Two Years or Less: NFL’s brightest young stars

Young talent can deliver quickly in the NFL. The past two seasons have made that quite clear.

Here is a list of 15 players with two years of experience or less who have already distinguished themselves with their outstanding skills but are also on the cusp of greatness. Some of them have local ties. A few of them could see their NFL days culminate with a spot in Canton, Ohio.

Joe Burrow, age 25, is ready for year three with the Cincinnati Bengals. The LSU 2019 Heisman winner was the top pick in the ’20 NFL Draft after leading the Tigers to an undefeated 15-0 National title season. He led the Bengals to Super Bowl LVI in only his second season. His three playoff wins already tie him with Boomer Esiason (who spent nine years in Cincy) for the most playoff wins in franchise history. Last year, Burrow threw for 4,611 yards, 34 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, while adding 2 scores as a foot soldier. He completed 70.4% of his passes.

Justin Herbert, 24 and also entering third season with the Chargers, is already tabbed by some as the next “Tom Brady.” A first round pick in the 2020 Draft (sixth overall), Herbert is the first Chargers QB to throw for over 5,000 yards. He was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in ’20 after throwing for most ever TD passes (31) and completions by a first year QB with 396. The Oregon product who grew up as a Chargers fan is currently the betting favorite to win the 2022 NFL MVP honor.

Ja’Marr Chase, 23, was a Biletnikoff Award winner at LSU in 2019 and the Archbishop Rummel product showed he didn’t even need to play his final college season to star in the League. The 2021 NFL Rookie of the Year was the fifth overall draft pick in the ’21 Draft. Possessing explosive speed (4.34) with a 41″ vertical and uncommon strength as a wideout, Chase recorded the most receiving yards ever by a rookie with 1,823. He also holds the NFL game-high honors for a rookie thanks to a 266-yard receiving performance against the Chiefs.

Jonathan Taylor, 23, was a second round choice of the Colts in ’20 who should have gone higher. He led the league with 1,811 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns, earning first team All Pro acclaim last year. During his three seasons at Wisconsin, Taylor accumulated 6,174 yards and 50 touchdowns, the sixth most in FBS history. The workhorse back had consecutive 2,000 yard rushing campaigns in 2018-’19. Taylor is the youngest player in NFL history (at 22) to total as many as the 2,171 yards from scrimmage he managed last year, in a single season.

Rashawn Slater, 23, is a special talent at left tackle for the Chargers. Possessing 4.88 speed at 6-foot-4 and 315 pounds, the Northwestern University graduate is looked upon as the best young player his his position in football. Slater started 37 games for the Wildcats over three seasons before the Bolts wisely made him a first rounder in 2021 at No. 13 overall. He made 16 starts as a rookie, allowing four sacks and committing just six penalties in 1,116 offensive snaps. One of only four tackles receiving an 80% grade by PFF last season, Slater has still not reached his considerable ceiling.

Chase Young, Washington’s choice at second overall two years ago, was unblockable in college. While at Ohio State, the dominant defensive end accumulated 40.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage and 30.5 sacks in 38 contests. The 2020 Defensive Rookie of the Year with 7.5 sacks was not able to build upon his first campaign after an ACL tear in the 10th game of 2021. Young will miss the start of this season the Commanders hope to have him back by early October at the latest.

Micah Parsons, 23, lived up to the hype as the 2021 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year after totaling 84 stops and 13 sacks plus three forced fumbles, 20 tackles for loss and 30 QB hits. The 12th overall pick last year is ranked by PFF as the second best all time defender under age 25 years of age. He earned an 87.6 overall defensive grade with 93% as a pass rusher. Able to do it all on the edge, Parsons has his sights set on DeMarcus Ware’s single-season franchise record of 20 sacks in 2008.

Kyle Pitts has 4.44 speed at 6-6, 247, making him a mismatch for most defenders assigned to him. The Falcons star is only the second rookie tight end in league history (the first was Mike Ditka) to surpass 1,000 yards receiving in single season (68 catches for 1,022 yards). He did so at the age of 20. The fourth overall pick in the ’21 Draft captured the John Mackey Award as the nation’s best at the position at Florida. In three seasons with the Gators, Pitts snared 100 passes for 1,492 yards and 18 scores in 32 games. He made the Pro Bowl, the first rookie tight end to earn such an honor since Jeremy Shockey in 2002.

Justin Jefferson, 23, went in 22nd in the 2020 first round. The Vikings got a steal. As a senior at LSU in 2019, he corralled 111 passes for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns. Possessing 4.43 speed and a 37.5″ vertical, he recorded 88 catches for 1,400 yards and seven scores as a rookie in 2020. No victim to the sophomore slump, Jefferson followed that up with a better 1,616 yards on 108 catches and 10 scores. His 1,616 yards fell 16 yards shy of Randy Moss’s franchise record for a single season. The Destrehan High product made the Pro Bowl in his first two seasons in the league, joining Moss and Sammy White as the only Vikings receivers to do so. Jefferson overtook former LSU WR Odell Beckham for most yards in his first two NFL seasons with 3,016.

Jevon Holland enters his second season with the Dolphins after shining as a second round pick in 2021. He tallied 69 tackles, three sacks, two interceptions in 13 starts. With 4.47 speed and a 35.5″ vertical, he covers a lot of ground in the secondary, mostly playing single deep safety in a Cover One scheme. Holland allowed a mere 12 receptions last season. His 84.6 grade by PFF ranks fourth among all NFL safeties.

Najee Harris at 6-2, 232 is a 24-year old battering ram for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who made him their first round choice in 2021. He did not disappoint, maing the Pro Bowl as a rookie with 1,200 yards rushing and 467 more receiving plus 10 total touchdowns. Maybe more impressive was the fact he lost no fumbles as a rookie who handled the ball so often. Harris was the only tailback in the NFL last season to be involved in the most offensive plays for his team (83%). A physical power runner, he draws comparisons to former NFL star Steven Jackson, who totaled 11,438 yards and 69 scores during his 160 NFL games.

Jaylen Waddle, first rounder of the Dolphins last year at sixth overall, rewarded them by catching 104 passes for 1,015 yards and six scores. His reception total was the most ever by a rookie receiver. His 4.37 speed places him among the elite deep threats but Waddle has already proven he can be a guy to get open and move the chains. He recorded 108 catches for 1,999 yards and 17 touchdowns during his three seasons at Alabama with 11 of those scores covering 50 yards or more. With Tyreke Hill now in Miami to draw extra attention, Waddle is expected to raise his game to a higher level in ’22.

Javonte Williams, Broncos’ second round pick in 2021 at 35th overall, gained 903 yards and score four touchdowns while catching 43 passes for 319 yards and 3 touchdowns as a 2021 rookie. He does split carries with Melvin Gordon, starting only one game as a rookie. That is expected to change. As a senior at North Carolina in 2020, Williams earned a PFF grade of 95.9, the highest grade in a single season for any college runner. Although Williams and Gordon combined for 2,350 yards from scrimmage and 17 touchdowns last season, it is likely Williams receives more touches to demonstrate his vast potential.

Cee Dee Lamb, first round pick by Cowboys at 17th overall In 2020, is nicknamed “Hollywood” for a reason. He is ready for a larger role in Big D with Amari Cooper now in Cleveland. Lamb had 79 catches for 1.102 yards and six touchdowns in ’21. During his two pro seasons, the dynamic wideout has recorded 153 grabs, 2,037 yards and 11 touchdowns. While at Oklahoma, Lamb snared 173 passes for 3,292 yards and 32 touchdowns. With his all-around game as a pass catcher and runner after the catch plus ability to uncover at all three levels, his best is yet to come.

Mac Jones, the Patriots 23 year old starting quarterback, was taken 15th overall last year. He rewarded New England’s faith with a Pro Bowl nod as a rookie. During his three seasons at Alabama, Jones threw for 6,126 yards and 56 scores with seven interceptions, completing an impressive 74.3% of his tosses. His 77.4% completion rate overall was a new NCAA record. His 4,033 yards passing with 24 scores and 15 interceptions last year was impressive considering his last of standout receivers. Jones led the Pats to the playoffs in 2021 so no one should doubt him as an ascending player this season.