August 03, 2025
ESPN recently published a weird article identifying teams with the best "under 25" talent in the NFL. The Eagles somehow only ranked 14th in this exercise, while the oldest team in the NFL, the Washington Commanders, ranked third. So, I dunno, it's Sunday, the team had off yesterday, and I need something to write this morning — let's pick on this stupid article.
To begin, the Eagles don't have any starters on offense under 25. C Cam Jurgens, RG Tyler Steen, and WR Jahan Dotson are all 25. Will Shipley (22) will have a bigger role this season, but otherwise, that side of the ball is filled with seasoned vets. Their youth is on the defensive side of the ball, where, you know, they were the No. 1 defense in the the NFL last season.
The defensive starters, and their ages (we'll list 12 players to cover the base and nickel looks):
• EDGE Nolan Smith (24)
• iDL Jalen Carter (24)
• NT Jordan Davis (25)
• iDL Moro Ojomo (23)
• EDGE Jalyx Hunt (24)
• LB Zack Baun (28)
• LB Jihaad Campbell (21)
• CB Quinyon Mitchell (24)
• S Reed Blankenship (26)
• S Sydney Brown (25)
• SCB Cooper DeJean (22)
• CB Kelee Ringo (23)
The average age of the the team's defensive starters is under 25, at 24.1 years of age. Old man Baun at the decrepit age of 28 dragged the average above 24.
That is absolutely insane youth. But also, nine of the above players had significant roles in the Eagles' defense last year and are already NFL playoff battle tested. Four under-25 players are already stars, or likely soon will be:
And then there are plenty of other players who will likely have at least some kind of role on defense this season:
• LB Nakobe Dean (24)
• LB Jeremiah Trotter (22)
• LB Smael Mondon (22)
• S Andrew Mukuba (22)
• CB Mac McWilliams (23)
• iDL Ty Robinson (24)
And again, ESPN is saying that the Eagles ranked FOURTEENTH (lol) in under-25 talent. So how did they arrive at that conclusion? Well, part of the exercise was to list each team's "blue chip" players under 25. Jalen Carter and Quinyon Mitchell qualified for that distinction for the Eagles, though Nolan Smith and Cooper DeJean did not. OK, must be hard to earn that distinction.
Uhhh, or not, lol. Let's take a look at some of the players on other teams ahead of the Eagles that were worthy of "blue chip" status. We won't even note some of the rookies they included:
• OL Brandon Coleman, Commanders: Started at LT in 2024, and the Commanders thought so little of his play at LT that the traded for Laremy Tunsil, and Coleman will move to guard this season.
• DT Byron Murphy, Seahawks: 0.5 sacks as a rookie in 2024.
• QB Jaxson Dart, Giants: Almost universally thought of as a second-round prospect who the Giants traded up for in the first round. He will likely begin the season as the QB3.
• Edge Kayvon Thibodeaux, Giants: Disappointing 5.5-sack season in his third season in 2024 after having 11 sacks in 2023. Might not start in 2025, with Brian Burns and Abdul Carter probably ahead of him.
• QB Caleb Williams, Bears: Finished 28th in ESPN's own QBR rating in 2024.
• CB Terrion Arnold, Lions: Led the NFL with 167 penalty yards in 2024, had no INTs.
• OT Anton Harrison, Jaguars: Grain of salt here, but he ranked 58th among OTs at PFF.
• OT JC Latham, Titans: Again, grain of salt, but he ranked 70th among OTs at PFF.
• WR Quentin Johnston, Chargers: Two NFL seasons, 1,142 receiving yards and 10 TDs combined.
• QB Bryce Young, Panthers: Major improvements in his second season in 2024 after a dreadful rookie season in 2023, still only 20th in ESPN's QBR stat.
• WR Xavier Worthy, Chiefs: 59-638-6 as a rookie, racked up some stats in the Super Bowl against backups after Nick Sirianni was already drenched in Gatorade.
And again, those are just the players that are on teams ranked ahead of the Eagles. I could keep going. They're all "blue chip" players, but Nolan Smith and Cooper DeJean are not.
For what it's worth, ESPN ranked the Eagles 29th in this exercise last year. And then Jalen Carter, Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Cam Jurgens, Milton Williams, Nakobe Dean, Jordan Davis, Jalyx Hunt, and Moro Ojomo all helped them win a Super Bowl.
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