Top 10 NFL Players Under 25 on the PFN Top 100: Drake Maye, Jaxon Smith-Njigba Lead the Way
Pro Football Network just revealed our top 100 players in the NFL going into the 2026 season. The list is heavily populated by the league’s superstars, many of whom having been at the top of their game for several years.
However, there are also plenty of young, rising stars who made an appearance in the top 100. Part of the fun of these lists is getting to highlight the ascending talents across the league, as well as figuring out where to rank them compared to their more experienced contemporaries.
In order to qualify for this list, a player must be under 25 years old at the time of this writing, which is July 16. The player’s age as of this writing will be shown in parentheses next to their name. Without further ado, these are the top ten players in the 2026 PFN Top 100 under 25 years old.
For more information about how our Impact grades are built, you can find a complete guide to our methodology here.
10) De’Von Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins (24)
Ranking in PFN’s NFL Top 100: 68
Having just signed a four-year, $64 million extension, De’Von Achane is set financially heading into his fourth season in the NFL. He’s seen steady improvement each year since he got drafted in 2023, most recently finishing with a career-high 1,350 rushing yards, placing fifth in the league.
Achane’s 2025 campaign established himself as one of the top running backs in the league, even on a weaker Miami Dolphins offense. He came in sixth in RB Impact Scoring with a rush EPA of 14.0 that ranked fourth among all running backs. His 5.7 yards per carry also marked the highest average in the league.
9) Darnell Wright, OT, Chicago Bears (24)
Ranking in PFN’s NFL Top 100: 61
Darnell Wright’s growth year over year has been incredibly fun to watch, and he’s ascended into becoming one of the best offensive tackles in the NFL. His 85.0 PFN OL Impact Score last year ranked fourth among right tackles and seventh among all offensive tackles, and he earned second-team All-Pro recognition for his performance.
Armed with tremendous power and underrated short-area burst, Wright has manned the right tackle spot very well in the Chicago Bears’ offense. Their offensive line did a great job last year protecting Caleb Williams, who himself is an honorable mention for this list. It’s hard to imagine the unit would be nearly as good without Wright.
8) Cooper DeJean, CB, Philadelphia Eagles (23)
Ranking in PFN’s NFL Top 100: 58
After a strong rookie season in 2024, Cooper DeJean built upon his success with a stellar 2025. His 82.4 CB Impact Score ranked No. 13 in the NFL last season, and he ended the regular season with two interceptions, 16 pass deflections, and an allowed targeted passer rating of just 76.5.
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One of two standout young cornerbacks on the Philadelphia Eagles (more on the other one later), DeJean earned both Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro recognition for his performance in Year 2. Still just 23 years old, it’s exciting to think about what the future has in store for him with how strong of a start his career has had.
7) Kamari Lassiter, CB, Houston Texans (23)
Ranking in PFN’s NFL Top 100: 54
The 2024 NFL Draft’s cornerback class has had extremely strong early returns, with Kamari Lassiter being one of the prime examples. He’s established himself as a key piece in a loaded Houston Texans secondary, making the Pro Bowl in his second season and combining for seven interceptions over the last two years.
Lassiter was the No. 19 cornerback in the league in 2025 by CB Impact Scoring, but he ranked at No. 4 as a rookie. Though he allowed a slightly higher passer rating in Year 2, he improved his interception total by one pick and bumped his pass deflection total up from 10 in 2024 to 17 this past season.
6) Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Philadelphia Eagles (24)
Ranking in PFN’s NFL Top 100: 41
Quinyon Mitchell turns 25 years old on July 18, which is two days before the deadline to be eligible for this list. If you’re reading this after the fact, feel free to remove him, move the others up a spot, and include Brock Bowers as the No. 10 entry. However, Mitchell deserves the credit for the elite performance he had in 2025.
With an 87.4 PFN CB Impact Score, Mitchell ranked as the No. 4 cornerback in the league last year. He’s yet to tally a regular-season interception in the NFL, but he’s broken up 29 passes and has allowed stellar marks with both a 51.0% allowed completion percentage and a 74.9 passer rating in coverage.
5) Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons (24)
Ranking in PFN’s NFL Top 100: 38
When you’re a running back selected with a top-ten pick in the NFL Draft, the expectations are going to be high as soon as you step onto the field. Bijan Robinson has lived up to that hype, having quickly solidified himself as the face of the Atlanta Falcons and one of the best running backs in the game today.
These last two seasons in particular, Robinson has been an absolute terror. He’s combined for 2,934 rushing yards in that span, finishing in the top four in our scoring model both seasons. He was also incredible as a pass catcher, as his 26.6 receiving EPA ranked second behind only Christian McCaffrey in 2025.
4) Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions (24)
Ranking in PFN’s NFL Top 100: 18
The highest-ranked running back in PFN’s Top 100 this year, Jahmyr Gibbs has been an incredible, well-rounded offensive weapon. He’s combined for 2,635 rushing yards and 29 rushing touchdowns in that time, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. He’s also been a high-volume receiving back, as his 1,133 receiving yards since 2024 are the second-most by a running back.
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Gibbs is one of just two running backs to have finished as a top-four back by PFN RB Impact Scoring in consecutive seasons, the other being the aforementioned Robinson. However, the Detroit Lions’ star back was more efficient in 2023 when both were rookies, giving him the slight edge in these rankings.
3) Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Houston Texans (24)
Ranking in PFN’s NFL Top 100: 17
One of just two edge rushers to finish in the top five in both pass-rushing scoring and run-defense scoring in 2025, Will Anderson Jr. ended the year with a personal-best 12.0 sacks and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting. He also finished fourth among edge rushers in PFN EDGE Impact Scoring.
It’s been impressive to see how quickly Anderson has turned into one of the best defensive players in the NFL. His sack numbers have improved each season, and he’s proven to be physically dominant against the best offensive tackles in football at just 24 years old. The sky’s the limit for him heading into his fourth year with the Texans.
2) Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks (24)
Ranking in PFN’s NFL Top 100: 13
Jaxon Smith-Njigba was named Offensive Player of the Year in 2025, leading the league with 1,793 receiving yards and placing third with 119 receptions among wide receivers. His 93.7 PFN WR Impact Score ranks ninth among all wide receiver seasons since 1999. That body of work over a full season isn’t too shabby.
An elite route runner with impressive body control and a high football IQ, Smith-Njigba took the leap into becoming one of the best wide receivers in the NFL in 2025. Year over year, he has improved in receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and yards per catch since entering the league in 2023.
1) Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots (23)
Ranking in PFN’s NFL Top 100: 8
No player in the NFL had a bigger breakout campaign than Drake Maye did in 2025. His PFN QB Impact Score of 91.8 led the league and came in nearly five points ahead of Matthew Stafford, who was the second-place finisher. He led the NFL in completion percentage, EPA per dropback, success rate, and completion percentage over expected.
Coming off an incredible season in which he finished as a second-team All-Pro and led the New England Patriots to a Super Bowl appearance, Maye looked the part of an elite franchise quarterback in 2025. He’s big, smart, accurate, has a cannon of an arm, and offers dual-threat ability. There’s little reason to think he won’t be a fixture near the top of our Top 100 for years to come.
