AMES, Iowa — Taylor Mouser leaned forward in his office inside Iowa State’s football facility, digging through his computer’s files. The Cyclones’ offensive coordinator was looking for the practice tape of the play that started it all.

Brock Purdy is now the star quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers, fresh off a season in which he led the NFL across the efficiency spectrum and finished as an MVP finalist. Just months from now, he’ll be eligible for what might end up being the NFL’s largest contract.

At this time six years ago, Purdy was a third-string true freshman grinding through his first college training camp. Mouser was reminiscing on Purdy’s meteoric 2018 ascent at Iowa State when he struck gold.

“Here it is,” Mouser interrupted himself. “I found it.”

He rolled tape of a goal-line rep from training camp. The Cyclones ran an option play they call “Bengal.” If the strong-side defensive end doesn’t crash inside, the quarterback typically flips the ball to a running back on an inside pitch. But there was nothing typical about Purdy.

The freshman wearing No. 15 stared down defensive end JaQuan Bailey, who’d earn All-Big 12 honors that year. Bailey didn’t crash, but Purdy didn’t care. He faked the pitch inside. Bailey bought it and lunged that way. Purdy exploded in the other direction. In a blink, there was space. He dove across the goal line.

Those on the practice field, including Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell, stood stunned.

“It was a ‘wow’ moment,” Campbell said, sitting on the couch in his office this past May. “It was our (No.) 3 offense and they’re going against our (No.) 1 defense. Brock just has this elite way to maneuver his body, to set up the precise angle against the defensive end. You could almost feel the entire place erupt on that play.”

That play confirmed to Campbell and his staff that Purdy packed the moxie to succeed at the college level. Weeks later, an injury would open the door for Purdy to grab the starting job, a role he wouldn’t relinquish until he graduated following the 2021 season — 30 wins and a Fiesta Bowl championship later.

“Brock totally transcended our football program,” Campbell said. “We were climbing when Brock got here, but this was a place that had not consistently won, ever. I think what Brock did is he turned simply believing into showing what it takes to win here every day, instead of being a flash in the pan.

“Can we consistently win and compete for championships here at Iowa State? He did all those things and more.”

Purdy’s ascent with the 49ers four years later started with him turning heads as the scout team QB before grabbing the reins for good following an injury to starter Jimmy Garoppolo. So it’s easy to understand why folks in Ames weren’t necessarily surprised.

A trip around the college town with a population of about 70,000 offers just a few reminders of Purdy’s time there. There’s a signed 49ers jersey that’s mounted next to Joe Montana’s No. 16 San Francisco jersey at Wallaby’s Bar and Grille on the north side, but it’s hard to find Purdy’s college No. 15 anywhere else outside Iowa State’s football facility.

Wallaby’s Bar and Grille in Ames was able to add a signed Brock Purdy 49ers jersey to its collection, which already featured a famous red No. 16. (David Lombardi / The Athletic)

Even in those hallways, there’s no glitzy shrine to the greatest quarterback in program history who ended his college career owning 32 school records. The facility, simultaneously sleek and modest, embodies the down-to-earth vibe Campbell has striven to establish since he took the head coaching job in 2016. This aura happened to mesh perfectly with Purdy’s.

“Ames, Iowa, is such a unique spot in the country,” said Kyle Kempt, an offensive assistant for the Cyclones who started at quarterback in 2017 and the beginning of the 2018 season. “There’s nothing really around here. You’re coming here for football and the people in the locker room, the people in the building. So it started with the vision coach Campbell had for this place. When we were recruiting Brock — that was the kind of kid we needed in the program to have success.

“We figured out we’re not going to be the most talented team in the league. We’re playing Oklahoma and Texas every year, but our edge is going to be the culture in the locker room.”

Though Purdy enjoyed considerable success at Perry High School in the Phoenix area, his recruitment escaped fanfare until after his junior season thanks to a debilitating bout with mononucleosis and — in a twist on brand for the Arizona native — a hand injury caused by a cactus.

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But Iowa State was unusually late on the QB market in the fall of 2017, Purdy’s senior year in high school. The Cyclones weren’t sure if Kempt — who orchestrated one of the greatest wins in school history that year in a 38-31 triumph over Oklahoma — would be granted eligibility to return for a sixth year. So Campbell had simple marching orders for Mouser, the program’s assistant scouting director at the time: Make a list of the 10 best uncommitted quarterbacks in the country.

“He brought me Brock’s tape,” Campbell remembered. “We sat there for 45 minutes, watching it three times. Then I made everybody get Baker Mayfield’s senior year of high school.”

That conversation happened in the midst of Mayfield’s 2017 season at Oklahoma, which featured spectacular improvisational play and finished with Mayfield winning the Heisman Trophy. Campbell saw a resemblance in Purdy.

Matt Campbell saw glimpses of Heisman Trophy-winning Baker Mayfield when he watched Brock Purdy’s high school tape. (David Purdy / Getty Images)

Campbell immediately called Preston Jones, Purdy’s coach at Perry High, and learned about the hardships that had left Purdy without a scholarship offer. Campbell was convinced he’d unearthed sensational value. His next phone call was to a 17-year-old Purdy.

“We talked for almost an hour and a half,” Campbell said. “We had a conversation of two grown men. It was the most incredible conversation. When I got off the phone, I said, ‘This kid’s really special and we’re going to do everything in our power to get him. He’s one of the most impressive humans I’ve ever talked to.’

“There was maturity, eloquence in describing his recruiting journey, raving about his parents, who they are, what they’ve meant to him, talking about his brother and his sister. … I didn’t want to get off the phone because I was so enamored by the maturity and the eloquence of this young man who knew who he was and knew what he stood for. I remember telling him, ‘Listen, I feel like this is a place you’re called to be at. This can be an incredible journey together.’”

GO DEEPER

A chemistry class in the Iowa State quarterback room

Campbell, Mouser and then-offensive coordinator Tom Manning flew to Arizona for an in-home visit. They played pingpong with Brock and his younger brother, Chubba, now a QB at the University of Nevada. The boys’ mom, Carrie, baked cookies for the visitors. Their dad, Shawn, shared his experience of playing minor-league baseball.

“When we walked out of that home visit, we felt like a million bucks,” Mouser said. “But as we were driving to the hotel, Brock got an offer from Alabama and we said, ‘This thing is going to get interesting fast.’”

Purdy took his official visit to Ames, but the secret was out. Both Alabama and Texas A&M ended up offering Purdy scholarships. The young quarterback assured Campbell’s staff that Iowa State was where he wanted to be and that he simply owed visits to the two powerhouses as a courtesy to his parents, but the Cyclones staff braced for a white-knuckle ride to the finish line.

Brock Purdy took visits to Alabama and Texas A&M, but Iowa State and Matt Campbell were always the right fit. (Courtesy of Shawn Purdy)

It was Iowa State’s culture that ended up pulling through. The simple sense of separation that Ames offered, away from traditional football factory fanfare, appealed to Purdy.

There was a homeyness about the program that a juggernaut like Alabama couldn’t offer. Purdy could fish frequently at local ponds around the small town, where player hangouts at Campbell’s house were the most popular form of entertainment.

“You don’t have to schedule a meeting with the secretary to come talk to (Campbell),” Mouser said. “We play golf all the time. We eat dinner together all the time. There’s just not a ton to do in Ames, Iowa, other than hang out with your group. It’s a brotherhood.”

Purdy committed to the Cyclones and never wavered.

“Texas A&M, Alabama, us — 99 times out of 100, a quarterback is going to one of those (first) two schools — but he knew Iowa State was the right fit for him,” Campbell said. “He always knew who he was. … Brock was always this man on a mission to do something. He knew what he stood for. He was never trying to be anybody else. He was never trying to fit in. He was just trying to be the best version of Brock.”

Mark Coberley, the head of Iowa State’s sports medicine and performance crew, walked downstairs into the bowels of the athletics facility. He strode into a room used to store a defunct Dynavision D2, a clunky-looking apparatus featuring dozens of lights that’s been replaced by a niftier machine in the nearby training room.

Purdy’s quickness, both in processing and movement, stands out in the NFL. The old Dynavision machine, which tasks users with rapidly contacting randomly illuminating lights, is where he perfected those reflexes. There were spirited contests with tight end Charlie Kolar, who’s now with the Baltimore Ravens.

“It became a daily game: 60 seconds, how many dots can you hit, which quadrant is the quickest, which is slowest,” Coberley said. “They had some stiff competitions. When it comes to quickness, Brock has such innate ability. I don’t think this created that ability for him, but it certainly let him practice it.”

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Purdy became one of six quarterbacks in Big 12 history to pass for over 10,000 yards and rush for over 1,000 yards in his career. His ticket to those gaudy numbers came through anticipatory play that would regularly flummox opposing defenses who thought they’d corralled him.

“He wasn’t this unbelievable runner at the QB spot, but he had this ability to extend plays,” Campbell said. “He had the ability in critical situations to scramble, no different than you saw against Detroit in the second half of the NFC Championship Game. If you look back to some of our biggest wins, he’s making those same plays and he’s getting himself out of Dodge against some elite defensive linemen.

“He has two elite qualities: one is his short-area burst, and then he’s the pump-fake king. He could pump-fake and get himself out of trouble with subtle variations as good as anybody.”

Brock Purdy keeps on doing damage with his legs!

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The practice play on which Purdy announced his arrival at Iowa State — the option run for a touchdown — came on a fake. Even as an 18-year-old freshman, Purdy showed command of the position’s subtleties.

Kempt was the Cyclones’ starter to open the 2018 season but hurt his knee in the second game. Iowa State turned to backup QB Zeb Noland but dropped to 1-3 with a gut-wrenching 17-14 loss to TCU at the end of September. At practice the following Wednesday, Purdy — who’d been elevated to the second-string offense — led an authoritative touchdown drive against the first-team defense in a two-minute drill, even punching in the two-point conversion without issue.

“And now the buzz was, ‘Holy cow, we’ve got to play this guy,’” Campbell said.

Kempt, who was slated for a midseason return from his knee injury, went into the coach’s office. He also sensed Purdy was ready. Campbell told Kempt that he’d start Noland in the next game against Oklahoma State but was planning to work Purdy into the mix.

“If we were going to go with Brock, it was probably going to put Kyle’s career on the shelf,” Campbell said. “He was a sixth-year senior, and we had this emerging quarterback we really believed in. Credit to Kyle. That took a lot of courage to come in. His response: ‘I think that’s a great idea. I’ll get him ready to go’ — which was one of the all-time selfless acts I’ve ever seen in a football program.”

“I wasn’t going to put myself above the team,” Kempt said. “This wasn’t about me.”

Brock Purdy, left, celebrates an Iowa State win with Kyle Kempt, middle, and linebacker Mike Rose. (David Purdy / Getty Images)

Just like he would in 2022 after Garoppolo suffered an injury against the Miami Dolphins, Purdy entered on the second series and didn’t relinquish the QB job. He finished Iowa State’s 48-42 road victory over Oklahoma State with 318 passing yards, 84 rushing yards and five total touchdowns — including one on a zone-read run set up by a fake pitch.

“You could just feel the first time Brock went in,” Campbell said. “Everybody believed we could win when he was in the football game and touched the ball. You could feel it on the sideline — immediately.”

The Cyclones ripped off five straight wins to salvage their season. By 2020, they broke through, finishing 9-3 with a 34-17 victory over Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl back in Purdy’s home state of Arizona.

Mouser, also originally from Arizona, savored that win. And so did Kempt, who’d moved on to Iowa State’s coaching staff by that point. As a successful Cyclones starter and one of Purdy’s predecessors — and then his first key mentor in the QB room — Kempt had a unique seat to watch the future NFL star’s rise.

Kempt maintains that Purdy’s huge reserve of experience prepared him for the NFL level. That’s something the 49ers also say that they valued, although it wasn’t as obvious in 2022 when they waited until pick No. 262 to draft him.

“Reps are so important,” Kempt said. “You keep seeing that with the NFL Draft. They add up over time. To see as many snaps as Brock did and be in that many crunch-time situations — I can’t tell you how many of those he’s been in, that’s just how we are: every game is close. It’s in his DNA to be a part of those things.

“He had a lot of reps here. He got to see every high and every low. He had a lot of times where he did really well and he had times where he probably tried to make too much out of something and he made a poor decision or bad throw. But he took all those experiences and used them to become even more even-keeled, and that over four years is what truly prepared him for the NFL.”

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From 2010 to 2018, Iowa State did not enjoy a single season with one quarterback starting every game. After taking over the position, Purdy started every game until he graduated. His college career straddled two offensive styles — Iowa State went from running a spread attack over his first two seasons to a pro-style, play-action-based system after that — and he operated both successfully.

“If you don’t know who you are or what you’re about, then when the chaos hits, the emotions take over. You’re either so high or so low that you can’t conduct through the chaos,” Campbell said. “But this young man was built from a young age to handle all of those emotions, through his faith, through his family, through knowing who he is and what he stands for.”

And that, according to Campbell, is where the key to understanding Purdy’s ascent lies.

“Obviously, you have to have enough talent to be able to throw the ball where it needs to be, but it always comes back to mental control,” Campbell said. “Do you know who you are? Do you know what you stand for? Do you know what you’re about? Because if you do, it brings a sense of calm to everybody around you — and that’s a game changer.”

For Iowa State, Purdy’s presence was a program changer. And history reverberates. A trip to Ames puts Purdy’s NFL surge, which the 49ers are currently enjoying, into a familiar context. It all started with a phone call that Campbell will never forget — and with a leap from third string to stardom that few saw coming.

“We had a profound impact on Brock,” Campbell said. “And I think Brock had a profound impact on all of us.”

(Top illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; photo: John Locher / Associated Press)

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Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo kicks off his eighth season in the CBS broadcast booth next month. 

Romo and longtime play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz called the Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers in February. 

While the Chiefs’ pursuit of a third consecutive title will be one of the most watched storylines during the 2024 NFL season, the New York Jets have been floated as a team that Kansas City should worry about in the AFC.

Romo weighed in on the Jets’ Super Bowl hopes and whether Patrick Mahomes can lead the Chiefs to what would be a fourth championship in the past six years.

No NFL team has ever hoisted the coveted Vince Lombardi trophy three straight years, but Romo believes if the Chiefs can overcome some internal forces, they could be the first franchise to accomplish the feat.

“The mental fortitude it takes to win it once, then to come back … there’s  plays that could change every game. They had a really rough go of it last year during the regular season. This one’s going to be harder,” Romo told CBS News.

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Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers only managed to participate in four plays in a Jets uniform last season, but he appears to be healthy heading into the 2024 campaign. Although Rodgers turns 41 during the season, Romo is confident the QB can still play well enough to challenge the Chiefs this season.

The inside of MetLife Stadium prior to a game between the Miami Dolphins and the New York Jets Nov. 24, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J.  (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)

“If Aaron Rodgers stays healthy, I think this team can actually dethrone the Chiefs. The biggest thing is, it’s going to take Aaron a little bit of time to get settled back in,” Romo cautioned.

“With an injury that long, you just don’t come right back. But it’s Aaron Rodgers. They have a good coach, good staff and their team has a ton of talent. They’ve just been missing this position, and this is going to be a fun season if you’re a Jets fan.”

Aaron Rodgers of the New York Jets against the Washington Commanders during a preseason game at MetLife Stadium Aug. 10, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

Romo’s other broadcasting partner, CBS Sports lead NFL sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson, also offered her thoughts on which AFC teams could be contenders in 2024.

“I think the obvious ones. You have Baltimore, you have Miami,” she said. 

Lamar Jackson was named the 2023 NFL MVP, and the Ravens went to the AFC championship game last season. Meanwhile, the Dolphins signed quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to massive contract extensions this offseason. The franchise also came to terms on a restructured contract with Tyreek Hill that is worth $90 million over the next three years.

Quarterback C.J. Stroud is coming off a brilliant rookie season, and Wolfson believes the Houston Texans will be even more impressive in 2024.

“C.J. Stroud and Houston right now, in his second season, they are stacked, especially on the offensive side of the ball after getting Stefon Diggs from the Bills. I really think they have a chance to do something this season.”

The Jets will make the cross-country trip to California next month for their season opener against the 49ers on “Monday Night Football.”

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As another NFL season nears its kickoff, the league’s best young players are working hard to continue their ascents. Some are already among the NFL’s elite. Others have exhibited promise and appear destined for stardom.

So, who are the NFL’s top 25 players who are 25 and younger? We reached out to 12 league front-office members, coaches or scouts for their thoughts, and they were granted anonymity so they could speak freely about the players. The participants were given a list of 35 potential players for inclusion and asked for feedback on where each might rank. Any player who met our age qualification and had earned All-Rookie, All-Pro or Pro Bowl honors was included for consideration.

Players had to be 25 or younger as of Week 1 of the 2024 NFL regular season. That criteria eliminated some talented young stars, including quarterbacks Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts, who both made this team last year but turned 26 in recent months.

Competition was thick, as every talent evaluator views players differently. But we narrowed it down to this robust group of players who have already established themselves as the game’s best, or are the closest to this accolade.

We also assembled an All-25-and-Under team, since the overall top 25 didn’t include a player at every position. You can find the All-25-and-Under team below as well.

Top 25

1. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings. Age: 25 (DOB: 6/16/99)

A hamstring injury caused him to miss seven games last year, and Jefferson still posted the fourth 1,000-yard season of his career. That helped him earn a four-year, $140 million deal from the Vikings this summer, which made him the highest-paid wideout in the league. Jefferson was No. 1 on the 25-and-under list last year as well.

2. Micah Parsons, LB/DE, Dallas Cowboys. Age: 25 (5/26/99)

The unstoppable Parsons last season recorded a career-high 14 sacks. That brought him up to 40 1/2 for his career, and put him in elite company: Reggie White, Derrick Thomas, Aldon Smith and Dwight Freeney are the only other players in NFL history to tally 40 sacks in their first three NFL seasons. Parsons was No. 2 on last year’s 25-and-under list but, like Jefferson, he will age out next year.

3. Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals. Age: 24 (3/1/00)

Despite Joe Burrow’s injury-shortened 2023, Chase still delivered his third consecutive 1,000-yard season. He and Jefferson belong to an extremely exclusive club of game-changing wide receivers.

4. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys. Age: 25 (4/8/99)

Lamb led the NFL with 135 catches while recording a career-best 1,749 yards last season, helping him earn first-team All-Pro honors for the first time in his four-year career.

5. Pat Surtain II, CB, Denver Broncos. Age: 24 (4/14/00)

Three straight seasons of 10-plus passes defended and two Pro Bowl appearances top Surtain’s resume. He is the definition of a shutdown corner.

6. Penei Sewell, RT, Detroit Lions. Age: 23 (10/9/00)

A true franchise cornerstone and catalyst for Detroit’s turnaround, Sewell garnered first-team All-Pro honors last season. He also appeared in his second Pro Bowl, and this offseason signed a four-year, $112 million contract extension.

7. Tristan Wirfs, LT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Age: 25 (1/24/99)

Wirfs was asked last season to move from right tackle to left. He did so without batting an eye, and delivered the same elite-level production  protecting Baker Mayfield’s blindside as he did while blocking for Tom Brady on the right. Tampa Bay rewarded Wirfs this offseason with a five-year, $140.6 million contract, making him the highest-paid offensive lineman in the game.

8. C.J. Stroud, QB, Houston Texans. Age: 22 (10/3/01)

The reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, Stroud took the league by storm in 2023. He not only rewrote the rookie record books, he also ranked among the league leaders in passing yards, passer rating and completion percentage while directing a surprising playoff run.

9. Kyle Hamilton, S, Baltimore Ravens. Age: 23 (3/16/01)

A first-team All-Pro in only his second season in the league, Hamilton is a difference-maker whether in pass coverage, lining up in the box or rushing the passer. He had 81 tackles, three sacks and four interceptions last season.

10. Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions. Age: 24 (10/24/99)

As a third-year pro, St. Brown racked up career highs in catches (119), yards (1,515) and touchdowns (10). That helped him earn Pro Bowl honors for a second straight season and All-Pro status for the first time. He enters Year 4 on a mission to join Jefferson, Chase and Lamb as one of the truly elite wideouts in the game.

Jordan Love led Green Bay to a 9-8 regular-season record and a playoff win in his first year as starter. (Ken Blaze / USA Today)

11. Jordan Love, QB, Green Bay Packers. Age: 25 (11/2/98)

Love went on a tear to close out his first season as a starter and propelled the Packers into the playoffs, where they upset the Cowboys in the wild-card round, then suffered a narrow 24-21 loss to the 49ers in the divisional round. Love (4,159 yards, 32 touchdowns, 11 interceptions) appears poised to take another massive leap forward in 2024.

12. Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers. Age: 24 (12/27/99)

Purdy is 17-4 as a regular-season starter and 4-2 in the postseason, where he has appeared in the NFC Championship Game twice. The 49ers pushed the Chiefs to overtime in February’s Super Bowl before losing 25-22. Last season, Purdy carved up defenses for 31 touchdowns.

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13. Sauce Gardner, CB, New York Jets. Age: 23 (8/31/00)

Some critics question Gardner’s chops because the Jets play zone coverage so often. But Gardner is still a fantastic cover man, with 31 pass breakups (20 as a rookie) the last two seasons combined. He has earned Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors in each of his first two NFL seasons.

14. Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Detroit Lions. Age: 24 (8/9/00)

Hutchinson followed up a solid rookie season with a Pro Bowl campaign that featured 11 1/2 sacks and 33 quarterback hits. Hutchinson also recorded a combined three sacks in three Lions playoff games last season. Look for another leap forward in Year 3 as the Lions aim to make another deep playoff run.

15. Trent McDuffie, CB, Kansas City Chiefs. Age: 23 (9/13/00)

The versatile young corner is already one of the best at his position after just two seasons. Last season, in addition to his prowess in pass coverage, the All-Pro recorded five forced fumbles, three sacks, nine quarterback hits and three tackles for loss.

16. Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins. Age: 25 (11/25/98)

Despite his pairing with the prolific Tyreek Hill, Waddle has recorded 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons in the league. If not for injury, which limited him to 14 games last season, Waddle likely would have topped the 1,356 yards he recorded in 2022.

17. Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars. Age: 24 (10/6/99)

The first pick of the 2021 draft reached his first Pro Bowl in 2022, then regressed slightly as Jacksonville went 9-8 and missed the playoffs. But Lawrence has all of the tools necessary to continue to ascend and should capitalize on another offseason and year under head coach Doug Pederson.

Sam LaPorta broke rookie tight end records after the Lions made him the 34th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. (Lon Horwedel / USA Today)

18. Sam LaPorta, TE, Detroit Lions. Age: 23 (1/12/01)

Talk about an immediate impact — LaPorta, drafted in the second round, posted one of the best seasons for a rookie tight end in NFL history with his 86 catches, 889 yards and 10 touchdowns.

19. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions. Age: 22 (3/20/22)

The Lions’ other instant-impact star, Gibbs started just three games in 2023 but still rushed for 945 yards and 10 touchdowns and also caught 52 passes for 316 yards and a touchdown en route to Pro Bowl honors. We’ll have to watch the hamstring injury he suffered in practice on Monday.

20. Jalen Carter, DT, Philadelphia Eagles. Age: 23 (4/4/01)

Carter made a seamless transition from the University of Georgia to the NFL, accumulating six sacks and 33 tackles (eight for loss) while serving as a rotational player. With Fletcher Cox retired, the Eagles will lean heavily on Carter and Jordan Davis to anchor their defensive line this season.

21. Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets. Age: 24 (7/22/00)

Wilson owns a pair of 1,000-yard seasons despite the Jets’ well-documented quarterback woes, so what might he accomplish with a healthy Aaron Rodgers throwing to him? The Jets hope to quickly find out. Talent evaluators around the league predict Wilson will make another big leap forward in 2024 and join the ranks of the elite young wide receivers.

22. Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons. Age: 22 (1/30/02)

After just one season, Robinson looks like one of the most well-rounded backs in the league. He rushed for 976 yards and four touchdowns and added 58 catches for 487 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie.

23. Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams. Age: 23 (5/29/01)

The 2023 fifth-round pick may have been the steal of the draft. All he did was shatter the rookie record books with 105 catches for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns while helping the Rams go 10-7 and return to the playoffs after 2022’s losing campaign.

24. Creed Humphrey, C, Kansas City Chiefs. Age: 25 (6/28/99)

One of the toughest and smartest young interior linemen in the NFL, Humphrey has never missed a game in three seasons with the Chiefs and has garnered Pro Bowl honors in each of the last two campaigns (both of which ended with Super Bowl victories).

25. Will Anderson Jr., DE, Houston Texans. Age: 22 (9/2/01)

The Alabama product recorded seven sacks, 22 quarterback hits and 45 tackles last season as the tone-setter for Houston’s defense, and he earned NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowl honors.

All-25-and-Under Team

QB: C.J. Stroud

Stroud was one of the most effective passers in the league regardless of experience last season, executing with a level of precision and poise that stunned the NFL. Now, thanks to the Texans’ additions of wide receiver Stefon Diggs and running back Joe Mixon, Stroud could take another step forward. He obviously faced stiff competition for the top QB spot here. Love must show he can play at a high level for an entire season, but he also seems poised for another leap forward. And though Purdy is as steady as they come, Stroud has a few more tricks in his bag.

RB: Jahmyr Gibbs

The electrifying Gibbs delivered 1,261 all-purpose yards and 11 touchdowns for the Lions, despite sharing the backfield with David Montgomery. Robinson also put up great numbers but did so with more touches than Gibbs. What will Year 2 hold for these two rising stars?

WRs: Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, CeeDee Lamb

It’s tough to keep St. Brown off, but Jefferson, Chase and Lamb truly are the cream of the crop at wide receiver.

TE: Sam LaPorta

It’s scary to consider just how high LaPorta’s ceiling is based on the instant impact he had on the Lions.

Offensive line: LT Tristan Wirfs, LG Tyler Smith, C Creed Humphrey, RG O’Cyrus Torrence, RT Penei Sewell

Wirfs and Sewell are already among the best at their positions, as is Humphrey. The 23-year-old Smith turned into a Pro Bowl left guard for Carolina last season after beginning his career as a tackle. Buffalo’s Torrence (age 24) stepped right in as a rookie last season and played like a seasoned vet.

Texans linebacker Will Anderson Jr. won Defensive Rookie of the Year last season. (Troy Taormina / USA Today)

Defensive ends: Will Anderson Jr. and Aidan Hutchinson

These two are on their way to joining the ranks of the league’s elite edge rushers.

Defensive tackles: Jalen Carter and Kobie Turner

Big, powerful, athletic and well-rounded, Carter and Turner make their presences felt against the run and the pass. The Rams’ Turner turned 25 in April.

Linebackers: Micah Parsons and Quay Walker

Dallas’ Parsons terrorizes offensive linemen and quarterbacks regardless of where he lines up. Green Bay’s Walker, 23, has great range and makes plays all over the field. Walker has 239 tackles (12 for loss), nine quarterback hits, 10 pass deflections, three forced fumbles and an interception in two seasons.

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CB/DBs: Pat Surtain II, Sauce Gardner, Trent McDuffie

Good luck against this trio of crafty cover guys, who already are among the best in the league despite their youth.

Safeties: Kyle Hamilton and Jevon Holland

Hamilton is already a star, and if the Dolphins’ Holland (age 24) can capitalize on a full season of health, he won’t be too far behind his Ravens counterpart.

Specialists: K Cameron Dicker, P Ryan Stonehouse, KR/PR Marvin Mims

The Chargers’ Dicker, at 24, is among the most accurate kickers in the league. The Titans’ Stonehouse (age 25) is already one of the NFL’s best punters. The 22-year-old Mims shined as a rookie kick and punt returner last season for the Broncos.

(Top illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic. Photos of Justin Jefferson, C.J. Stroud and Puka Nacua: Stephen Maturen, Michael Owens, Ric Tapia / Getty Images)