn 24 this September.
Yet, Terrell was a Second-Team All-Pro selection last year and graded out as one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. His future is bright and Atlanta has at least one good building block.
6. Ja’Marr Chase
With just one season under his belt, it’s clear that Ja’Marr Chase has a bright future ahead of him. In 2021, he set rookie records for receiving yards in a single season, receiving yards in a game, and receiving yards in a postseason.
His Week 17 performance may have been the best single-game performance by a receiver all season.
Keep in mind he didn’t have a college season in 2022, so the sky is still the limit for the 22-year-old. There’s no question he’s among the best NFL players under 25 in 2022.
5. Jonathan Taylor
Running back is inherently a young man’s position, and the 23-year-old Jonathan Taylor is undoubtedly the cream of the crop right now.
Even after rushing for over 1,100 yards and averaging five yards per carry as a rookie, Taylor was better in his second season. For a while, he was even a serious MVP candidate.
After averaging close to 22 touches per game, it’s clear that Taylor is not your typical timeshare running back. He’s a workhorse with an amazing resume two seasons into his career, putting him head and shoulders above the rest of the running backs in the league.
4. Justin Herbert
Even with two excellent seasons under his belt, Justin Herbert will play the entire 2022 season as a 24-year-old. He’s still one of the youngest quarterbacks in the league, giving him plenty of room for improvement despite being a Pro Bowler last year.
While Herbert threw a few more interceptions last year, he still made plenty of positive strides from the 2020 season when he won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. He still needs to take things to another level in terms of leading his team to wins and getting the Chargers to the playoffs.
However, the numbers speak for themselves in terms of Herbert being one of the best young players in the league.
3. Micah Parsons
Micah Parsons was nothing short of sensational as a rookie in 2021, so it’s exciting to see where he goes from here.
He was Defensive Rookie of the Year with 13 sacks, 64 solo tackles, and three forced fumbles. Parsons made a profound impact on a Dallas defense that needed a big-time playmaker. He’s only 23 but will have a chance to be a top-5 defensive player in the NFL this year.
2. Justin Jefferson
There haven’t been many wide receivers who have taken the league by storm in their first two seasons the way Justin Jefferson has.
His 1,400 receiving yards and seven touchdowns were impressive as a rookie, but he was even better last year, hauling in 108 passes for over 1,600 yards and 10 touchdowns. Jefferson just turned 23 this past summer and is already among the elite receivers in the league. He’ll undoubtedly be one of the best NFL players under 25 in 2022 and again in 2023.
1. Nick Bosa
The younger Nick Bosa brother won’t turn 25 until October, so he still fits into this category. He’s also coming off an outstanding 2021 campaign despite playing just two games in 2020 due to injury.
When you factor in Bosa coming back from an ACL tear, his 2021 season was nothing short of extraordinary. He tallied 15.5 sacks and led the league with 21 tackles for loss while also forcing four fumbles. Bosa also had four sacks in three playoff games, playing a huge part in San Francisco’s postseason success and making a strong case for being the best young pass rusher in the NFL.
