The 25 best NFL players under the age of 25

He isn't at his brother's level yet, but Watt has 20.0 sacks, seven forced fumbles, 120 combined tackles and an interception in two NFL seasons. He made his first Pro Bowl last year.

As a rookie in 2018, Smith led the No. 1 defense in the league with 121 combined tackles. He also posted 5.0 sacks, eight tackles for loss and five quarterback hits.

Selected just a couple of picks ahead of Smith at No. 5 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, Chubb also had an impressive rookie season. Last fall, he posted 12.0 sacks, 14 tackles for loss and 21 quarterback hits.

Smith-Schuster has placed together two strong seasons to begin his career, posting 2,343 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns. The Steelers will be counting on the 22-year-old to replace departed All-Pro receiver Antonio Brown.

King is still waiting to make the Pro Bowl, but he did earn an All-Pro nomination in 2018. He led the Chargers with three interceptions and posted 10 pass defenses with 62 combined tackles along with a punt return for a touchdown in 2018.

The 23-year-old posted his first 1,000-yard rushing season in 2018, running for 1,098 yards behind an average of 5.0 yards per carry. He also recorded 1,965 yards from scrimmage last year.

The Browns have so much optimism heading into 2019, and the main reason why is Mayfield. As a rookie, he went 6-7 with 3,725 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Mayfield also posted three fourth-quarter comebacks and four game-winning drives.

The Boise State product transformed the Cowboys defense in 2018 as a rookie, recording 140 combined tackles, including 102 solos. He also had seven pass defenses and two interceptions on his way to the Pro Bowl.

Adams also made his first Pro Bowl in 2018, recording 115 combined tackles, including 86 solos, with nine tackles for loss and eight quarterback hits. He also posted 3.5 sacks and one interception.

After taking Mayfield first overall, the Browns selected Ward at No. 4 and they don't regret it. Ward is a piece to build a young secondary around, and as a rookie he registered three interceptions with 11 pass defenses and 53 combined tackles.

It probably won't be long until Barkley is the best running back in the league. Barkley led the NFL with 2,028 yards from scrimmage as a rookie in 2018 and rushed for 1,307 behind an average of 5.0 yards per carry.

Under coach Sean McVay the last two seasons, Goff has made the Pro Bowl twice and posted a 24-7 record. In 2018, he led the Rams to a Super Bowl appearance while throwing for 4,688 yards, 32 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

Ramsey took a slight step back in 2018, but he has still made the Pro Bowl each of the last two years and recorded an All-Pro season in 2017. In the last two seasons, he has seven interceptions, 30 pass defenses and 128 combined tackles.

The 23-year-old has yet to record a 1,000-yard rushing season, but Kamara has made two Pro Bowl teams because of two years of more than 1,500 yards from scrimmage. He's averaged 5.1 yards per carry and has caught 162 passes in two seasons.

It's hard to believe this guy is still under 25, but he won't turn that age until October. He's already played four seasons and racked up 40.0 sacks. He also has 200 combined tackles, 52 tackles for loss and 58 quarterback hits in 62 NFL games.

With the help of Desmond King, James transformed the Chargers defensive backfield last fall. He earned an All-Pro bid as a rookie in 2018, recording 105 combined tackles with 3.5 sacks, 13 pass defenses and three interceptions.

It's taken a little bit of time, but Garrett is showing why he was the consensus No. 1 pick in 2017. He earned his first Pro Bowl nomination in 2018, posting 13.5 sacks with 12 tackles for loss and 29 quarterback hits. Garrett also forced three fumbles and registered three pass defenses.

Barely eligible for our list because he turns 25 on July 3, Jones is one of the most underrated players in the league. He posted 15.5 sacks, 19 tackles for loss and 29 quarterback hits and yet didn't make the Pro Bowl in 2018. 

Leonard may have been a second-round pick, but he made as big of an impact as any rookie in the league last year. He led the NFL with 163 combined tackles, including 111 solos, helping the Colts reel off 10 straight wins and make the playoffs for the first time since 2014. His efforts earned him an All-Pro nomination and the 2018 Rookie Defensive Player of the Year award.

The former No. 12 overall pick is a major part of the next wave of quarterbacks on the verge of taking over the league. Watson led the Texans to an 11-5 record with 4,165 passing yards, 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions along with 551 rushing yards in 2018. He has 5,864 yards and 52 total touchdowns in 23 career NFL games.

If not for injuries, Bosa could be No. 1 or 2 on the list. As it is, he's posted 28.5 career sacks in 35 games. In his first two seasons, he reached double-digits in sacks and earned the 2016 Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

No runner has more rushing yards since Elliott entered the league in 2016. He made All-Pro as a rookie by leading the NFL with 1,631 rushing yards that season. He also won a rushing title last year. He has 4,048 rushing yards in 40 career games.

He goes largely unnoticed because of the position he plays, but Nelson could prove to be the best overall player from the 2018 rookie class. His nasty attitude helped transform the Colts into a winner last fall, and he made the All-Pro team as a rookie.

Gurley will turn 25 in August, but he qualifies and makes our list because of two All-Pro nominations in the last two years. He's a dual-threat too, as he's caught 187 passes in his career. Gurley has 4,547 rushing yards and 6,430 yards from scrimmage in four seasons.

Even with as many great young players as there are in the NFL, Mahomes is clearly the No. 1 choice in a ranking of players under 25. In his first year as a starter, Mahomes posted 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns with 12 interceptions on his way to the MVP Award. He is 13-4 as a starter and has averaged 8.7 yards per pass in 17 NFL games.