Cowboys place 2 on PFN's Top 25 Under 25; Parsons just misses cut
The Cowboys always pride themselves on developing their youngest players, and they’ve historically shown a knack for turning players with little experience into some of the league’s biggest performers.
Pro Football Network has put out its list of the league’s brightest young talents for the 2024 season, with the Cowboys making up a full eight percent of those honored.
Both cornerback DaRon Bland and offensive lineman Tyler Smith can be found on the outlet’s Top 25 Under 25, with one other Cowboy superstar just missing the cut based on his recent birthday.
Edge rusher Micah Parsons turned 25 over Memorial Day Weekend, officially excluding him from this list. Otherwise, PFN points out, the three-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro would have ranked No. 2 overall.
Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb blew out 25 candles in April, tight end Jake Ferguson celebrated the big 2-5 in January, and cornerback Trevon Diggs will be 25 for three more months, so the Cowboys clearly boast plenty of premier skill players who are on the younger side.
But PFN’s list is just for players currently under 25, leaving a much smaller pool to draw from.
Of Smith, who takes 23rd place on the list, PFN points out that the Tulsa product played two different O-line positions over his first two seasons “and improved every phase of his game.” Now slated to be the starting left guard with a rookie playing on either side of him, Smith’s continued dominance “will be critical” in 2024. Perhaps best of all, the first-round pick just turned 23 in April (he was barely 21 the night he was drafted), meaning there’s no reason he shouldn’t appear on this list- and hopefully rank even higher- in 2025.
The #Lions lead the way with 4⃣ players on @DallasDRobinson's 25 Under 25 list.
#OnePride https://t.co/wAMNEMhGX3 pic.twitter.com/wQyv6b0ZwM
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) June 18, 2024
Bland takes the 17th spot on PFN’s countdown, but if the outlet had waited a month, Bland would have been ineligible. (He’ll turn 25 in mid-July.) The Fresno State alum “can be beaten at times,” but nine interceptions and a league-record five pick-sixes last season earned him not only an All-Pro nod but a spot “among the most dangerous defensive backs in the game.” Paired with Diggs this fall, he’ll make life miserable for opposing quarterbacks and receivers, with PFN calling him “a turnover waiting to happen.”
Detroit lineman Penei Sewell occupies the top spot on the list, with Sauce Gardner and Ja’Marr Chase rounding out the top three. (Vikings wideout Justin Jefferson would have been No. 1 had he not turned 25 earlier this week.)
The Lions have the most players in the top 25, with four. The Houston Texans feature three players, while the Chiefs and Jets join the Cowboys with two entries apiece.
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