Football is a young person’s game.
A few quarterbacks might disagree with that, but most others — running backs, in particular — will tell you that youth is an advantage. Youth means athleticism, agility, and quicker recoveries.
While the Chiefs have the benefit of an otherworldly quarterback in Patrick Mahomes, they might not have won either of their past two championships without a pair of stellar draft classes. Rookies and second-year players stepped in and stepped up, combining their youth with the steady hand of the team’s veteran leaders.
A new class of young players entered the NFL in April’s draft. Here’s a look at the league’s youngest players in 2024.
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| Player | Age (Birthday) | Position | Team |
| Braelon Allen | 20 (Jan. 20, 2004) | RB | Jets |
| Audric Estime | 21 (Sept. 6, 2003) | RB | Broncos |
| Nate Wiggins | 21 (Aug. 28, 2003) | CB | Ravens |
| Cam Little | 21 (Aug. 17, 2003) | K | Jaguars |
| Malik Nabers | 21 (July 28, 2003) | WR | Giants |
| Trey Benson | 21 (July 21, 2003) | RB | Cardinals |
| Jonathon Brooks | 21 (July 21, 2003) | RB | Panthers |
| Michael Hall Jr. | 21 (June 13, 2003) | DT | Browns |
| Jotham Russell | 21 (June 8, 2003) | DE | Patriots |
| Keon Coleman | 21 (May 17, 2003) | WR | Bills |
| Calen Bullock | 21 (Apr. 30, 2003) | S | Texans |
| Xavier Worthy | 21 (Apr. 27, 2003) | WR | Chiefs |
Jets RB Braelon Allen is the youngest player in the NFL at just 20. He won’t turn 21 until January.
Allen is not only the youngest player in the NFL right now, but he’s also one of only five players in the Super Bowl era to play in a game at the age of 20. In Week 2, he became the youngest player in 94 years to score a touchdown from scrimmage and the youngest player in the Super Bowl era to score two touchdowns in a game.
Of the 12 youngest active players in the NFL, only three (Nate Wiggins, Malik Nabers, Xavier Worthy) were first-round picks. Allen was a fourth-round selection by the Jets in April.
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It was a bit more common for players aged 20 and younger to play in the NFL before the Super Bowl era, as 23 teenagers played in the NFL in that span.
Since the start of the Super Bowl era, though, only five players have suited up at the age of 20:
Okoye, the No. 10 overall pick by the Texans in 2007, is the big winner, as he debuted at 20 years and 91 days old. Brown and Edmunds were also younger at the time of their debuts than Allen was when he stepped on the field in September.
The NFL doesn’t have any kind of minimum age requirement, but the league does require that players be at least three years removed from high school.
That means the vast majority of players enter the NFL at 21 or older, but some players can tinker with the numbers if they’re able to reclassify and graduate from high school on the early end.
