All-Under-25 Team: Drake Maye, Abdul Carter among NFL's ascending young players entering 2026 season
NFL Network's Steve Wyche discusses how New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye can return to the Super Bowl.
Who are the best young players at each position heading into the 2026 NFL season? Nick Shook assembles an All-Under-25 Team below, listing 12 offensive players (including one flex spot) and 11 defenders.
NOTE: Each player's listed age represents how old he will be on Sept.9 -- the day the 2026 NFL season kicks off -- which served as the cutoff for eligibility.
OFFENSE
I’d like you to take a moment and reflect on the 2025 season, a journey in which a second-year quarterback led his team to the Super Bowl and narrowly missed out on winning NFL MVP. It’s difficult for us to live in the moment these days, but we should appreciate both the rarity of those feats and the challenges Maye overcame to execute them. Maye won with precision, composure and a fearlessness not typically seen in an inexperienced signal-caller, yet there he was, directing the Patriots’ offense and throwing them to victory with incredibly efficient performances that vaulted him up the list of MVP favorites. Detractors will point toward New England’s soft schedule, but those who identified Maye’s potential as a rookie were vindicated in 2025 (until Super Bowl LX). And to those who have once again grown tired of the Pats’ success, cover your eyes: Maye turns 24 in August.
Robinson’s former coach, Raheem Morris, confidently stated his running back was the best player in the NFL early in the 2025 campaign. Bijan promptly backed up the hype, posting a 1,478-yard rushing season that also included 79 receptions for 820 yards and 11 total touchdowns. In his last two seasons, Robinson has piled up 4,185 scrimmage yards and 26 touchdowns, making him the epitome of a high-volume producer every team would want on its roster. He’s the NFL’s best three-down back and will remain the focus of Atlanta’s offense, especially with the arrival of new coach Kevin Stefanski, so we should only expect more greatness in 2026. At 24 years old, this will be Robinson’s last appearance on this team, but it's a well-deserved finale.
Detroit’s backfield became Gibbs’ in 2025, a season that wasn’t quite as good as his 2024 showing but one that provided a necessary lesson for a Lions team that was always going to pivot toward Gibbs as the lead runner. Detroit learned last year how important a healthy offensive line is for its chances of success, then acted accordingly in the 2026 offseason, setting up Gibbs for what could be his best campaign yet. After watching Gibbs pile up 3,580 rushing yards, 1,449 receiving yards and 49 total touchdowns in his first three seasons, we know he is an elite running back. There’s no questioning his place on this team, but this will be his final appearance, as he turns 25 next March.
Here's a countdown of the 10 best highlight plays from Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs in the 2025 NFL season.
This one is as simple as it gets. Seattle traded away DK Metcalf last offseason, moved Smith-Njigba to the top of the receiving pecking order, paired him with Sam Darnold and let them cook a feast fit for a king -- or perhaps, a champion. Smith-Njigba torched opposing defenses all season, hauling in passes at every depth and distance, often in highlight-reel fashion on his way to a league-best 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns. That was good enough to earn NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors, and JSN placed the cherry on top of his productive sundae by winning Super Bowl LX. In one year, the former first-round pick out of Ohio State became one of the NFL’s most feared receivers -- and he doesn’t turn 25 until next Valentine’s Day. Eat your heart out, defensive backs.
Carolina spent first-round picks on wideouts in the 2024 and '25 drafts. One is struggling to find a defined role in the offense, while the other -- McMillan -- is firmly seated atop the receiver depth chart. The 6-foot-4 McMillan quickly became a favorite target for Bryce Young, leading Carolina in receiving by more than 600 yards, catching seven touchdown passes and earning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. He immediately earned the respect of his counterparts, landing on the NFL Top 100 list (at No. 87) after his first season, and will continue to serve as the focus of Carolina’s passing game for years to come. At 23 years old, he has a chance to land on this list again next year, too.
Bowers rocketed up the tight end power rankings as a rookie, becoming the Raiders’ top receiving option and a target vacuum (112 catches on 153 targets, 1,194 receiving yards and five touchdowns). In one year, Bowers went from unproven rookie to certified star -- and then the injury bug struck in 2025. Battling a knee issue, Bowers was a shell of himself for a significant portion of his sophomore season, and the Raiders’ offense suffered accordingly, finishing 32nd in yards per game and 28th in passing yards per game. The campaign was both frustrating and illuminating for Las Vegas, which understood the importance of a healthy offensive line and a healthy Bowers. He’ll aim to get back on track and prove 2025 was an aberration. I already know last season wasn’t representative of who Bowers is and expect him to prove he undoubtedly belongs on this list.
One of new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan’s pillars in his rebuilding effort, Achane has matched the reputation that followed him from Texas A&M, proving to be one of the most explosive, must-watch skill players in the NFL. He blossomed in his third season, rushing for 1,350 yards and eight touchdowns while adding 67 catches for 488 yards and four more scores. That production earned him a contract extension as one of the most important players on Miami’s roster. In an offense that has since been torn down, the 5-9, 191-pounder will be asked to carry a hefty load without many threatening weapons by his side. This fall will be the true test of Achane’s abilities, even if we already understand how special he is.
One 2025 game illustrated both how effective and important Alt is to the Chargers: Week 8’s Thursday night home contest against the Vikings. In that game, Alt returned from injury, giving the Bolts one of their two starting tackles and finally shoring up their leaky blocking unit. The results said it all: With ample time to throw, Justin Herbert torched Brian Flores’ defense for 227 yards and three touchdowns, while Kimani Vidal ran 23 times for 117 yards and a score in a runaway win for Los Angeles. It would be Alt’s penultimate game in the '25 season, as an ankle injury knocked him out for the remainder of the campaign, returned the Chargers’ offensive line to a frustratingly subpar state and forced Herbert to play hero ball for the rest of the year. In just two seasons, Alt has proven to be a highly adept tackle, wiping out threats on the right side of the line and empowering Herbert to be his best self. Alt just needs to stay healthy going forward. If he does, the rest of the league will quickly come to understand his excellence.
Another tackle whose 2025 campaign was abbreviated -- first by personal reasons, then due to injury -- Simmons proved the hype that first surfaced during Chiefs camp was not overblown when he took the field in September. He was remarkably solid in his first few games as a pro, seemingly answering Kansas City's persistent question at left tackle. But after Simmons missed four games because of a "family matter," a wrist injury ultimately ended his rookie season after just eight contests. The health issues will remain a concern, especially when considering the patellar tendon injury that tanked his draft stock, but if Simmons stays active, he’ll own a place on this team at this time next year, too -- and the Chiefs will be glad they took a risk on him with the 32nd pick two Aprils ago.
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One of my favorites to be selected higher than projected in 2025, Booker went to the Cowboys with the No. 12 overall pick and fit right into the massive void left by Zack Martin’s retirement. Booker wasn’t an All-Pro immediately, of course, but he provided consistent play, especially when healthy, and shored up a major area of concern for a Dallas team that knew it would be disproportionately reliant on its offense. The Cowboys' offensive output speaks volumes: a 1,200-yard rusher, a 4,500-yard passer, two 1,000-yard receivers and the No. 2 total offense in the NFL. Booker played a key part in that production and will man his spot for years to come. And he's poised for more appearances on this team, seeing how he’s only 22 years old.
Yes, there were moments during Zabel’s rookie season in which he was outclassed by more experienced veterans. Sure, he could be a bit more stout against the bull rush and under control when chasing targets. But the good outweighed the bad by a wide margin in Zabel’s debut campaign, one in which he entered the starting lineup and blocked with a relentless motor, delivering some vicious impacts when he lined a defender up on the tracks. Zabel took the Senior Bowl by storm and proved those highlights weren’t an aberration, giving the Seahawks a road-grading guard with room to grow. If you need proof of what’s likely to come, check out how he finished the season. That positive momentum in Seattle's romp to the Lombardi Trophy will carry him to greater heights in Year 2.
There’s something about Wisconsin linemen that tends to catch my eye in Indianapolis during the NFL Scouting Combine, and Bortolini was only the latest to do so back in the winter of 2024. Luckily for Indianapolis, he still flew under the radar, lasting until the fourth round of the draft and spending his first season at guard, learning alongside the player he’d eventually replace, center Ryan Kelly. Bortolini switched to the pivot in 2025, anchored one of the NFL’s best (and most expertly rebuilt) offensive lines and earned a stellar Pro Football Focus grade, ranking third among all centers. It seems general manager Chris Ballard has successfully found his long-term replacement at a crucially important position.
DEFENSE
The future is closer than most Steelers fans might willingly admit. Fortunately, Pittsburgh has already found its replacement for T.J. Watt in Herbig, an edge rusher who earned the seventh-best Pro Football Focus grade among all players at his position in 2025. Herbig posted a career-best 7.5 sacks in 15 games along with 30 tackles (13 for loss) despite playing just 52.6 percent of Pittsburgh's defensive snaps (per Next Gen Stats), maximizing his potential as a rotational defender before being paid like a starter. The four-year, $100 million extension Herbig signed in June signals what the Steelers already knew: This 24-year-old is their future at edge.
Carter arrived with great expectations as a top-three pick and attracted attention for his winding journey toward selecting a jersey number, then seemed to fly under the national radar throughout most of his rookie season. Those paying closer attention, however, understood that Carter had a strong debut campaign. Despite recording just four sacks in 2025, Carter finished seventh in quarterback pressures with 72 (per NGS), just five fewer than Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett recorded. He earned enough Defensive Rookie of the Year votes to finish fifth, and if he can convert more of his pressures into sacks, he'll quickly climb the popularity charts. He turns 23 in October, too, so he has plenty of time to do so.
New York Giants linebacker Abdul Carter bursts into the backfield to sack Minnesota Vikings quarterback Max Brosmer for a 9-yard sack.
The defining legacy of the Super Bowl LX champion Seahawks will be their stifling defense, known as the “Dark Side,” a unit that constricted the Patriots into submission on an early-February Sunday in Santa Clara. Lost in the shadows was Murphy, a 2024 first-round pick who truly blossomed in his second season. Murphy piled up seven sacks and 62 tackles in 17 games, tied for fifth among all defensive tackles in stops (tackles resulting in negative EPA, a success for the defense) and finished sixth in QB pressures among DTs, per Next Gen Stats. He did so on a defense loaded with star power, generally going without the recognition he deserved. Not in this space. Murphy is a big part of what makes Seattle’s defense elite and is only scratching the surface as he approaches his 24th birthday.
This selection requires a bit of projection, but I'm confident it will pan out because what I saw from Nolen in just six games tells me all I need to know. Nolen was a disruptive force and an instant, significant upgrade for Arizona's defensive line as soon as he returned from injury, recording a sack and four tackles in his very first game. Nolen only appeared in six contests before his health-hampered season ended due to injury, robbing us of a true evaluation of his debut campaign, but if he can stay on the field in 2026, this selection will make much more sense to the average fan. Trust me: He's a stud.
Most people weren't watching the Titans last season unless they were tuning in to see the start of quarterback Cam Ward's career, but diehard Tennessee fans will likely appreciate this selection because they understand what their team has in Gray, a fantastic run-defending linebacker who racked up 164 tackles, the fourth-most in the NFL in 2025. In his first season as a starter, Gray spent most of his time hunting ball carriers or playing coverage, rushing the passer just 67 times out of 878 defensive snaps, per NGS. Despite the lack of opportunities, Gray managed to log a 22.4 QB pressure percentage, an especially impressive stat when lined up next to his 86 stops, the fifth-most among all players in 2025. There isn't much glory in racking up tackles at a high rate -- not in this splash-play-obsessed world in which we live -- but Gray is on track to carve out a lengthy career with this type of production. If he needs an example, he can look toward former Browns and Colts linebacker D'Qwell Jackson, a 11-year veteran who routinely ranked near or at the top of the tackle charts. Most fans would love to have a tackling machine on their roster like Gray, PFF's seventh-best linebacker in the NFL in 2025.
A former walk-on at UCLA, Schwesinger has routinely overcome long odds to find success on the gridiron. He arrived in Cleveland without much of a national reputation but quickly won the hearts of Browns fans with his relentless motor, which saw him tally 156 tackles (11 for loss), nine QB hits, 2.5 sacks and two interceptions in 16 games. Schwesinger proved himself as a versatile, athletic, three-down linebacker capable of leading a defense by example, then earned a permanent place in Browns lore with his performance in a Week 17 win over the rival Steelers, a 13-6 triumph that leaned heavily on Cleveland's defense and required Schwesinger to play through an obvious injury before calling it a season shortly after the victory. When it came time to choose a Defensive Rookie of the Year, debate was minimal: Schwesinger took home the award with 80 percent of first-place votes, capping a fantastic rookie season with some hardware for his trophy case.
Cleveland Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger lands at number 93 on the Top 100 Players list of 2026.
Derek Stingley Jr. and Jalen Pitre understandably attract the most praise as the two faces of Houston's shutdown secondary, but we shouldn't overlook Lassiter, a hard-nosed corner who proved to be exceptional both in coverage and against the run. PFF ranked Lassiter third among all corners in run defense in 2025, and after grabbing hold of a perimeter corner job, he flourished, recording 17 passes defensed and four interceptions in only his second season. The strength of Houston's secondary undoubtedly includes Lassiter, a rapidly ascending corner who represents yet another successful draft pick made by GM Nick Caserio. After locking up Stingley and Pitre, Houston should turn its attention to this former second-round pick, who will be a strong candidate for a lucrative extension when he becomes eligible next offseason.
Gonzalez's pro career has been tumultuous, with many of the dips caused by injury. When healthy and given the runway to build momentum, though, Gonzalez has proven he can match the expectation that comes with being a former first-round pick. After a slow start to his third NFL season, Gonzalez finished strong, playing a key role in keeping Super Bowl LX within reach and posting solid season-long numbers. Among corners with 35 or more targets as the nearest defender, Gonzalez finished second in receptions allowed over expected at -7.6, per Next Gen Stats, routinely erasing promising chances for opposing offenses. When targeted, he accounted for an EPA of -20.2, taking away nearly three touchdowns worth of possible points from foes. That's the mark of a shutdown corner, which Gonzalez has proven himself to be.
I had a tough time picking between Branch and Falcons safety Xavier Watts for this spot. Ultimately, I chose Branch because of the consistency he has demonstrated in his first three NFL seasons. In Years 1 and 2, Branch racked up 29 passes defensed, seven interceptions, two forced fumbles, 183 tackles (15 for loss) and two sacks, doing a bit of everything at safety for Detroit. 2025 saw Branch encounter injury hurdles, limiting him to 12 games, although he more than doubled his career sack total (with 2.5 on the season) and posted nice numbers across the board. Hopefully, the torn Achilles that Branch suffered in December doesn't bleed too far into his 2026 campaign. But seeing how he turns 25 in October, this is his last year of eligibility for this team, and it's an honor he earned with exquisite play from Day 1 in the league.
Emmanwori was known as a freakishly athletic prospect coming out of South Carolina, yet he still managed to slide into the second round of the 2025 draft, where Seahawks GM John Schneider happily scooped him up with the 35th overall pick. That choice proved pivotal. Emmanwori found a perfect home as a versatile defensive back in Mike Macdonald's defense, lining up all over the field -- nickelback, safety, even an occasional snap as an edge rusher -- and empowering the coach with the freedom to create unique attacks that powered the Seahawks to a Super Bowl LX triumph over New England. The jack-of-all-trades defender stuffed the stat sheet with 81 tackles (nine for loss), 11 passes defensed, 2.5 sacks, one interception and 17 QB pressures -- the most by any defensive back in the NFL last season, per NGS. The same athleticism that initially attracted attention toward Emmanwori was essential in 2025 and will continue to be a catalyst for Macdonald's defense going forward.
We should have known DeJean was on track to produce a special 2025 campaign when he intercepted Patrick Mahomes and returned it for a touchdown in Super Bowl LIX. His first career pick in the final game of his rookie season was a preview of what was to come in a splashy Year 2. After securing a Lombardi Trophy to close the 2024 season, DeJean saw his role increase in 2025 and matched the expectation, tallying 16 passes defensed, two interceptions, 93 tackles and a -12.1 target EPA in 580 coverage snaps, per Next Gen Stats. Inserted at slot corner, DeJean formed one half of Philadelphia's first-team All-Pro defensive back pair with Quinyon Mitchell, taking home the prestigious honor (plus a Pro Bowl nod) while playing an integral role in the Eagles' eighth-ranked pass defense. He's only 23, yet he's already proven himself as an elite nickelback with plenty of road left in front of him.