https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-ranking-top-25-players-under-25-2023-nfl-season-sauce-gardner-justin-jefferson

1. EDGE MICAH PARSONS, DALLAS COWBOYS
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/P/ParsMi00.htm
(2021 PFR AV 18, 12th pick in 2021 draft, Defensive Rookie of Year,
All-Pro, Pro Bowl)
(2022 PFR AV 19, All-Pro, Pro Bowl)

Parsons followed up a stellar rookie sea-
son with yet another great year as a pass
rusher. His 92.0 pass-rush grade & 23.4%
pass-rush win percentage in 2022 were
just slightly behind his 93.0 pass-rush
grade & 24.8% pass-rush win percentage ...
.... from 2021. He maintained those high
numbers while playing 281 more pass-
rush snaps in 2022. He’s already one of
the most impactful players in the league,
young or old.

~~~

2. WR JUSTIN JEFFERSON, MINNESOTA VIKINGS
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JeffJu00.htm
(22nd pick in 2020 draft, 2020 PFR AV 13, Pro Bowl)
(2021 PFR AV 13, Pro Bowl)
(2022 PFR AV 17, Offensive Player of Year, All-Pro, Pro Bowl)

3 straight seasons of elite receiving
grades — 90.4 in 2020, 90.1 in 2021 &
90.2 in 2022 — he stands alone at the
top of the young receiver list in terms
of dominance and consistency. He’s
unmatched, not just for his age, but
among all NFL receivers.

~~~

3. OT TRISTAN WIRFS, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2022/allpro.htm
(13th pick in 2020 draft, PFR AV 11)
(2021 PFR AV 17, All-Pro, Pro Bowl)
(2022 PFR AV 9, Pro Bowl)

Wirfs’ overall grade ... in 2022 ... 84.3,
83.1 in 2021, but his pass-blocking
grade in 2022 89.1, just 6 total pres-
sures on 696 pass-blocking snaps. ... .

~~~

4. WR JA’MARR CHASE, CINCINNATI BENGALS
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/ChasJa00.htm
(2021 PFR AV 13, 5th pick in 2021 draft, Offensive Rookie of Year, Pro Bowl)
(2022 PFR AV 11, Pro Bowl)

Chase’s receiving grades for 1st 2 sea-
sons 86.1 in 2021 & 85.2 in 2022. Over
past 2 years, he’s had 3,000 receiving
yards & 25 receiving TDs, one the top
big-play receivers with 60 explosive
plays of 20 yards or more.

~~~

5. CB SAUCE GARDNER, NEW YORK JETS
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GardSa00.htm
(2021 in college)
(2022 PFR AV 14, 5th pick in 2022 draft, Defensive Rookie of Year,
All-Pro, Pro Bowl)

.... had an elite 90.0 coverage grade with
20 forced incompletions & < 400 receiv-
ing yards allowed on 613 total coverage
snaps. .. he was targeted constantly (74
times), but he remained a shutdown player.

~~~

6. C CREED HUMPHREY, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HumpCr00.htm
(2021 PFR AV 9, 63rd pick in 2021 draft)
(2022 PFR AV 13, Pro Bowl)

Humphrey has ... had back-to-back elite
grades of 91.8 in 2021 & 89.9 in 2022.
On more than 1,400 true pass-blocking
snaps played, he’s given up 1 sack & 28
total pressures across the past 2 years.

~~~

7. CB PATRICK SURTAIN II, DENVER BRONCOS
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SurtPa01.htm
(2021 PFR AV 7, 9th pick in 2021 draft)
(2022 PFR AV 14, All-Pro, Pro Bowl)

Surtain’s 66.3 coverage grade in 2021 was
solid for a rookie ... but his 86.7 coverage
grade in 2022 was [see article for their view
on that]. He allowed just 417 passing yards
in coverage with 8 forced incompletions.

~~~

8. OT RASHAWN SLATER, LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SlatRa00.htm
(2021 PFR AV 14, 13th pick in 2021 draft, Pro Bowl)
(2022 PFR AV 2)

.... He had 83.6 overall grade in 2021. He had a
84.0 overall grade in 2022 before rupturing his
bicep in Week 3. ...

~~~

9. WR CEEDEE LAMB, DALLAS COWBOYS
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LambCe00.htm
(17th pick in 2020 draft, PFR AV 9)
(2021 PFR AV 10, Pro Bowl)
(2022 PFR AV 14, Pro Bowl)

Lamb had just under 1,000 receiving yards
in his rookie year & over 1,000 in his last 2
years. His receiving grade has increased
rapidly, from 72.6 in 2020 to 84.8 in 2021 &
87.0 in 2022. The only player with more ex-
plosive plays of 20 yards or more the past
2 years is Justin Jefferson.

~~~

10. OT ANDREW THOMAS, NEW YORK GIANTS
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/T/ThomAn02.htm
(4th pick in 2020 draft, PFR AV 6)
(2021 PFR AV 5)
(2022 PFR AV 12)

.... Thomas ... got a 78.9 grade in 2021 & an
elite 90.3 grade in 2022. His 89.9 pass-block-
ing grade in 2022 was one of the highest ... &
he allowed just 7 sacks or hits on 700 pass-
blocking snaps.

~~~

11. WR JAYLEN WADDLE, MIAMI DOLPHINS
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WaddJa00.htm
(2021 PFR AV 7, 6th pick in 2021 draft)
(2022 PFR AV 12)

Waddle’s speed is one of the most elite
traits in the game. He recorded an 82.6
grade in 2022 to pair with his 2nd straight
season of topping 1,000 receiving yards. ...

~~~

12. RB JONATHAN TAYLOR, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/T/TaylJo02.htm
(41st pick in 2020 draft, PFR AV 11)
(2021 PFR AV 17, All-Pro, Pro Bowl)
(2022 PFR AV 5)

Taylor took a step back last season with
a 71.5 rushing grade, a far cry from his
90.0 rushing grade in 2021. ... The Colts’
offensive line was poor last year, as was
their offense overall. Taylor missed out on
the 1,000-yard mark for the 1st time since ...

.... his freshman season of high school, but
even with the poor offensive line, he still
rushed for 861 yards in 11 games — a pace
that would have still hit 1,000 yards in a full
season. When fully healthy, Taylor is still one
of the best young players in the game.

~~~

13. OT PENEI SEWELL, DETROIT LIONS
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SewePe00.htm
(2021 PFR AV 7, 7th pick in 2021 draft)
(2022 PFR AV 13, Pro Bowl)

Sewell has played more than 2,000 snaps
on Detroit’s offensive line over the past 2
seasons ... . He earned overall grades of
77.0 and 80.6 those 2 years. He allowed
fewer sacks (5 to 2) & pressures (35 to 28)
from 2021 to 2022.

~~~

14. WR TEE HIGGINS, CINCINNATI BENGALS
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HiggTe00.htm
(33rd pick in 2020 draft, PFR AV 17)
(2021 PFR AV 10)
(2022 PFR AV 10)

Higgins is coming off back-to-back 1,000-
yard seasons while recording 908 receiv-
ing yards in his rookie campaign before
that. It’s been a career of high-level consis-
tency for Higgins ... .

~~~

15. OT CHRISTIAN DARRISAW, MINNESOTA VIKINGS
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DarrCh00.htm
(2021 PFR AV 5, 23rd pick in 2021 draft)
(2022 PFR AV 7)

Darrisaw had a groin injury in his rookie sea-
son, ... caused him to miss 4 games, & he fin-
ished the year with a 71.9 overall grade. But
this past season, he played in 15 games, re-
cording 910 snaps, and earned an elite 90.4
overall grade. ... .

~~~

16. WR DEVONTA SMITH, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SmitDe07.htm
(2021 PFR AV 10, 10th pick in 2021 draft)
(2022 PFR AV 13)

Smith is on track to be one of the top young
receivers in the game, if you don’t already be-
lieve he’s there. He recorded a 77.6 receiving
grade in 2021 & took a nice jump to 81.1 in
2022 ... .

~~~

17. WR AMON-RA ST. BROWN, DETROIT LIONS
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/StxxAm00.htm
(2021 PFR AV 8, 112th pick in 2021 draft)
(2022 PFR AV 13)

St. Brown had one hell of a year in 2022. He
recorded an elite 90.4 receiving grade after
earning a 79.4 receiving grade as a rookie.
His 544 receiving yards after the catch was
near the top of the league, as he became more
of a well-rounded receiver. He played 430 ...

.... snaps in the slot and 341 snaps out wide,
serving as the focal point of the Lions’ high-
scoring passing attack. ... .

~~~

18. QB TREVOR LAWRENCE, JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
(2021 PFR AV 7, 1st pick in 2021 draft)
(2022 PFR AV 14, Pro Bowl)

Lawrence struggled during his rookie season,
a 58.3 passing grade. But this past year (with
an established NFL head coach), he jumped
to a 74.1 passing grade. He finished with 26
big-time throws, 19 turnover-worth plays & ...

.... a 77.7% adjusted completion percentage. It
was a step in the right direction, ... .

19. WR GARRETT WILSON, NEW YORK JETS
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WilsGa00.htm
(2021 in college)
(2022 PFR AV 8, 10th pick in 2022 draft, offensive rookie of year)

Wilson led all rookie receivers last year with
26 explosive plays of 20 yards or more ... .
His recording more than 1,100 receiving yards
is an accomplishment in & of itself, but when
you take into account who was throwing him
the ball, it’s even more impressive. ... .

~~~

20. WR DRAKE LONDON, ATLANTA FALCONS
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LondDr00.htm
(2021 in college)
(2022 PFR AV 9, 8th pick in 2022 draft)

As a rookie, London became the focal point
of the Falcons' passing attack. He finished
2022 with an 85.3 receiving grade, which
ranked 2nd only to Garrett Wilson among
rookies. London had 14 contested catches
with an impressive 53.8% contested catch ...