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Who are the best young players in the NFL entering the 2026 NFL season?
Better yet, which young players on the Houston Texans' roster are viewed as elite up-and-comers?
Every offseason, CBS Sports goes through all 32 teams and picks the best 25 young players under the age of 25. For Houston, names like Derek Stingley Jr., C.J. Stroud and Nico Collins have appeared on the list over several seasons.
Collins, a three-time 1,000-yard playmaker for Houston's offense, graduated from the group after the 2024 season. And while Stroud won't turn 25 until October, his underwhelming play in Year 3 knocked him off the list for the 2026 campaign.
So, who was considered for Houston? How about the highest-paid non-QB in the NFL and the best young defensive back in franchise history?
Defensive end Will Anderson Jr. appeared at No. 6 on the list and was named the highest-ranked defensive player. Stingley, who had appeared on the list the past two offseasons, once again made the cut, though he did fall to No. 16 overall and No. 4 among cornerbacks, trailing Seattle's Devon Witherspoon (No. 10), New England's Christian Gonzalez (No. 13) and Philadelphia's Quinyon Mitchell (No. 15).
A former All-American out in Baton Rouge, Stingley has been the definition of sticky and consistent in coverage since 2023. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, no cornerback has more interceptions since 2023 than Stingley (14). He ranks second among all defensive backs in that span, trailing only Detroit's Kirby Joseph (16).
While working in DeMeco Ryans' man-heavy defensive system, Stingley has kept quarterbacks from throwing in his direction. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, he allowed five catches for 57 yards on 19 targets between Weeks 8-13 last season amid a 12-win campaign.
To read the full list and see who else made the cut, click here.
The Texans return to Reliant Stadium for the start of training camp on July 21.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans' Derek Stingley Jr. ranked among the NFL's best players under 25
Continue reading...
Better yet, which young players on the Houston Texans' roster are viewed as elite up-and-comers?
Every offseason, CBS Sports goes through all 32 teams and picks the best 25 young players under the age of 25. For Houston, names like Derek Stingley Jr., C.J. Stroud and Nico Collins have appeared on the list over several seasons.
Collins, a three-time 1,000-yard playmaker for Houston's offense, graduated from the group after the 2024 season. And while Stroud won't turn 25 until October, his underwhelming play in Year 3 knocked him off the list for the 2026 campaign.
So, who was considered for Houston? How about the highest-paid non-QB in the NFL and the best young defensive back in franchise history?
Defensive end Will Anderson Jr. appeared at No. 6 on the list and was named the highest-ranked defensive player. Stingley, who had appeared on the list the past two offseasons, once again made the cut, though he did fall to No. 16 overall and No. 4 among cornerbacks, trailing Seattle's Devon Witherspoon (No. 10), New England's Christian Gonzalez (No. 13) and Philadelphia's Quinyon Mitchell (No. 15).
A former All-American out in Baton Rouge, Stingley has been the definition of sticky and consistent in coverage since 2023. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, no cornerback has more interceptions since 2023 than Stingley (14). He ranks second among all defensive backs in that span, trailing only Detroit's Kirby Joseph (16).
While working in DeMeco Ryans' man-heavy defensive system, Stingley has kept quarterbacks from throwing in his direction. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, he allowed five catches for 57 yards on 19 targets between Weeks 8-13 last season amid a 12-win campaign.
To read the full list and see who else made the cut, click here.
The Texans return to Reliant Stadium for the start of training camp on July 21.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans' Derek Stingley Jr. ranked among the NFL's best players under 25
Continue reading...
