Aaron SchatzJul 29, 2025, 06:30 AM ETCloseAaron Schatz is an NFL analyst for ESPN.com. He has more than 20 years of experience working in NFL analytics and is the creator of the DVOA and DYAR metric. He also serves as the Chief Analytics Officer at FTN Network.Follow on X
Aaron SchatzJul 29, 2025, 06:30 AM ET
CloseAaron Schatz is an NFL analyst for ESPN.com.
He has more than 20 years of experience working in NFL analytics and is the creator of the DVOA and DYAR metric. He also serves as the Chief Analytics Officer at FTN Network.Follow on X
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NFLteams don’t need young talent to be serious contenders, but having it helps indicate their potential for long-term success. Blue-chip players are cornerstone assets from whom teams will likely derive their biggest future value.
For the third straight year, theHouston Texansare No.
1 on this list of teams with the most under-25 talent, which is what happens when theytrade up to get the top two picksin the draft and take two players who are very young. QuarterbackC.J. Stroudand edge rusherWill Anderson Jr., who were both drafted in 2023, are two of the league’s most valuable young players — even with Stroud’s numberstaking a hitlast season.
A year ago, the Texans were way ahead of everyone else when it came to ranking talent under 25 years old.
Now, things are much closer between Houston and the other teams near the top. Here are our rankings (all ages are as of Sept. 1):
Jump to a team:ARI|ATL|BAL|BUF|CAR|CHI|CINCLE|DAL|DEN|DET|GB|HOU|INDJAX|KC|LV|LAC|LAR|MIA|MINNE|NO|NYG|NYJ|PHI|PIT|SFSEA|TB|TEN|WSH
As is our standard, we have created these rankings based on a combination of factors:
Number of starts made by players under 25 years old
Number of snaps played by players under 25 years old
Quality of play by players under 25 years old, age-adjusted to capture the fact that a 21-year-old player of X ability will likely improve more than a 23-year-old player of X ability — and with extra consideration given to Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections
Value and length of player contracts
Source: Espnnfl
.
