NFL REPORT: 2023 Top 10 All-Youngster players under 24 years old..

Today’s NFL is loaded with young talent. A rookie quarterback is in the 2023 season’s MVP race. Seventeen receivers and tight ends taken in the past three draft classes have at least 500 receiving yards this year. A second-year pass-rusher has double-digit sacks, and there are 10 defensive backs under the age of 24 with multiple interceptions this season.

With all that in mind, we wanted to put together the NFL’s All-Youngster team and name the top under-24 players at each position. NFL draft analyst Matt Miller picked the first- and second-team offense, while NFL analyst Matt Bowen did the same for the defensive side of the ball. Players were eligible if they were 23 years old or younger as of Nov. 28.

Let’s get started building our pair of 22-man rosters packed with the game’s best youth with two quarterbacks with high ceilings.

Quarterback

First team: C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans

Current age: 22

Not only is Stroud essentially a lock for Offensive Rookie of the Year honors after this season, he’s also a legitimate MVP candidate thanks to his turnaround of the Texans. The 6-5 Texans are a playoff threat behind Stroud’s command of the offense. He has a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 19-5 and is second in passing yards with 3,266. The Texans have a great young quarterback to build around, and we want our All-Youngster team to start there, too.

Second team: Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers

Current age: 23

All Purdy does is win football games. The last pick of the 2022 draft has a 13-3 career record as a starter. In his second season, we’ve seen the 49ers lean more on his passing ability, and he has backed it up with world-class accuracy (70.2% completion percentage). Purdy leads all NFL quarterbacks with a total QBR of 75.6 this season and is in the top 10 in passing yards (2,871) and touchdown passes (19). His poised style of play has the 49ers looking like a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

Running back

First team: Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons

Current age: 21

No, Robinson’s first season hasn’t produced the type of stats we expected when the Falcons made him the No. 8 overall pick in April’s draft, but his talent is still obvious. The rookie back is No. 9 in the league with 63.9 rushing yards per game and has added 32 catches out of the backfield. A back with his power, speed, contact balance and receiving skills should ideally see 20-plus touches per game going forward and can become an even bigger part of this Atlanta offense.

Second team: Breece Hall, New York Jets

Current age: 22

Hall, who saw his 2022 rookie season disrupted by an ACL tear, got back onto the field this year and once again looks like a blue-chip running back. In a struggling offense, he has carried the ball for 569 yards over 11 games, while also adding 38 catches for 320 receiving yards. Similar to Robinson’s situation, Hall has the burst, balance and receiving ability to put up top-five running back numbers, but he is held back by the Jets’ lackluster offense.

Wide receiver

First team: Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals

Current age: 23

Chase is the ideal NFL wide receiver in terms of traits, speed, toughness, sure hands and crisp route running. His 75 catches, 889 receiving yards and six touchdown receptions are all top-10 numbers this season. The 2021 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and second-team All-Pro might be just 6-foot and 201 pounds, but he’s a true go-to receiver with game-changing talents.

First team: Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints

Current age: 23

Olave broke out in his rookie season, catching 72 passes for 1,042 yards and four touchdowns in 2022. He’s a silky-smooth route runner with excellent quickness and the agility to tie up the feet of defensive backs. His numbers are quieter this season — 63 catches, 771 yards and three TDs — but Olave has all the traits to be a perennial All-Pro candidate.

First team: Garrett Wilson, New York Jets

Current age: 23

Wilson, the 2022 Offensive Rookie of the Year, quickly emerged as one of the best young receivers in football with 83 catches, 1,103 yards and four touchdowns in his debut for a Jets team that struggled at quarterback. He is explosive as a route runner and dynamic with the ball in his hands, and he’ll be a WR1 in the NFL for a long time. He is currently on pace to crack 1,000 yards again despite more uneven QB play.

Second team: George Pickens, Pittsburgh Steelers

Current age: 22

In his second NFL season, Pickens hasn’t had the best supporting quarterback play, and the Steelers’ offense in general has sputtered. But he has still racked up 40 catches, 662 yards and three scores. He’s a dynamic deep threat who consistently wins over the top and on 50-50 balls. The 6-foot-3 Pickens is the ultimate mismatch on vertical routes when his quarterback can get him the ball.

Second team: Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams

Current age: 22

The red-hot start by Nacua this season caught headlines and put a spotlight on how great route running and quickness can turn a fifth-round draft pick into a star. Nacua is seventh in the league in receiving (924 yards) and tied for 10th in catches (73). He also has three scores for the Rams. Nacua is the ultimate inside receiver who can carve up defenses with underneath routes.

Second team: Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings

Current age: 21

Addison was expected to be a running mate to Justin Jefferson but has quickly taken over as WR1 with Jefferson out due to a hamstring injury. The 2023 first-rounder is tied for fifth in the league with seven touchdown catches and already has 647 yards despite not becoming an every-game starter until Week 6 and losing starting quarterback Kirk Cousins in Week 8 (torn Achilles).

Tight end

First team: Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions

Current age: 22

LaPorta has five touchdowns and has become unstoppable in the red zone. The 2023 second-rounder has 55 catches for 539 yards and is making a case for an All-Pro nod in his first season in the NFL. And that’s not to mention how effective he has been in the run game as an outside blocker. LaPorta has a strong case for already being a top-five tight end.

Second team: Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons

Current age: 23

Pitts is a case of betting on potential and not looking too much at previous production, given the quarterback play and scheme in Atlanta. The No. 4 overall pick of the 2021 draft, Pitts had 68 catches as a rookie but just 28 last season and 37 so far in 2023. When the Falcons can get him the ball, he’s averaging 7.3 yards per target and has yet to drop a pass all season. He has the traits to see an uptick in stats.

Left tackle

First team: Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions

Current age: 23

Sewel has played both right and left tackle since joining the Lions in 2021, but it’s on the left side where he’s at his best, even as he has settled back to the right for most of this season. A Pro Bowler in 2022, Sewell is one of the cleanest blockers in the NFL. So far this year, he has given up just two sacks and has a pass block win rate of 92.3%.

Second team: Charles Cross, Seattle Seahawks

Current age: 23

A 2022 first-rounder, Cross stepped into the Seahawks’ lineup immediately and became a foundational part of the O-line at left tackle. There were bumps along the way last season, as he allowed 15 sacks in 17 games, but he has allowed one sack so far in 2023 and has a pass block win rate of 88.4% over eight games. Cross is equally impressive in the run game, where his 80.4% win rate is top 10 in the NFL among tackles.

Left guard

First team: Tyler Smith, Dallas Cowboys

Current age: 22

Smith’s future in Dallas may ultimately be at left tackle, but we’ll slot him in at left guard, where he’s playing in 2023. The 2022 first-rounder has allowed two sacks in 2023 with a 93.0% pass block win rate in nine starts. The 6-foot-6, 332-pounder was raw coming out of Tulsa but looks to be turning into one of the league’s best guards.

Second team: Peter Skoronski, Tennessee Titans

Current age: 22

The No. 11 overall pick in the 2023 draft, Skoronski has made the transition from college left tackle to NFL left guard over eight starts this season, securing a pass block win rate of 87.1%. He is no doubt still acclimating to the new position on an offense that has been under duress this season, but the potential is through the roof with his play power, patience and dominant run-blocking traits.

Center

First team: Tyler Linderbaum, Baltimore Ravens

Current age: 23

An All-American and Rimington Award winner at Iowa, Linderbaum has hit the ground running in the NFL, starting every game in 2022 and 2023 so far. He is one of the best centers in the game regardless of age, ranking sixth at the position in pass block win rate at 96.3%. He’s the perfect center to build a team around.

Second team: Joe Tippmann, New York Jets

Current age: 22

The Jets have moved Tippmann around, shuffling the 2023 second-rounder between guard and center, but his college tape was most dominant in the middle of the offensive line. We haven’t seen him settle in there yet, but the upside is apparent with his run-block power and poise in the passing game. He has shown flashes with a pass block win rate of 88.1% this season in limited action (436 snaps).

Right guard

First team: Jamaree Salyer, Los Angeles Chargers

Current age: 23

A versatile offensive lineman who has filled in at tackle, Salyer has struggled at times acclimating to right guard after spending his first year on the left side. He has been attributed with seven sacks this season, but we’re chalking that up to a complete position change. The former sixth-rounder has Pro Bowl potential with a career 89.1% pass block win rate and 75.0% run block win rate.

Second team: O’Cyrus Torrence, Buffalo Bills

Current age: 23

Torrence, the Bills’ second-round pick in 2023, has started 12 games at right guard while impressing both in the run and pass game. He has allowed four sacks this season and secured a pass block win rate of 92.2%. He’s also a bull-moving lineman out of gaps at 347 pounds.

Right tackle

First team: Darnell Wright, Chicago Bears

Current age: 22

Wright has started 11 games at right tackle for the struggling Bears. The rookie’s tape has been hot and cold — he has allowed nine sacks — but his flashes in the run game are dominant with a win rate of 77%. That’s top-20 among all tackles. Wright has to develop, as this is his second season playing right tackle, but the traits are there for him to become a star.

Second team: Paris Johnson Jr., Arizona Cardinals

Current age: 22

Johnson, the No. 6 pick in the 2023 draft, made the move to right tackle for the Cardinals and has impressed. His future may be on the left side, but he’s getting it done at RT this season with a pass block win rate of 80.2%. As a one-year starter in college at left tackle after playing right guard, it’ll benefit Johnson to settle into one position.

Edge rusher

First team: Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions

Current age: 23

Hutchinson is a relentless defender with the pass-rushing chops to hit the quarterback and the physicality to set an edge against the run. He has 5.5 sacks and 42 pressures this season after posting 9.5 sacks in his 2022 rookie year. He’s explosive off the ball, with the lower-body flex and technique to win one-on-ones. And Hutchinson’s high effort mentality shows up consistently on the tape, too.

First team: Kayvon Thibodeaux, New York Giants

Current age: 22

With high-end traits and juice off the ball, Thibodeaux has elevated his game this season after being the No. 5 pick in 2022. His 11 sacks are eighth-most in the NFL, and he has also added 29 pressures. The tape tells us that he has developed a deeper set of counter moves in his second pro season, and the arrow is pointing up on his game.

Second team: Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans

Current age: 22

A rapidly ascending defender in his first pro season after going No. 3 in April, Anderson’s 24.7% pass rush win rate ranks fifth overall in the league. He also currently sits at three sacks and 28 pressures on the season. His speed off the ball has shown up on the tape, and he creates pocket disruption with speed to power.

Second team: George Karlaftis, Kansas City Chiefs

Current age: 22

Karlaftis has eight sacks and 26 pressures this season. He’s a power-based edge rusher, with the technique and counter moves to transition through the rush path. And with his great effort level, Karlaftis puts himself in position to make plays on third and fourth down. He can win one-on-one or get home off the schemed stunts in the Chiefs’ defense.

Defensive tackle

First team: Jalen Carter, Philadelphia Eagles

Current age: 22

Carter is a chaos creator with a complete skill set on the interior. He has four sacks, two forced fumbles and 18 pressures this season. He’s an easy mover with the natural power to shed blockers and create disruption versus both the run and pass game. Carter would get my early vote as the Defensive Rookie of the Year.

First team: Jordan Davis, Philadelphia Eagles

Current age: 23

Davis, the No. 13 overall pick of the 2022 draft, is a force-multiplier at the point of attack alongside Carter. He uses his 6-foot-6, 340-pound frame and power to displace blockers on contact, re-setting the line of scrimmage. And while his numbers don’t jump — 2.5 sacks and 29 tackles this season — Davis alters offensive schemes up front due to his ability to demand attention. And his 47.5% run stop win rate ranks second in the NFL this season.

Second team: Calijah Kancey, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Current age: 22

Kancey has played in only eight games this season, but watch the recent tape of the rookie first-rounder. His initial first step off the ball pops, and Kancey can create disruption behind the line of scrimmage. He has three sacks and 16 pressures on the season, and I expect the production to elevate over the final six weeks.

Second team: Keeanu Benton, Pittsburgh Steelers

Current age: 22

Benton has both the size (6-foot-4, 309 pounds) and upper-body power to shed blockers and find the ball. He works with positive lateral pursuit and strikes with his hands to create pass-rush opportunities. Like Davis, Benton isn’t going to fill up the stat sheet (one sack, seven pressures and 28 tackles), but he has shown development in his rookie season as an interior space-eater who can make plays.

Linebacker

First team: Nick Bolton, Kansas City Chiefs

Current age: 23

Bolton is currently on IR with a wrist injury, and he has played just four games this season. But the third-year pro is one of the rising stack linebackers in the league, coming off a 180-tackle campaign in 2022. He is a downhill thumper in the run game and is decisive to the ball. Plus, Bolton can make plays in coverage as a zone defender with three career interceptions.

First team: Quay Walker, Green Bay Packers

Current age: 23

Walker is a run-and-hit linebacker with three-down traits and has flashed his impact ability with the Packers. The 2022 first-rounder has the pursuit speed to track and finish at the second level, along with the awareness to make plays in coverage. Walker had 119 tackles and three forced fumbles last season, and he’s on pace to cruise past 100 tackles again this season (79 in nine games). He also had a pick-six earlier this year.

First team: Jack Campbell, Detroit Lions

Current age: 23

At 6-foot-5 and 243 pounds, Campbell uses his long frame, physical tools and run-game awareness to mix it up in the box. He sees it fast here, with the ability to pursue the ball carrier. Plus, Campbell can play at depth in zone coverage, putting himself in a position to drive top-down on second-level throws. In 365 defensive snaps played this season, the first-round rookie has 47 tackles, one sack and one pass breakup.

Second team: Jack Sanborn, Chicago Bears

Current age: 23

Playing the Sam linebacker position in the Bears’ base 4-3 defense, Sanborn is an instinctual defender who is quick to identify the play. He has the ability to run clean lines to the ball, can rack up run stops and gets to depth in the Bears’ core zone-coverage schemes. His 41.1% run stop win rate ranks second among linebackers this season, and over his two-year career, Sanborn has 113 tackles, three sacks and one interception.

Second team: Ivan Pace Jr., Minnesota Vikings

Current age: 22

With his compact and strong 5-foot-10, 231-pound frame, the undrafted rookie has put together quality tape this season. Pace hasn’t made a bunch of splash plays — 45 tackles and a half sack — but he covers ground at the second level and gets a jump downhill due to his awareness at the position. Plus, his ability to play with leverage and balance at the point of attack should lead to future production.

Second team: Henry To’oTo’o, Houston Texans

Current age: 22

To’oTo’o has the tackling range to cut off the ball on the edges, and he will shoot interior gaps to create downhill disruption against the run. I see the movement skills to match and carry in coverage, too, and he can run with inside seams or transition from depth to break on the ball. Through 12 weeks of his rookie season, To’oTo’o has 56 tackles, one forced fumble and two pass breakups.

Cornerback

First team: Pat Surtain II, Denver Broncos

Current age: 23

Surtain is a long-framed cover corner with prototypical traits and high-level technique. He will challenge receivers at all three levels of the field and can make tackles on the perimeter. Surtain has seven interceptions and 28 pass breakups over his three pro seasons. He’s already a top-five player at the position.