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Being able to know the top young and ascending talent is the key to competing on a year-by-year basis in dynasty leagues. There are plenty of young IDP players out there. However, you acquire this talent is up to you. Whether it be through trades or through rookie drafts, knowing who these players are is imperative. Here are the top 10 IDP players under the age of 25.
10) S Talanoa Hufanga, San Francisco 49ers - 24 Years Old
Hufanga was one of the steals of the 2022 NFL Draft. After winning the PAC-12 Defensive Player of the Year honors in his final collegiate season, Hufanga dropped to the 5th round of the draft due to concerns with his overall athletic profile. Let's just say he made probably close to 160 picks look terrible. After a rookie season being used as a role player, Hufanga made a huge year-two leap. In 2022, Hufanga finished with 95 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, four interceptions, and nine passes defended en route to First-Team All-Pro status. At just 24 years old, the sky is the limit for Hufanga.
9) LB Jack Campbell, Detroit Lions - 22 Years Old
Jack Campbell makes this list without playing an NFL regular season snap yet. It is his potential and landing spot, matched with his youth, that lands him here. The Lions' top linebacker is, and it pains me to say, Alex Anzalone. No offense to Anzalone, but he is far from a complete linebacker. Campbell already showcased in one pre-season game that he has terrific block-shedding skills and above-average coverage ability. Being the leader of the ascending Lions defense is in the near future for Campbell, as well as an every-down role. Lock him up.
8) S Jalen Pitre, Houston Texans - 24 Years Old
There are two stipulations that have Pitre sitting this low. First, he plays the position of least importance, defensive back. Second, he has a new coach. Pitre was a revelation in 2022 with 147 tackles, with passes defended, and five interceptions. The problem was that he had a missed tackle rate of 19.9%. Demeco Ryans may not be too keen on this. Still, Pitre showed an unbelievable knack for finding the football and making plays. If he can clean up his tackling, Pitre has DB1 overall potential.
7) EDGE Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans - 21 Years Old
Anderson is probably the best defensive player we have seen drafted since Micah Parsons, and Parsons is probably the best NFL comparison for him. So much so that without playing a single snap, he is #7 in my top 10 players under 25 years old. Over his three-year SEC career at Alabama, Anderson racked up 204 tackles, 58.5 tackles for a loss, and 34.5 sacks. He packs a pass-rush arsenal that is complete with fluid bend, power-rush, as well as speed. Add the fact that he has off-ball linebacker potential, and Anderson could have an unbelievable career.
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